How I Reclaimed My Clarity: AI, Menopause, and Finding My Way Back to Me

By Talibah Branch, Founder of Branch Forward

I want to share something personal, something I once felt too embarrassed to say out loud.

I was losing my words.

Mid-sentence, mid-thought, mid-idea, they would vanish. I’d sit in front of my computer, knowing I had something meaningful to say, only to find fog where clarity once lived.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. I was building a company dedicated to helping women thrive through menopause, while quietly struggling with one of its most frustrating symptoms: brain fog.

The Moment Everything Shifted

One Tuesday afternoon, I sat staring at a blank email. My mind was empty. That morning, I’d had a clear idea of what I wanted to say. By 2 p.m., it had disappeared.

I felt defeated, incompetent, and frightened that this might be my new normal.

Then my daughter asked a question that would change everything: “Mum, have you tried ChatGPT?”

At 52, the thought of using AI felt intimidating. I pictured complicated software and technical jargon. But desperation can be a powerful motivator. I decided to give it a try.

My First Conversation with AI

I opened ChatGPT and typed something simple:

“I’m trying to write an email about my menopause wellness company, but I keep forgetting what I want to say. Can you help?”

What happened next surprised me. The AI didn’t just help me write; it helped me think. It helped me capture my thoughts, organize them, and bring them to life. For the first time in months, I felt like myself again.

How AI Became My Quiet Lifeline

Here’s how this tool transformed how I worked, thought, and felt during menopause.

1. Capturing Thoughts Before They Vanish

Those moments when a great idea pops up only to disappear before you can write it down? That was my daily struggle. I started using ChatGPT like a thinking partner. Whenever a thought appeared, I typed it straight in. It helped me piece together fragments and expand on ideas before they slipped away.

Menopause brains don’t need pressure to remember perfectly. We need a patient partner to help us retrieve and shape our ideas. AI provided that.

2. Bringing Calm to the Chaos

My mind often felt like a tangled drawer of necklaces — everything there, but impossible to sort. AI helped me prioritize tasks, break projects into smaller steps, and plan my day based on my energy levels. What felt overwhelming became achievable again.

3. Remembering What I Meant to Say

There were times I’d sit down to write and completely forget my main point. With AI, I could retrace my thinking. I’d type what I remembered and ask, “What might I have been trying to say?” The suggestions often sparked my memory. It felt empowering to recover my own thoughts.

4. Turning Scattered Thoughts into Clarity

I learned to use AI as my “clarity translator.” I’d type out messy, unfiltered ideas, about a blog topic I had structured in my head earlier that morning, product social media post that I didn’t have time to make notes, or strategies I had talked to friends and the completely forget once I hung up the phone, and ask it to help me structure them clearly. It didn’t replace my creativity; it helped me access it again.

5. Learning Without Shame

Brain fog made me feel forgetful and, at times, inadequate. I’d have to relearn information I’d only just read. With AI, I could ask questions freely and have concepts explained as many times as I needed. There was no judgment, no sighs, no embarrassment , just patient explanations that helped me keep learning.

6. Managing Decision Fatigue

Menopause can make even simple decisions exhausting. AI became my sounding board. I could list my options and ask it to help me weigh the pros and cons. It helped me organize my thinking and approach decisions with more confidence.

7. Keeping My Business Steady

On days when brain fog was particularly strong, I used AI as a safety net. I’d paste customer emails and ask for help ensuring I’d answered every question clearly. It helped me maintain professionalism and consistency, even when my brain was tired.

For the Women Who Think “I’m Too Old for This”

If you’re reading this thinking, “That’s great for her, but I’m not tech-savvy,” please hear me, you can do this.

If you can send a text, you can use ChatGPT. It’s not about being good with technology. It’s about finding tools that make your life easier. And this one does exactly that.

AI meets you where you are. You can type your thoughts in plain English. It’s patient, private, and available whenever you need a hand. You don’t need to be an expert, you just need to start.

How to Get Started

1. Visit chat.openai.com
   
   

2. Create a free account
   
   

3. Start a conversation with something simple:
   “I’m experiencing menopause brain fog and need help organizing my thoughts today.”
   
   

That’s it. Use it to plan your day, outline an idea, or simply clear your mind. Be patient with yourself. Give it a week and see how it feels.

What I’ve Learned

AI hasn’t “cured” my brain fog. But it’s helped me work with my mind instead of against it. It’s taught me to adapt rather than surrender.

That’s what this phase of life is about, adapting, learning, and thriving through change.

At Branch Forward, I’ve built a community around this belief. We support women through natural wellness tools like CBD, mindful journaling, breathwork, and holistic guidance. And now, I see AI as another form of support, one that helps us stay organized, confident, and mentally steady as our bodies evolve.

Menopause doesn’t mean losing ourselves. It means finding new ways to support the woman we’re becoming.

Your Second Bloom Includes New Tools

Your Second Bloom isn’t about doing everything the way you always have. It’s about embracing what helps you move forward with ease and grace. For me, AI became one of those tools — not a replacement for my mind, but a companion to it.

If you’re navigating menopause and feeling lost in the fog, know this: you are not broken. You’re simply in transition, and with the right tools, you can thrive here too.

With compassion and encouragement,
 
 

Talibah Branch

Founder, Branch Forward