02/17/2026
Women – What We Carry and What We Release https://www.lizaboubari.com/women-what-we-carry-and-what-we-release
Celebrating Women: Emotional Weight and Midlife Body Changes
March invites reflection, especially during International Women’s Month.
Years ago, a neighbor brought me flowers every March 8. She once told me that in her culture, International Women’s Day holds even more meaning than birthdays because it celebrates womanhood itself. That memory has stayed with me ever since.
Today, when I think about honoring women, I think beyond accomplishments and visible strength. I think about women who march for freedom, women whose voices were silenced by power or circumstance, and women who carry responsibility quietly inside their homes. In many cases, no one sees the weight they hold.
And then I think about the women who sit across from me each week.
Midlife Body Changes Often Reveal Something Deeper
Many women navigating midlife body changes share a similar concern. They say, “I know what to do, but it’s not working,” or “I do not understand what is happening to my body.” However, those words rarely point only to metabolism or hormones. Instead, they often uncover something deeper.
Midlife brings hormonal shifts. Estrogen declines, sleep patterns change, and muscle mass adjusts. While these physical changes matter, emotional weight often plays an equally powerful role.
Emotional Weight and the Mind-Body Connection
Over time, years of responsibility, pressure, and unspoken emotion affect the nervous system. As a result, chronic stress raises cortisol levels, and elevated cortisol can influence weight distribution and cravings. When stress continues without relief, the body adapts.
What looks like stubborn weight gain may reflect emotional endurance.
I often remind my clients:
“Every woman carries a story. Healing begins when she no longer has to carry it alone.” — Liza
In fact, the body often responds when the story finally has space.
Whether you are a woman experiencing midlife body changes or a man trying to understand yourself or someone you love, remember this: what weighs on us rarely starts as physical. More often, it begins with responsibility, silent pressure, or years of holding your peace and everything together.
Moving Forward With Awareness
International Women’s Month invites celebration; however, it also invites awareness.
Midlife is not a breakdown of the body. Rather, it is a transition. It asks for attention instead of criticism and encourages listening rather than pushing harder. Therefore, moving forward may not require more discipline. Instead, it may require more compassion.
As you reflect this month, ask yourself:
What have I been carrying quietly?
And what would it feel like to release even part of it?
With grace and clarity,
Liza
