A Deep Dive into Mindset, Menopause, and Positive Change

It's time to reimagine your mid-life journey.

Dec 14, 2023

During my recent interview on the "Menopause Reimagined" podcast with Nutritionist Andrea Donsky, we explored the powerful intersection of mindset and menopause, and the transformative shifts essential for stepping up, not back during this pivotal time of transition. Listen here.

What is a Mindset?

Carole Dweck1, a renowned psychologist, introduced the concept of mindsets as a way to understand how our beliefs about our abilities and traits shape our behavior and outcomes.

According to Dweck’s research, there are two primary types of mindsets: fixed and growth.

Living with Fixed Menopause Mindsets

A "fixed mindset" is like thinking your abilities, smarts, and personality are set in stone and can't be changed. People with this mindset usually steer clear of tough stuff, give up quick, think trying hard is pointless and don't listen to feedback. Here are examples of how a fixed mindset may apply to menopause.

5 Fixed Menopause Mindsets

1. The Menopause Curse: Thinking that menopause is like some dark spell that only brings misery and that there's absolutely nothing good about it.

2. Accepting the Decline: Believing that when menopause hits, you're pretty much doomed to feel worse physically and mentally, and there's no way around it.

3. Resistance to Change: Stubbornly refusing to make any changes to your lifestyle to deal with menopause symptoms, thinking it's just a regular part of getting older.

4. Give me the Meds: Putting all your faith in medicine to handle menopause symptoms and not even considering other options like lifestyle tweaks or natural supplements.

5. The Stigma: Seeing menopause as some kind of taboo topic, never talking about it openly, and feeling awkward or ashamed about seeking help or information for this totally natural phase of life.

Thriving with Growth Menopause Mindsets

Now, a "growth mindset" is more like believing your abilities and smarts can grow if you put in the effort. Folks with a growth mindset welcome challenges, keep going even when it's tough, see effort as a way to get better and learn from feedback and advice. Here are examples of how a growth mindset may apply to menopause.

5 Growth Menopause Mindsets

Embracing Change: Seeing menopause as a natural part of life's journey and embracing it as an opportunity for personal growth and transformation.

Knowledge is Power: Actively digging into info about menopause, what you can expect, and how to handle it, and being open to trying out different things.
Lifestyle Tweaks: Being up for making positive changes, like getting into healthier eating habits, starting a workout routine, or giving meditation a shot to boost both your body and mind during menopause.
Lean on Your Team: Believing in the power of support from friends, family, or fellow menopausal warriors, and not being shy about sharing experiences, advice, and a good laugh or two.
Embracing the Suck: Looking at menopause-related challenges as opportunities to grow and become more resilient, knowing that even when things get tough, you're gaining wisdom and a deeper understanding of yourself.

Changing from Fixed to Growth

Changing your mindset from fixed to growth is a process that requires effort self-awareness and agency.

1. Self-awareness: Begin by recognizing your fixed beliefs. Pay attention to when you avoid challenges. Acknowledge these moments without judgment.
2. Challenge Fixed Beliefs: Actively challenge these fixed beliefs. When you catch yourself thinking, "I can't do this," reframe it as, "I can't do this YET." This small shift in language can make a world of difference.
3. Play at the Edges: Seek out challenges that push you out of your comfort zone. Embracing challenges and getting into action is a powerful way to develop a growth mindset.
4. Learn from Setbacks: Instead of seeing failures as dead ends, view them as opportunities for growth and learning. Analyze what went wrong and how you can improve next time.
5. Cultivate Persistence: Developing a growth mindset requires consistency and persistence. Keep practicing and remind yourself that growth takes time.

It’s a matter of mindset!

Menopause is not a decline but an opportunity for growth and transformation. It all begins with our mindset. By understanding the difference between fixed and growth mindsets and actively working to shift our beliefs, we can navigate this life stage with strength, resilience, and a sense of celebration.