-
-
Beverly
Mahone
-
- Author
of: Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age
|
- Beverly Mahone lives in Durham, North Carolina. A veteran
journalist, author, media coach and motivational speaker, Beverly
writes about issues affecting middle-aged women in her book,
Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age. The
Ohio University graduate writes candidly about issues including
weight gain and menopause, dating after the age of 40 and leaving
Corporate America at midlife.
-
- Vanessa Davis Griggs: Beverly, please tell us about
yourself.
-
- Beverly Mahone: I'm a wife, mother and grandmother,
who has a passion for God! I spent more than 25 years in radio
and television news and am now moving on to a new calling. Exactly
what that is, I'm not really sure. But one thing I know for sure
is I took a big leap of faith when I left my job last year and
now I trust God to lead me in the direction He wants me to go
in.
-
- Griggs: What events caused you to write your wonderfully
inspiring (and at times funny) book Whatever! A Baby Boomer's
Journey Into Middle Age?
-
- Mahone: Believe it or not, my experience with hot
flashes is what drove me to write my first non-fiction book.
I was experiencing physical and emotional symptoms and had no
clue as to what was going on. I thought I was having some kind
of a breakdown! My gynecologist encouraged me to write down my
thoughts and feelings, and I later discovered I was in the early
stages of menopause. From there I just kept writing about all
of my mid-life drama.
-
- Griggs: What are some tips you'd like to share with us
regarding things you've learned when it comes to menopause?
-
- Mahone: I've been telling women to "Enjoy
your menopause!" Of course, they look at me like I'm
crazy, but then I explain that it's just another phase of life
and we'll get through it. For some, it'll be a breeze; others
will struggle but this is the time to really get to know your
body. Practice good nutrition with lots of green vegetables and
fruit. Make time for exercise. It's also really important to
give yourself some "me" time when you go to the spa
or just lounge around in your favorite part of the house with
NO distractions. I recommend keeping a journal to keep track
of your eating and exercise habits so you can monitor your weight.
Weight gain is a problem for many women during menopause.
-
- Griggs: I love the way you use humor throughout the book.
What made you approach the writing of this book in that manner?
-
- Mahone: That's just how my life was going at the time.
Furthermore, I believe there has to be some humor in life because,
otherwise, I'd go crazy!
-
- Griggs: I am going to include a brief excerpt from the
book, but tell us what you hope a reader will take away from
the book once they've read it?
-
- Mahone: I want the reader to know that whatever they're
going through, they are not alone. There are many of us out here
who are struggling with all kinds of issues. I shared mine in
hopes of being a testimony for someone else.
-
- Griggs: When you reflect back over your life, what are
some of the things you're most proud of? What do you hope to
accomplish that you haven't as yet?
-
- Mahone: I'm happy that my parents got to see me graduate
from college and know that their money was well spent : Seriously,
anything I've been able to accomplish up to this point in my
life, I really do owe to my parents because I know they sacrificed
to help me achieve my goals. They also motivated me to pursue
my passion in life and to never give up on my dreams.
-
- I'm not sure if "proud" is the right word, but
I'm so glad I listened to that little voice inside of me and
stepped out on faith to travel on this new journey. God's word
tells us that all we need is the "faith of a mustard seed…"
and He will move mountains for us. I took a major chance by giving
up a well-paying job with a steady paycheck to venture off into
a writing and speaking career, but I trust God and I am going
where He leads me.
-
- I am ecstatic at being given a second chance to find love!
I got a divorce from my first husband when I was in my early
40's and had resigned myself to spending the rest of my life
alone with my daughter. But God obviously had another plan, and
He sent this wonderful man into my life. We got married last
year and I am the happiest I've ever been!
-
- Griggs: Oprah has--as one of her magazine columns--a section
where she talks about what she knows for sure. What do you know
for sure?
-
- Mahone: I know that God is the head of my life and
with Him I can do all things. I also know that I will get through
menopause. (lol)
-
-
- Click cover to order
from AMAZON.COM
-
- Excerpt from Chapter One
- "Have the seven dwarfs of menopause come knocking at
your door yet? ... I’ve also discovered that there also
more than two dozen hormonal cousins who also run in and out
of my body creating havoc. They don't all show up at once, but
you can rest assured they will come in, sometimes unannounced
and definitely uninvited and, yes, they will wear out their welcome.
-
- These little menaces to society bring night sweats, headaches,
fatigue, forgetfulness, muscle and joint pain, urinary incontinence,
heart palpitations, anxiety, depression, yeast infections and
vaginal dryness into our lives.
-
- According to my gynecologist, over time we may even start
to lose our desire for sex. I don't know how you feel about that,
but I surely hope it doesn't happen to me---because I'd hate
to think I wasted the best years of my sex life on my ex!"
-
- *****
-
- To visit Beverly's Web site, go to: http://www.enjoyyourmenopause.com
and http://www.thebabyboomerdiva.com
-
- Beverly, thank you for taking the time out to chat with
us. Here's praying you all the success in your endeavors to enlighten
and empower the women of the world.
-
-
- Copyright © 2007 Vanessa Davis Griggs All rights reserved
- Interview by: Vanessa Davis Griggs, Author of: Promises
Beyond Jordan, Wings of Grace & Blessed Trinity (Web
site: www.VanessaDavisGriggs.com)
-
- Copyright © 2007
For permission to use this interview, contact Vanessa Davis Griggs
at Vanessa@VanessaDavisGriggs.com
|
|
