Embrace the change: how to love yourself in menopause

Menopause is so much more than difficult symptoms. The endless physical changes that start in perimenopause can take a real toll on your mind and emotions too - resulting in low confidence, low self-esteem, a negative mindset, and low self-worth. As you wearily battle your menopause symptoms, self-love invariably ends up at the bottom of the pile along with all of your other best intentions. But hope is not lost. Read my simple self-love tips that will boost your self-esteem and help you to love yourself in menopause.

Love yourself in the mirror:

Mirror, mirror on the wall....a changing shape, under-eye shadows from lack of sleep, and increasing weight gain, thinning hair and a variety of other unfortunate symptoms can make it disappointing to look at your reflection in the mirror in menopause. So much so, that it can be hard to find anything that you like about your appearance and can even trigger a wave of self-loathing. However, whilst it may not be the reflection you really want to see, it’s essential to recognise that these changes in your appearance are all a part of your menopause and ageing journey. Regardless of the external changes, your worth is not defined by your appearance but by who you are on the inside, and trust me – that same wonderful person is still in there! It might not seem like it right now, but by embracing the changes, you will emerge better and stronger for it. So, the next time you look in the mirror, I challenge you to acknowledge one positive attribute about yourself in your reflection, cherish the feeling, and start to love yourself in menopause. 

Self-acceptance starts now:

Whatever we resist, persists. Constantly living in the past when you looked and felt better will only make you feel even more miserable. The key to love yourself in menopause is through self-acceptance and that means showering yourself with kindness and compassion. It’s not giving up or giving in, or deluding yourself. It’s about being realistic, kind, and wise. Your body is changing and ageing at the same time, so welcome the beauty and strength that comes with a more mature age, wisdom and experience.

Cultivating self-acceptance will enable you to release the pressure of unrealistic expectations and it’s a much happier place to be than constantly wishing otherwise. When you next find yourself longing for things to be the same, replace those thoughts with positive affirmations such as, “I accept and love myself just as I am” or, “I accept myself unconditionally.” Go on, start now, and how about a smile after each time you say one, hmm? 

To love yourself in menopause requires a positive mindset:

It can be hard to love yourself in menopause when you feel tired, grumpy, and misunderstood. In fact, it’s way easier to be negative about menopause and just about everything else too, including the weather, the news, the traffic, the cost of living etc But where does it all get you? Flip your negative thoughts! Rather than viewing menopause as the end, think of it as an exciting new beginning and an opportunity for personal growth and self-discovery. When you do this, you will shift the entire experience. When you’re too exhausted to exercise, for example, reframe your thoughts and think about using that time to catch up with a friend, indulge in a long hot bath, or read that book you’ve been longing to start. Rather than berate yourself for everything you can’t do or didn’t do, your new positive mindset will teach you to make peace with it and embrace each day as an opportunity to try new things and adopt a new approach in this new chapter of life.

Put yourself first for once!

If you’ve raised a family, been running a home, or maybe taking care of elderly parents, the chances are you’re already accustomed to finding yourself at the bottom of the pile. To love yourself in menopause and put yourself first is NOT selfish; it's an act of self-preservation and self-empowerment. The hormonal changes that menopause brings can leave you feeling drained and depleted, therefore prioritising self-care and self-love is vital if you’re to maintain your wellbeing and navigate this journey with resilience. This means setting boundaries, saying ‘no’ when necessary and making time JUST FOR YOU by indulging in activities that light you up and feed your soul - all without guilt. By putting yourself first, you’ll not only enhance the quality of your own life, you’ll become better equipped to handle the challenges of menopause and support those around us too.  

Love yourself with affirmations:

There’s no better way to love yourself in menopause than by incorporating affirmations into your daily self-care routine. Defined as positive statements or phrases that are repeated to overcome negative thoughts and instil better beliefs, affirmations actually have the power to re-programme the subconscious mind, replacing self-limiting beliefs with more empowering ones. This in turn promotes a positive mindset and self-image. Affirmations can focus on various aspects of your life or even specific symptoms, such as low confidence, poor self-esteem, relationships, and negative self-talk, and can counteract and cultivate a mindset of self-love and acceptance. Once you've identified the areas you wish to focus on, create affirmations that counter any issues you wish to improve. Make sure they’re positive, in the present-tense, and reflect the outcome you desire. For example, instead of saying "I will be confident," say "I am confident and capable in all that I do." Set aside dedicated times each day to repeat your affirmations.

TIP: early morning when you wake up, or before you go to bed are the times when your subconscious mind is most receptive. You can say them aloud or silently to yourself, whichever feels most comfortable. Be patient and trust in the process. Consistently practicing affirmations over time can lead to profound shifts in your mindset and wellbeing.

Guided Meditation for self-love:

A self-love meditation can help cultivate more compassion and kindness towards yourself. It can give you a structured and supportive framework for exploring and nurturing more positive feelings and teach you to navigate the ups and downs of menopause with greater resilience. Try this 10-minute guided meditation below to embrace the change and love yourself in menopause. See how wonderful you feel at the end. 

Try to listen to this self-love meditation daily, and as you begin to love yourself more, you will learn that there's no better time than menopause to be kinder to yourself. Never underestimate the power of meditation for menopause symptoms!

Conclusion:

Learning to love yourself in menopause requires a multifaceted approach that must be tailored to suit you and your specific needs. At the heart of mastering menopause is learning to accept that change is necessary and inevitable at this stage of life. When you embrace the change rather than resist it, and when you invest in self-love techniques and be nicer to yourself, you will begin to find yourself again and discover personal growth, happiness, and fulfillment at this key stage of life. And as for the next chapter, who knows where your new-found self-empowerment will take you?

About Julie Ann Garrido:

For over 30 years, Julie successfully ran her own PR company until her horrible perimenopause symptoms took hold and turned her world upside down. Not only was she physically exhausted, she suffered with low moods, negative thinking, loss of confidence, self-limiting beliefs, and crippling anxiety. She became a person she no longer recognised and simply wanted to hide away.

Unhappy with a medical approach to menopause, she turned to yoga to alleviate her struggles, and at the age of 53, she found the natural solution she’s had been searching for.

After regularly practicing 10 minutes morning yoga at home, she noticed that many of her symptoms were vanishing. She had more energy, she slept better, her confidence retuned, she felt more in control, and no longer hobbled around with joint pain.

I found the motivation to overhaul other areas of my life too

Her new-found confidence saw the old Julie return, along with someone new - the person she had always longed to be. But she wasn’t done yet. Julie began overhauling her nutrition, switched to a positive mindset, immersed herself in manifestation, and made other lifestyle changes that filled her with passion and purpose. This process of transformation had brought back her lost vitality and wellbeing.

"I found a new and better version of me in menopause. By embarking on a journey of transformation using holistic solutions, you too can find yourself again and start living your life to the full."

~ Julie Ann Garrido