When you hit your 50s, you reach a point where you just don’t care what other people think. With so much life experience under your belt, you know what you want, you know who you are and you’re ready to show the world what you’ve got.
I recently had the pleasure of sharing a raw and real conversation with Patrina Jones, a woman who personifies this essence.
Patrina is a multi-award winning and highly accomplished journalist with a long and successful career in radio and television. Starring on top-rating shows for more than 30 years, Patrina is currently a leading personality and News Presenter on the No 1 Christian O’Connell Show on Melbourne’s Gold 104.3 and is a regular guest on Channel 9’s Today Extra. She is funny, fearless and real.
As host of the amazing podcast, Rage Against The Menopause, Patrina is on a mission to break the silence on perimenopause and help women feel seen and heard in this time of their life – instead of feeling like they’re going crazy!
I asked Patrina about her journey into radio and it hasn’t all been easy. As a woman in a male dominated industry, working ridiculous hours and weekends, Patrina gave her all to the industry because she truly loves what she does. It’s this passion that has fuelled her to keep going and find resilience through life’s challenges.
One of the most striking moments in our discussion was about how menopause can affect women’s professional lives. Imagine working for decades honing your skills, climbing the corporate ladder, only to find yourself battling the symptoms of menopause with no support. Patrina shared that 25 percent of women going through menopause will actually leave their roles because the symptoms can be so challenging.
As a society, we need to understand and empathise with what women are going through if we want to retain them in the workforce. Leaders in organisations must listen, empathise, and create supportive environments. This is not just a personal issue; it’s a professional one. If we want to keep talented women in their roles, we need to address menopause openly and fairly.
Patrina and I didn’t hold back from discussing the raw and sometimes overwhelming reality of going through menopause. From nights plagued by hot flashes to the infamous menopausal rage, we laughed about the absurdity of those uncontrollable moments, like throwing glasses at the wall because the frustration is just too much.
What makes it even harder is the sheer volume of responsibilities we juggle—careers, family, friendships. “We’re told that we can have everything, aren’t we?” Patrina said. “But we’re bloody knackered.” It summed up the sentiment perfectly.
Towards the end of our conversation, Patrina shared her sage advice to not let anyone tell you who you are or what you can or cannot do. Stand in your power, be yourself and don’t worry what other people think.
LINKS
Order My New Book “You Always Have A Choice” here
Connect with Patrina:
Podcast: Rage Against The Menopause
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrinajonesnewman
Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au