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Menopausal and Mad About It?
Is it time to be put out to pasture with menopause? Think
again—while the physical transformation is real, negative
beliefs about menopause are not. Don’t think about the process
as a loss. Instead, change your sabotaging beliefs about menopause
and menopause treatment, and discover the advantages. Learn what
Mom never mentioned about menopause, like the surprise that freedom
is the perk hiding behind menopause. Get ready for the richest and
most adventurous phase of your life!
You wake up one morning and your entire life
has changed drastically. The mirror reveals ripply skin not unlike
the Grand Canyon and Dalmatian-like spots and dots that weren’t
there yesterday. Your skin tone has miniscule ripples like waves
on top your goldfish bowl and you’re dripping wet from a night
of thrashing your sheets to shreds, as you sought an escape from
internal combustion. Breasts head south for the winter of your life
and everyone, everywhere, calls you "Mrs. So-and-so,"
whether you’re married or not.
It’s menopause, and I’m not talking
about taking a momentary pause from men. If you live long enough,
every woman can count on the realizations, the changes, and the
flashes that indicate menopause. What’s a girl to do? Suddenly
you question whether your jeans are appropriate any longer, whether
it is time to cut your hair and dye it blue, and if you should be
put out to pasture with menopause. Beliefs begin to surface you
never knew you had, and more times than you care to mention, you
remind yourself of your mother, but also realize what Mom never
mentioned about menopause—it’s a real challenge!
Not so fast! The adage you are only as old
as you think you are comes in handy about this time. Underneath
the faded and folded skin is the same beautiful woman you always
were, and this version comes with something the young and restless
generally don’t have—experience and wisdom. Don’t
succumb to negative beliefs about menopause; get even and change
your sabotaging beliefs about menopause.
Here are some constructive steps to take for
menopause that bridge the gap between young and beautiful and aging
and awesome:
- Now more than ever, take time for yourself. Get your nails done,
have your hair colored (no, not blue!), get a facial, or get a
massage.
- Seek out methods to restore the hormone balance. Consider the
homeopathic route where hormone supplementation isn’t necessary.
- Take risks you haven’t taken before. As the ancient proverb
goes, "Go straight to the heart of the fire, for there you
will find safety." This is true whether you’re working
on improving a lifeless marriage, or if you’ve feared watercolor
painting. Jump right in with both feet and you’ll discover
what you feared the most simply isn’t real. And remember,
freedom is the perk hiding behind menopause.
- Give your body a fighting chance to feel young by maximizing
your exercise and minimizing your intake.
- Get online and research holidays for senior singles. You never
know who you might meet!
- Go ahead and join AARP. You may as well get discounts
in celebration of the new you.
Most important of all—don’t give into negative emotions
during menopause. Whatever you’ve heard doesn’t have
to be true for you. Go ahead and allow yourself to grieve the loss
of your former identity, but don’t resist your potential for
life at this important time. You can do as much, think as well,
be as sensual, and do it all with more understanding and compassion
than you ever could in the past. So, before you dye your hair blue
and order more housedresses of yesteryear, turn yourself onto the
fun and exciting freedom that is in store for you. Don’t let
menopause get the best of you—get even with it all by realizing
that this is the time of your life to do, be, and express all that
you are. You truly can wear purple or red hats if it appeals! |
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