Believe it or not, your brain needs de-cluttering as much as your house may need it!
Our brains are incredibly remarkable, 3-pound organs that basically handle all our bodies' functional needs while processing roughly 60K thoughts every day. Mental fatigue and lack of concentration or clarity are real conditions even for the sharpest among us! Given that you do not have underlying medical conditions that are contributing to cognitive dysfunction or severe brain fog (seek medical attention if any doubt), there are a few practical items you can do to find relief. Allow me to share with you the results of the brief survey conducted last fall regarding menopause. Just click this link if you'd like to see what 32 women shared about their experience pre, during, and post menopause. And if you want an extra boost of ideas to ponder, check out this eBook on Amazon MENOPAUSE: THE DIVINE UPGRADE that is totally FREE from Jan. 27-29. Be sure to get your free copy! Please let me know what you think. If you would rate, review, share, subscribe, come for a visit, :) well, I'd just love it! Your divine upgrade to the post-menopause season of your life is now COMPLETE! Let's put the cherry on top and finish this topic focusing on the call upon our hearts, minds, emotions, and bodies to make the most of these last several decades (God willing) as we embrace a mindset shift toward the blessing of aging gracefully and with purpose. Our gratitude ought to be spilling over about now! In my study of elderly women of the Bible as well as verses about aging, I found 4 pillar character traits that we want to be sure to emulate: strength, wisdom, service to others, and hearts set to dream. STRENGTH Let's just set the record straight right now on the promises we have to become strong physically and mentally (and not only when we are older)!
If you want to be physically and mentally strong and flexible, this means you will take very good care of your body and brain. You will offer it "fuel" that is of highest quality; you will exercise it with some resistance to prevent atrophy, sluggishness, and pain; and you will make sure that the thoughts you are thinking are godly and pure, not self-focused and toxic. God has given us the mind of Christ. What does this mean? It means that we can process life God's way. We have mental and emotional fortitude. We have clarity of thought and purpose. Our minds are organized and productive. We awaken with purpose and drive, no matter our age. We learn something new each day. We try something new each day. We go somewhere new each day. We enjoy how far we've come, and we celebrate the age of our bodies and the privileges that come with maturity. WISDOM On my desk I have a jar filled with small stones. Each tiny pebble represents a day in my life. Written on the jar is this verse from Psa. 90:12: "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Years ago I had read about a rabbi who had a jar of marbles in his office. Each day he removed a marble and before tossing it outside, he prayed over his "day" offering it to God, come what may. He recognized that life was so fragile and that each day was no guarantee he would see another. As he aged, the level of the marbles, of course, continued to decrease day after day. The profound importance of living life fully each day God's way because increasingly more vital to him. Needless to say when I told my kids what I was doing with the small pebbles and how I had estimated the number of days I might live, they thought it was positively morbid, just horrible. I assured them that I calculated my age to 120 so they should not worry! I genuinely want wisdom to make each day count, but too often, I'm rushed and sadly there are days that I forget to slow down and give God my day. But when I notice I'm off track a bit, I can reorient, switchback, and step into what's most important each day. The Bible tells us that "Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding" (Job 12:12). Some say that wisdom is the most valuable treasure we will have as we age. Of course, wisdom is not reserved for the old - even children can be encouraged to become wise and practice wisdom. Although sadly we may make plenty of choices that keep us from growing wiser, perhaps the very best practice we can do to step into wisdom at any age is to study and apply God's Word. In the Hebraic way of thinking, studying God's Word is the highest form of praise. SERVICE TO OTHERS Many of us as we enter our 50s have parents, children, and perhaps even grandchildren. We are the "sandwich" generation, nestled between two if not three other generations. The call for us to serve each generation could never be louder. We honor our parents and live longer as we do so (Exo. 20:12), our grandchildren become our "crown", plus we get to soak in the glory of our children (Pro. 17:6). What is our role, then, with our parents, our children, and our grandchildren? In our wisdom, we teach and we serve. We mentor, we encourage, we share. We show reverence in our behavior and we teach what is good (Tit. 2:3). Now, before we go much further, I want to be respectful to what you may be thinking. Your parents may have died at an early age. Perhaps you are estranged from your parents or children. Maybe you never had children. Perhaps you are the only person in your women's group without grandchildren. Hold for a moment. In your case whatever it may be, you will need to reframe how you look at it. You will want to develop a new perspective. Trust me. There are plenty of grandparents, peers, children, grandchildren...who need one thing in their lives: Y O U. Pray and ask God whom you may adopt into your heart forever. Then go serve. I am convinced that someone, some where is waiting on you right this moment. Find and serve that person that you wish you had. You have so much to share. The time is now. HEARTS SET TO DREAM We chase our bliss. We find that pursuit that really revs our engines. We step into the unknown like a wide-eyed child in a toy factory. We become the adventurers we always wanted to be. We celebrate just how far we have come and how many more steps we may be blessed to take! We keep going. We don't quit. We dream, and we dream big. And we always start each moment with a grateful heart (no matter our conditions or afflictions). Even old folks can have dreams by means of God's Spirit (Joel 2:28). Let's live our lives expecting to die "in a ripe old age, full of days, riches and honor" (1 Chr. 29:28). The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green, To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92: 12-15 And the motivation for our dreaming? To declare that the Lord is our upright, righteous Rock. If the Lord is our Rock, we won't be held back. Our foundation is firm. When we take care of our bodies we stay strong to reach many milestones, goals, and dreams. When we guard our hearts and minds and when we study and apply His Word, we grow wiser. We are positioned. We are ready, willing and able to share God's love with others and to serve selflessly. So, my dear postmenopausal friend, you got this. Now is the time to step in to your Divine Upgrade. Celebrate the godly terms and conditions and show the world what you've got! We are waiting. Be like Sarah who overcame the odds at her age.
Be like the prophetess Anna in her devotion and wisdom. Be like Elizabeth (John the Baptist's mom) in her faith. Be like Lois in her service to her family. Be like Naomi in her adventuresome, determined spirit. Be you. Your unique, beautiful, able, and capable YOU. Yes, there is a connection! Just try using that trimmer for about 2 hours, slashing here, lifting there, stooping here and hacking there...and then tell me if Menopause didn't steal your muscle mass. Okay, so maybe I didn't have much muscle mass before, BUT I don't remember this type of arm, leg, and back fatigue ever in my life! What's going on?! It's actually simple. The physical aspects of reaching that post-menopause stage of life are to be reckoned with. Here are a few facts about how undergoing menopause affects our bods:
Okay. Before you throw up your arms in defeat, please understand that there is a solution! You can win this battle! Let me share with you my personal plan to overcome the physical woes of menopause. I am determined to be healthier than ever! I'm really motivated! I've worked so hard to raise my kids, to support my family, to serve Christ. I'm stepping into a season where I have more and more and more to GIVE! And I MUST be prepared physically! I refuse to comply with the downward spiral that menopause initiates or its beckoning nosedive into lethargy. No, no, no. And let's get this straight right now: I don't HAVE to work harder than ever to stay physically fit and healthy. I GET to! I WANT to! But, listen. My plan has to be extremely simple. I must be consistent. It's a MINIMALIST, EASY TO EXECUTE PLAN -- otherwise, I get a bit overwhelmed and discouraged. In other words, this has to be something that I can reasonably do and incrementally adjust to make more challenging. Let's weave healthy living into our regular routine, not make it something extra to do each day. My current physical fitness plan to enjoy and optimize my Divine Upgrade incorporates the following: EXERCISE: 10-10-10 plan (10K steps, 10 mins. aerobic, 10 mins. weights) every day. Thank you to Elaine and Sandy for all those Fitbit challenges! I make cardio at least 10 mins. of those steps. I use an bicycle, trampoline, jog, play tennis, or jump rope to change up the daily routine a bit--and to make my body sweat and to increase my metabolism! I use hand and ankle weights when walking or riding the bike to increase that muscle mass. I bounce around and jump when I can to keep my bones and joints powerful and flexible. I want to be STRONG! I want to have STAMINA! This means I have to stretch and work those muscles. I can do squats for my legs, use YouTube videos for overall stretching and relaxing, etc. My grandmother said, "If you keep doing whatever makes you sore, it will keep you from staying sore in the future! [So - does anyone need me to trim bushes and cut away brush?] Let's MOVE IT, MOVE IT, MOVE IT. Build a community to enjoy movement together. If sitting is the new smoking, then we'd better not sit! If you work a lot at a desk like I do, set a timer for 25 minutes to remind you to get up and stretch or walk a bit. Get a dog! This is a great excuse to take walks. Exercise with family and friends. What blessings! I have a couple of "walking" friends. One friend and I meet at the mall to walk our hineys off, and another and I live further apart so we make monthly dates to "walk and talk" on the phone from the comfort of our own neighborhoods. These are double wins that we can build in to our determination to make the time to be as physically strong and fit as we possibly can. Who knows what life adventures are awaiting?! Let's not allow our physical state to be a deterrent to fulfilling God's purpose for us on this earth! DIET I'm a count calorie-counting junkie limiting my intake to around 1200/day. If I'm still hungry after that point, I go for fruit and veggies so who cares if I exceed my limit then! I really don't like diets and I'm not legalistic, but I try to make that 1200 include low cholesterol choices, low-fat, high fiber, organic (thank goodness the prices are coming down!), and some good calcium options to help strengthen my bones. Try intermittent fasting for a week. Or choose to fast from your trigger or comfort foods. Visit the local markets to patronize those hard working farmers who are growing things just for you, to deliver them to you fresh and free of chemicals. Drink water! You know my saga on just drinking 32 oz./day! I am almost ready to up that to 48! Lord, please help me! Avoid refined sugars and empty carbs! No rocket science here. Splurge occasionally. Have one "cheat" day a month where you let things blow to the wind. Today a dear friend treated me to a Mexican restaurant. Whoosh, did I enjoy those chips and salsa, plus I think I practically licked my plate clean! Mexican cuisine is high on my no-no chart, but today, well, I just enjoyed it because I knew it was a treat. The real treat was seeing her, but the food was scrumptious too! The point: Don't make food your enemy. APPEARANCE I am a minimalist when it comes to make-up, but I do make sure that I lavish my skin with moisturizer and sun screen. Need a really awesome hair stylist who uses natural AVEDA products? Look up my friend Darlene at South Hill Salon! In my book, gray is an attitude. I don't have that attitude just yet, so I'm saying, "no thanks" to gray at the moment. Treat yourself to a manicure or a massage or maybe a new shade of lipstick. Step into your beautiful, amazing, attractive, awesome femininity! And while we're chatting about our looks.... Ladies, if you haven't come to grips with the fact that God made you in His image, that your body is a temple of the Spirit...then Now. Is. The. Time. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and colors. Reject the lies that society feeds you about how you must look. If your motivation to look and feel great is so that you will somehow conform to what society values or to please someone else, you are taking a huge risk. In that arena, you will NEVER be enough. You will NEVER achieve that perfect look. You will NEVER measure up. You will NEVER look as good as Sally down the street. Find your motivation. LOOK like the healthy, vibrant, happy WOMAN God made you to be! Desire HEALTH and WHOLENESS, not perfection and worldly standards. RESToration To help myself sleep at night, I limit caffeine to morning hours only. I also take at least one short nap during the day when I can to get a physical (and mental) recharge. Stretching during the day helps me reduce stress and relaxes my body especially when I've been sitting at my screen all day. My thoughts and emotions impact my actions - so I had better be mindful of what I'm thinking! Also, go hug someone today! Get a dog! Physical touch is POWERFUL! Listen to your favorite music, laugh, do a favor, reach out to others, bless someone, and most importantly show gratitude (the quintessential attitude and mindset no matter what stage of living and giving you find yourself in!). START NOW! It doesn't matter where you find yourself at this moment. It is NEVER TOO LATE to start doing what is RIGHT! Make the decision today to choose life and health and vibrancy. Your system is in for a Wonderfully Divine UPGRADE! Don't let the aging process become an excuse to stop thriving and living and loving. As you grow stronger and wiser, you will make a beautiful impact on this world! You are unique. You have so much to offer. Share with us your wealth! We want to see you at your best. What are you waiting for? Such a good reminder to put God first in everything! What do most of us associate with menopause? We think of hot flashes, weight gain, mood swings, hormonal shifts, trouble sleeping, graying hair, loss of bone density, decreased sex drive...and in a nutshell, the end of joyful and vibrant living. Fun. Fun. Fun. The "change" (as your grandmother called it) doesn't come over night. We even categorize the transition into three stages: perimenopause - menopause - and post menopause. Perimenopause begins for most women in their mid to late 40's as their bodies are transitioning toward that final menstruation period, and this stage can last two to eight years. Menopause is reached when you do not have a period for at least 12 months. The average age for women to cease menstruation is 52. Some transitional symptoms may persist even in the post menopause phase. Citation. Okay. So this is what we are dealing with, and it doesn't sound the most appealing. It's just life, right? Yes and no. Of course, we have to accept that we are growing older, and we must adjust to the impact aging has on our physical bodies. Our physical bodies are, however, only a portion of who we are as women. Society paints a different picture, and if we are not careful, we can be duped into believing the lie that we are what we look like.
My favorite part of growing older is flexing a bit of muscle to live fearlessly. I aim to step into this new phase of life with gratitude and determination to demonstrate what being a Christian means. I want to project myself as who I am authentically: A real Christ-follower who admits her flaws and transgressions and foolishness, but who also knows the unconditional love of the Holy Trinity, God's grace, His guidance, and the power of His Word. I don't just want to be smart--I long to be wise. I want to share my flame with younger women, to help them do so much better in their lives than I may have done in mine, to be a mentor and gentle guide, to love and support my adult children and their children, and to tenderly attempt to care for my parents. I feel like I've learned far too much only to sit happy as a clam on the sidelines. I'm on a relentless, divine mission to detox my brain, to trump the negativity with Truth and to learn how to consistently operate in love, not fear; in grace, not shame; in health and wholeness, not sickness and compartmentalization. Every day that I write in this blog or shoot a video or post to Instagram, I keep reminding myself that I have nothing to lose. Is it scary? Heck yeah! But I am ignoring those self-defeating thoughts, the put-downs I hear in my head at times, and the incessant attack of the enemy of my soul. I refuse to give way to my fears or the voices in my head that say I'm not enough, that I don't have anything important to share, that this is all just a waste of time, that nobody cares. I have fought so hard alongside God over the last three years to get my thinking straight! You would have no idea of the hours I have invested in mental realignment. I'm pushing forward with my story because I really believe there is mental health and LIFE to be found. And I want everybody to know and to find this same freedom. I've learned tricks and tips that have really worked! Now, all I need to do is to take one teeny step toward the light directly in front of my feet to share my story, to encourage others that they can get well, too. In so many ways, I feel like my life is just starting! And I'm 55, yet my heart is screaming, "Put me in coach. I'm ready to play. Today..... Look at God. He can be. Centerfield." In the next several posts, we will examine how to incorporate the fact that we are in some stage of menopause into our emotional, physical, and spiritual habits that help us lead happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.
We are in this together. Come with me and be inspired to join the "game." |
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