Feel Better Now

As you age and go through different seasons in life, you may often wonder how you can feel better now. You may recognize as you self-reflect that you have been holding on to old habits that give you instant gratification but not long-term health benefits. We are all guilty of this at some point.

Feeling better requires making changes. The best place to start is with awareness. Look at where you are and where change will be most impactful for you. Prioritize your health and what’s important to work on first.

There are many paths to take each day to feel better. Many are deep, long-term practices you can put in place. But let’s dive into what you can do today. Choose small but meaningful ways to feel better in midlife. You have a lot of years to go and feeling good should be a priority.

Why Is Midlife a Difficult Time?

Midlife is a time of ups and downs. Raising children, making career choices, watching parents age and, for many, experiencing financial and health difficulties. Psychology Today states that midlife, namely your forties, can be especially difficult. It can be looked at as a time to overcome rather than an adventure to be enjoyed.

For many women, they are starting their peri-menopause journey in their 30s and 40s — when hormones are their most erratic and depression is on the rise as stated in Psychology Today. Statistically, the most common age that women commit suicide is between the ages 45 and 64.

If you are having suicidal ideations, you should seek medical attention since many medications, including hormone therapy, can help as well as talking with a professional. You are not alone. You deserve to feel your best in midlife and beyond.

Remember, there are practices you can put in place today to feel better.

How to Feel Better Now

• Connect with others. Not just through a text or social media. Reach out and make a plan to see each other. Dr. Rangan Chatterjee has a discussion with Johan Hari in his podcast Feel Better, Live More about feelings of depression and anxiety. He states, we need our basic needs met first — food, shelter, clean air, but there is equally strong evidence we need to feel our life has purpose and that we belong. That we are connected to others. Loneliness is a signal that you need to reconnect with others.
• Movement. Get outside and breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun on your skin. Connect with nature. The release of feel-good endorphins is another benefit when you increase your heart rate. Consider this affordable, easy-to-store treadmill from Amazon.
• Let go of unrealistic expectations. Settling into this phase of your life can be met with a lot of resistance by many women. Perhaps you thought things and relationships would be different. It’s important to adapt to our strengths and weaknesses. Let go of aspirations that are no longer realistic.
• Be in the moment. Start with noticing your surroundings. For many unhappy, frustrated people, they focus on the past or look to the future regularly. This can make it difficult to enjoy the time you are in right now.
• Self Care. Make sure you are getting proper sleep and taking in good nutrients. As we age, our bodies are less forgiving. We need rest and proper nutrition to feel and look our best as well as help with hormonal fluctuations.

Life and circumstances can change quickly. Take a moment to check in on how you are feeling. You deserve to feel your best which will likely lead to you looking your best. You have a lot of years ahead of you and small, consistent positive changes can bring about big results.

Please reach out if you would like to learn more about how I can help! You should thrive and not just survive in midlife!