Many women struggle during the menopause transition. Here’s what can help.
It’s not a secret that women go through a lot when they’re going through menopause. There are physical symptoms, but they’re also emotional and psychological effects. One of which is how we see ourselves. We feel less attractive, less valuable, and less womanly. I’m sure you know about this already because you’re on this website reading about building a better body image in menopause! But the truth is that there are ways to improve your body image as a menopausal woman; you have to know where to start! Let us learn a few strategies to help strengthen our minds to have a better body image in menopause:
Recognize triggers
One of the easiest ways to improve your body image is by recognizing what is triggering your anxiety. Is it social media? The mirror or clothes? Start every day with a positive mindset and identify what makes you feel bad so you can learn to talk kindly to yourself.
Just breath
Another strategy is learning to breathe deeply by actively focusing on how you breathe. Breathing exercises will help you relax, focus, and even fall asleep. They can also reduce stress levels and increase energy levels.
-Breathe deeply and slowly.
-Focus on your breathing.
– Count to ten while you breathe in and out.
-Repeat the exercise for 10 minutes.
-Try this exercise before bedtime to relax or anytime you need to center yourself
Practice mindfulness meditation and positive self-talk.
- Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is a form of self-care that focuses on the present moment. You can practice mindfulness meditation by simply sitting down and focusing on your breath or taking time to walk around and observe things from a different perspective. By doing this, you’ll become more aware of your thoughts and feelings—and you may find that your body image improves in the process.
- Positive self-talk. A simple way to practice positive self-talk is by keeping an affirmation journal where you write down affirmations like “I am beautiful” or “I am strong.” When necessary, read them aloud, so they sink in even more strongly.
- You can also practice positive self-talk by repeating these affirmations to yourself throughout the day. For example, say “I am beautiful” five times in the morning when you wake up and brush your teeth, or say “I am strong” while putting on your makeup before work. Train your brain to focus on the positive aspects of your appearance using mirror exposure therapy.
Mirror exposure therapy
Another way to build a better body image is through mirror exposure therapy. Mirror exposure therapy is an effective method of helping you focus on the positive aspects of your appearance, which can lead to increased self-confidence.
To get started with mirror exposure therapy, pick up a hand-held or full-length mirror and hold it in front of your face to see yourself. Then, look at yourself in the mirror without criticizing how you look or avoiding certain parts of your body (such as if you have wrinkles or saggy skin). Instead, focus on the positive aspects of your appearance by looking for things such as:
- Your eyes
- Your smile
- The shape of your face
- Your hair
Finally, take some time to appreciate how beautiful and unique you are. You might even want to thank yourself for everything that makes you special and unique before ending your mirror exposure therapy session.
Make connections
Reconnect with friends and find a community that can learn body image tools with you or supports you through the process in ways that work for you.
You can also find a community of people to support you through the process which is going through similar challenges. Don’t forget to join the Menopause Sisterhood Facebook page. Click here to join now!
If you have friends and family who support your decision to learn body image tools, they can be invaluable resources throughout this journey. You may also consider joining a support group encouraging body positivity in menopausal women. These groups will likely provide a space where you can talk about what’s going on for you, share ideas with other women who have been there, too, and get advice from experts in menopause and its effects on mental health.
Suppose none of those options work for you. In that case, I recommend finding a therapist who works with postmenopausal women, specifically so that she knows exactly what’s happening inside her clients’ minds (and bodies) during this time of life transition.
Enjoy physical activity for all the reasons other than losing weight or changing the way your body looks (i.e., improved mood, stress reduction, better sleep).
If you love being active, it can be hard to stop doing what you love because you’re afraid of gaining weight. But think about how much better you’ll feel on the days when you follow through with an activity that brings you joy—whether it’s yoga class or a hike in the park. It often helps to remind yourself that physical activity is good for your health, regardless of whether or not it changes your appearance. You might notice that regular exercise leads to better sleep, which leads to fewer stressors and more energy during the day. You might also find that being active makes time fly by faster, so sometimes when people ask what I did today, I have no idea!
You might have noticed that I didn’t mention weight loss as one of the benefits of exercise. That’s because it’s not always the case, especially if you’re doing something like running or biking at a high-intensity level. But even if you don’t lose weight, there are plenty of other reasons to keep exercising.
The point is that you shouldn’t let fear keep you from doing something that makes you happy. If being active improves your life, then go ahead and do it!
It’s normal to struggle with our bodies at any age, but overcoming those challenges and finding peace with our bodies when we are willing to work to practice new ways of thinking about ourselves is possible.
It can be challenging to recognize the importance of body image because we live in a culture that emphasizes how things look. But I want you to know that your body is not just an object for others, but it’s part of who you are as a person and what makes you unique! We all go through changes during menopause, making us feel like our bodies aren’t quite right anymore. The truth is that all people experience aging differently; some menopausal women find themselves gaining weight while others lose weight. But one thing remains constant: every woman’s unique journey is based on genetics and health history during this period. So no matter what stage she’s at–beginning through end–she deserves respect from herself and others around her because they’re all going through something similar!
Conclusion
Takeaway Points
In conclusion, here are some key takeaways from this article: You should never feel ashamed about your body image issues-even if they seem silly or trivial. Everyone is different and will go through periods where their self-image isn’t perfect. The important thing is that we all have access to resources like therapy and counseling services which can help us work through these problems together as a group! I
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I am Mary, the founder of The Menopause Sisterhood. I have supported midlife women by sharing hard-earned learnings from her experience. To advance my knowledge, I have put a lot of time and effort into understanding the spectrum of women’s health. I am constantly researching the physical, mental and emotional aspects of menopause. I believe in the life-changing power of healthy, holistic living — this is where I anchor the message to all women. Learn more about my mission on the page, About Mary Santander.
