How To Have Things To Look Forward To In Midlife
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In life it is important to your health and well-being to have things to look forward to every day. It might be sitting the sun, buying a new top, having family visit, that awesome new book you want to read. These are the things that are ordinary in our day but to find joy in the ordinary is like finding the pot at the end of the rainbow. It is beneficial to take some time for yourself and include something enjoyable into every day and worth the effort to do you best to make it a habit.
Everyday
Shut the doors, kick off your shoes, and grab a book, a drink, a juicy peach, or listen to your favourite piece of music, take a bath with candles, whatever floats your boat.
If today’s self-care joyful activity takes a little longer than usual when dinner time rolls around and the hungry hounds in your life are looking for something to gnaw on then just tell them “chef is opening a can!” They won’t starve; tomorrow you can choose a less time-consuming indulgence.
Or not.
Stress and Joy
Estrogen is that all-important hormone that declines as we go through menopause, it also just happens to be one of our mood controllers.
If you are continually stressed you will have the stress hormone cortisol running through your body like a child in a playground. And guess what? Continual high levels of cortisol will lower your estrogen levels.
Scheduling something to look forward to every day will help to lower cortisol and balance out the effects of any decline in estrogen.
Looking forward to and finding joy in the little things can make the day more enjoyable and so improve your outlook and lower your stress. That adds up to better health for you.
Related Post: How To Reduce Symptoms Of Menopause Naturally
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Have Things To Look Forward To Every Day
I find if I have something to look forward to every day then the days don’t stretch out like an endless mass of nothingness.
Here are some of the things I include in my day:
A morning walk
This is when you can set your intention for the day, think about your day’s schedule and go over the vision for your future. Enjoy that relaxed feeling of being in the present and nothing else. Just be. My favourite thing is walking through our local park and really enjoying the energy of the trees. I
Stretching and a few weights
It can be good to move and feel strong in midlife and stretching is a great way to keep your flexibility. Using weights has the added bonus of building muscle and bone strength.
Realated Post: The Most Important Exercise For Women Over 50
A cup of tea or coffee in the quiet after your walk
I like nothing better than making a cup of sencha green tea and taking it with me to sip while I do my morning exercise routine. If you get up early you’ll know that time before everyone else gets up, is heaven. You can sit, sip and daydream. Pure joy!
A morning coffee
I think this is seriously my most favourite thing. Pair it with a healthy snack and spend the time catching up on some reading.
A yoga session
Great to get the energy flowing through the body in such a gentle way.
Talking around the dinner table
As a family, we enjoy discussing our day together and having some debates about topical subjects. If you don’t have any family at home don’t resort to turning on the T.V. for company, if you can help it. Maybe this is a time to catch up on some articles you have been meaning to read.
Listening to a podcast or watching T.V.
Getting dinner ready, folding washing, ironing. These are perfect times to catch up on any shows, podcasts or audiobooks.
Getting into your PJs to get ready for that bedtime routine
I love the quiet in the house at this time. Generally, both the girls are studying and Pete is watching something with his headphones on. While we are talking about PJ’s how about buying a new pair for something truly special. Get online and pick something comfy and cosy.
A guided meditation
Guided meditations can be quite a personal choice but my all-time favourite is Rachel Clissold. Be prepared to feel completely relaxed.
Keep a gratitude journal
You can do this at any time you like once you are in your PJ’s it’s nice to sit in the quite by a lamp and write about 3 or 4 things you felt grateful for in your day. Having a gratitude journal is super powerful for focussing your mind on the positive and being reminded of how incredible life is.
Watching a little T.V.
Now with sites like Netflix there are a lot of amazing shows to choose from. I like to snuggle up on the couch with one of my daughters and watch something for a short while. It is actually a great way to get out of your head.
Make up your own facial or hand serum blend
Recipe for hand and face serum
- 2 tablespoons of jojoba oil,
- 1 tablespoon of rosehip oil,
- 8 drops of your favourite essential oil such as lavender, rose patchouli, myrrh or frankincense or a mix.
- Add to a dropper bottle and roll gently to mix.
More ideas to give you something to look forward to
- Watch that recorded TV show
- Burn some essential oil
- Read
- Give yourself a facial, pedicure or manicure or if you have time, all three
- Cook your favourite meal
- Prepare a healthy dessert
- Enjoy a red wine
- Sit in the sun outside with your coffee
- Have a laugh with your children
- Put clean sheets on the bed
- Do some meditation or breathing
- Practice yoga
- Go for a walk in the park
- Enjoy some time to just sit and daydream
- Rearranging a shelf to look pretty
- Declutter a drawer (yup that stuff is awesome)
- Learn a new fact
- Chat with your children
- Buy a new lipstick
- Borrowing or buying a new book
- Chat to family on the phone or Skype
- Buy a small bunch of flowers
- Dress in your favourite dress
- Get someone in the family to do your hair
- Do some colouring
- Knit
- Start a new craft
- Start learning a new language on Duolingo
- Dance with full-on abandonment to your favourite song
- Bake a favourite treat
- Take 3 deep breaths and stretch
It Doesn’t Need To Be Big
Keep looking for the smallest things to do in every day and pretty soon your day will be full of those gorgeous full stops. It can be a small as a smile from a stranger. Take the time to appreciate the ordinary and finding the joy in the little things will become easier. Soon you will be spending more of your day in the present being mindful and then amazing things will happen to your stress levels and general outlook on life.
Do you make sure to have something to look forward to in every day. If so I would love to hear about them.
