The Menopause-Mindset Connection: Strategies for a Positive Transition [Ep 20]

In this episode, host Lisa DuPree wraps up the 3 part Menopause Mini-series by delving  into the relationship between mindset and menopause. Join her as she explores the impact of menopause on mental health and emphasizes the importance of self-compassion and gratitude during this transformative life stage.

By practicing self-compassion, gratitude, and seeking support, navigating menopause becomes easier. Lisa talks about how embracing these practices opens up new opportunities for personal growth and development during this transformative stage of life. Tune in to discover how to embrace menopause with a positive mindset.

Part 1: The Impact of Menopause on Mental Health
Part 2: The Importance of Self-Compassion During Menopause
Part 3: Gratitude for Self, Body, and Experiences

Sign up for the FREE virtual 5-day “Lose Your Menopause Belly" event that includes daily emails during the challenge with more in-depth strategies, inspiration for taking action, healthy recipes, and access to the event Facebook group where you can get expert guidance and personalized support.  The challenge runs May 30th-June 3rd.  Busy that week?  Sign up anyway so you’ll get access to all the information, resources and recordings delivered right to your inbox. 

Sign up for free here: https://tinyurl.com/LYMB5

Self-Compassion Exercises by Dr. Kristin Neff - https://self-compassion.org/category/exercises/

Thanks for listening!

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Transcript

Hello Hello! I’m Lisa DuPree and this is part 3 of the Menopause Mini-series.  Today's episode focuses on the relationship between mindset and menopause. We'll be exploring the impact of menopause on mental health and the importance of self-compassion and gratitude during this life stage. 

It’s no surprise that menopause comes with a lot of changes. It can significantly impact not only physical health but mental and emotional health as well, negatively affecting quality of life in general.  

Going through menopause, women experience a range of emotional symptoms linked to hormonal changes. Estrogen influences mood regulation. As levels decrease, changes in mood, leading to feelings of anxiety, irritability, feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities is common.

The impact of these symptoms can run the gamut from mild and barely noticeable to wild, where you feel like you're losing your mind.  These fluctuations in mood are unpredictable and so many of us end up experiencing difficulty with work, in relationships, and dealing with daily life.  There is also a lot of frustration, embarrassed or shame that comes up as a result leading to feelings of isolation, loneliness or inadequacy.

It's important to understand that these symptoms are a natural, even expected, part of menopause. That’s not to say that it should be minimized or ignored, but it’s definitely not something to feel shame about. Seeking support and understanding is key!  Talking to others who are experiencing similar challenges can be comforting and validating. Whether it’s loved ones and friends or trusted colleagues and healthcare professionals, communicating what you are experiencing along with what you need in the way of support can go a long way in managing symptoms and feeling more like yourself again. 

Even with support from others, it's essential for you to be kind to yourself. Two things that I found particularly helpful when I was dealing with big time mood swings, severe anxiety, and lack of interest in, well, everything was practicing self-compassion and gratitude.

Self-compassion is the practice of treating yourself with kindness, understanding, and non-judgment. Easier said than done, my beautiful friends, easier said than done. I like to think it’s called a “practice” because you get better at it as you do it!  

Cultivating self-compassion helps you become more accepting of the changes that your body and your mind are going through. It has also been shown to help to cope with emotional symptoms related to anxiety and depression. Dr. Kristin Neff has done some fantastic work in this area. I'll put a link in the show notes to my favorite self-compassion meditation exercise on her website.

Another helpful aspect of managing menopause is cultivating gratitude  - for yourself, your body, and your experiences. Gratitude involves recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of your life, even when it’s challenging. Essentially, it’s the practice of being thankful. Studies have shown that a regular gratitude practice can improve mental health, boost resilience, reduce stress and increase overall life satisfaction.  

All good things because, during menopause, things are changing in ways that might be difficult to accept. I know it was for me!  Cultivating gratitude for my body and all the amazing things it is capable of really helped me to develop a more positive mindset in this life stage. Recognizing the ways in which your body has served you well throughout your life and acknowledging your physical resilience and strength is a good place to start. 

Things I am currency grateful for include healing quickly from a freak rib injury, being able to see progress in building muscle and the strength and flexibility to continue to dance and perform. An easy way to practice gratitude that I like is to keep a journal of things you are thankful for or, even simpler, just taking time to reflect on the good things happening in your life regularly. 

By practicing self-compassion and gratitude, and getting the support you need, you can navigate menopause with greater ease and find new opportunities for personal growth and development.

If you are interested in trying these out for yourself, I invite you to join me in the free “lose your menopause belly” challenge I have put together to help you jumpstart midlife weight loss so you can get back to being fit and feeling fabulous this summer. This free virtual 5 day event is happening Tuesday, May 30th through Saturday, June 3.  When you sign up, you’ll get a daily email during the challenge that goes more in depth with key science backed strategies, healthy recipes, and access to the event facebook group where you can get expert guidance and personalized support directly from me on how to put these strategies in play for you. No worries if you're on vacation or have a jam-packed schedule that week, sign up anyway to get access to the event archive page so you still get all the tools and strategies talked about in the live virtual event. 

To sign up for this free challenge, go to https://tinyurl.com/LYMB5 or use the link in the show notes to sign up. I hope to see you in the free 5 day challenge on May 30th. Bye for now!