Giving Yourself Grace During Menopause
Recognize All-or-Nothing Thoughts:
Becoming more aware of how you think when faced with various options or finding yourself in certain situations where you may not want to do what your original plan was is important to hone in on. Do you experience physiological changes in moments like these. Perhaps anxiety, negative self-talk, or choosing to push through pain unnecessarily occurs.
Ask yourself questions like, “Am I making a decision that aligns with my greater health and life vision?”
Practice Self-Compassion:
Progress, not perfection. Instead of being down on yourself for not achieving perfection, practice self-compassion. Mistakes are learning opportunities.
Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer to a friend in a similar situation.
Set Realistic Goals:
Break down large goals into smaller, manageable tasks. This approach makes it easier to see progress and reduces the pressure to achieve perfection. Try setting SMART Goals instead of thinking or saying you’re going to do something. Looking at a goal or task in its many nuanced parts helps to review the steps necessary to achieve your goal in attainable, well thought out steps.
Celebrate the small achievements along the way, acknowledging that progress is not always linear and that setbacks are a normal part of growth.
Learn more about how to create a SMART Goal.
Embrace a Growth Mindset:
Cultivate a growth mindset, which focuses on the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort and perseverance. This perspective contrasts with the fixed mindset, which often underlies all-or-nothing thinking.
By viewing challenges as opportunities for growth, you can reduce the pressure to be perfect and allow yourself to learn from experiences.
Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques:
Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, can help you become more aware of your thought patterns and reduce stress. This awareness can facilitate the recognition and modification of all-or-nothing thinking.
Regular mindfulness practice can enhance your ability to stay present and focused, reducing the tendency to fall into extreme thinking patterns.
Work With a Professional:
Having an accountability partner who’s trained in science-backed strategies for behavior change can be a helpful place to start. If you’ve been struggling to accomplish your goals for several years, or months, working with a health coach, therapist, or other provider, may make all the difference for you while you strengthen your ability to practice flow in your life more.
Implementing these strategies can help manage and eventually overcome an all-or-nothing mindset, leading to a more balanced and resilient approach to health challenges.