I’ve struggled to decide what to write about this month, but this morning’s webinar has encouraged me to write about choices.
I talk a lot about choices within my presentations and I’ve recently refocused on my own choices in life.
Yes, there will always be outside influences of different degrees, but ultimately, our choices are our own.
When I advise attendees that processed sugar and alcohol in the evening might be increasing or causing their menopausal night sweats… you can imagine the responsive groan. I am very quick to say I am not telling anyone to stop enjoying their “go to” but what I am saying is that they have a choice. I chose to give up the processed sugars in the evening because it triggered my night sweats and prevents me from getting to sleep and that was my choice. I sometimes forget that choice and realised late last night that the reason I probably couldn’t get to sleep was the 8pm chocolate bar and cup of tea whilst watching my son at football training!
I also choose to step out of my comfort zone on a regular basis. Why? Because I think it helps me grow as a person.
My choices are not always positive. I spent a week this month, and I don’t know why, doubting myself. Self-doubt, self-doubt, and more self-doubt. Why? I don’t know. I could explain it by a variety of different life events, but I also had to take ownership of this feeling because I didn’t like it. I made a choice to reach out to two amazing supporters in my network and ask for a catch up. Sometimes you just need to talk things through, and I was very honest and explained how I had been feeling and they helped me turn my mindset around. I wonder if your assumption is that these two people were women. They weren’t.
We also have choices when it comes to managing our own menopause. It is not always easy and often we don’t feel we have a choice, but we do. How do we want to eat? What movement do we want to enjoy? What headspace are we giving ourselves? Is what we are wearing making us feel better? These are all personal choices, and we often forget they are our own to make.
I constantly repeat within my presentations and to my closest friends… “You have to help you” and this is also a choice.
I think I forgot I had choices earlier this month and that I needed to own them again.
So, I have.
Here is what I have done, and I am sharing in case it triggers something for you:
- Looked at my working hours – where were my boundaries? I have chosen to switch this up.
- Realised it was down to me to book my reflexology birthday gift that I desperately wanted – no one else was going to! Booked it, went and absolutely loved it.
- Chose not to work every day during half term and spend at least one day out of the house and by the sea with people that I love.
- Found a book to read and gift myself time to read it.
- Deal with my home admin before or after work and not during work!
Very simple but resetting and owning my own choices leads to greater positivity for me.
What simple choices can you make to support you?
