Hey there. As you know, May is Mental

Health Awareness Month. And today, we're going

to talk about a topic that's incredibly

important for us women over 50, and that's

taking care of our mental well-being.

Hey, friend. Ever feel like those old fashioned

ideas about aging just don't fit you? If you're ready to

own this incredible chapter with grace, style, and a touch of

sass, this is your space. Welcome to the aging with

grace and style podcast. I'm Valerie Hatcher, and I'm here with empowering tips, inspiring stories,

and a whole lot of fun just for us,

women over 50. So grab your favorite beverage, turn

up the volume, and let's get started.

Whether you're navigating the empty nest,

approaching retirement, or simply going

through a major life transition, This stage of

life can bring up a whirlwind of

emotions and challenges. But you know what?

Girl, we got this. And I'm

here with some insights that might help you to

thrive. So let's start by

addressing the narratives and mindset surrounding

aging. Society often tells

us that our best years are behind us, but

that couldn't be further from the truth. This stage of

life is a time of immense wisdom,

resilience, and unique perspectives that

only come with experience.

Instead of viewing aging as a process of

decline, we can choose to see it as a

journey of growth, wisdom, and newfound

freedoms. For example, many women

over 50 report feeling a sense of liberation

from societal pressures and external

expectations, allowing them to focus on

what truly matters to them. This stage of life

can be a time of self discovery

where we shed limiting beliefs and embrace our

true authentic selves. The key

is to cultivate a

growth mindset, the belief that that our

abilities and our potential are not fixed

but can continually grow and

evolve with effort and perseverance. Now

this mindset shift, it can be empowering, opening

up us up to new possibilities

and opportunities for personal growth.

Another tool in our mental health

toolkit is gratitude. By

actively gratitude and and focusing

on the positive aspects of our lives, we

can shift our perspective and and

cultivate a sense of appreciation and

contentment. So a gratitude

exercise that you can do is, if you haven't

already done so, start a gratitude journal. I

have one. Now I don't use it every day, but

I can tell when I need to pull it out and when I need

to reflect on what I'm grateful for.

So what you can do is each day, write

down, say, 3 to 5 things that you're grateful for.

These can be big or small from, like,

feeling healthy to appreciating a beautiful

sunset. If you want to add

on to that, you can reflect on

why you're grateful for each of those things. That kinda

deepens the impact. So for example,

I'm grateful for my morning cup of coffee and my

quiet time. It's a small ritual that

really helps me to start my day. So starting

your day by focusing on what you appreciate

can have an impact on your mindset and your

overall well-being. Now

let's talk about limiting beliefs that that can hold us

back. I'm guessing many of us have

them or at one point or another have had

them, whether it's feeling invisible,

doubting our capabilities, or telling ourselves

we're too old for certain pursuits.

These self limiting beliefs can be damaging to our

mental well-being. Trust me. I've

experienced self limiting beliefs with

thoughts like I'm not as good as other content

creators or podcasters or will people even listen

to what I have to say or even do

I have anything to say? Those are just

a couple of them. The good news is that we

have the power to challenge and reframe

these negative thought patterns. One technique

that I've been following is called cognitive

restructuring, where we examine our thoughts

objectively and replace them with

more realistic perspectives. So, for instance,

one exercise is called the thought record,

and here's how it works. 1st, we

identify the negative thought or belief that's

causing you to distress. For example, I'm too

old to start a new career. Next, challenge that

thought by asking yourself, is this thought

based on facts or assumptions?

What's the evidence for and against this

thought? Or am I blowing

things out of proportion? Then come up

with alternative, more balanced thoughts,

such as age is just a number

and many successful people have started new careers later in

life, or my experience and wisdom are

valuable assets that can benefit a new

field. Then take

action based on your new, more realistic

perspective. Perhaps

you research inspiring stories of career changers

over 50 or maybe schedule

informational interviews in your desired field.

Building confidence and self esteem

is also crucial in overcoming these limiting

beliefs. Remember, you're powerful.

You're capable with tons of

wealth and experience and knowledge that you can offer to the

world. So let's talk

about the power of self talk and self

compassion. So our internal

dialogue can have a profound impact on our emotions,

our behaviors, and overall well-being.

If we're constantly berating and criticizing ourselves,

it can lead to anxiety, to low self esteem,

and a whole host of mental health challenges.

So some examples of negative self talk are,

I'm too old to try new things, and this can lead

to a fear of taking risk and missed

opportunities for growth, or I'm not good

enough. Self doubt and low self esteem

can impact our motivation, our relationships,

and overall well-being, or

I'll never be able to do that. This

limiting belief can become a

self fulfilling prophecy that

prevents us from even trying.

Negative self talk can perpetuate anxiety,

depression, and a lack of self confidence.

It can also strain our relationships

as we project our inner critic onto others.

So that's why it's important to cultivate a

kind, nurturing inner voice, one that

treats us with the same compassion and understanding that

we'd offer a friend. When we practice self

compassion, we create a

safe space within ourselves for healing, for growth,

and self acceptance.

Positive affirmations and mantras can also be

helpful in reprogramming our subconscious minds

and creating a more, let's say, a more

supportive inner dialogue. So some

examples of positive affirmations would

be, I am worthy of love, happiness,

and success. I embrace my

authentic self without apology. I

am strong, resilient, and capable of overcoming

any challenge. My age is an

asset, bringing wisdom and experience to everything I

do. I am constantly growing,

evolving, and becoming the best version of myself.

Now try creating some affirmations of your own.

Positive affirmations can help as to rewire

our thoughts, to boost self confidence and to

counter negative self talk, repeat them

regularly, especially during the times when

you're facing self doubt. Now let's talk

about those major life transitions

that can totally shake things up, whether

it's the empty nest, retirement, or

taking on new caregiving roles, these

changes can be both exciting and daunting.

So if you're dealing with the empty nest, then

know that the feelings of sadness, of loss, and

even identity crisis are completely normal.

You're fixed with trying to to figure out

what's next, but be gentle with yourself

and remember that this transition

also offers an opportunity to rediscover

your personal passions and redefine your sense

of self. A few tips for coping

are rediscover old hobbies, interests, or passions

that you may have set aside while raising children. This can

help redefine your identity beyond motherhood

or explore new experiences, classes, or activities that

excite you and allow personal growth.

Maybe strengthen connections with friends, family who

can relate to the empty nest experience. Now

most in my circle have experienced this whole empty

nest syndrome. So we're all at about the same stage of

life. And then consider volunteering

or pursuing a long held dream

using your newfound time and energy.

Now retirement is another major transition that can bring

up mixed emotions. On the one hand,

it's a chance to finally enjoy the freedom and

leisure that you've worked so hard for. But

then on the other, it can feel like a loss of

purpose and routine. While I

think I still have a few years before retirement, I've actually

been reading up on how to prepare it excuse

me, prepare for it, not just financially,

but emotionally. And here's what I found.

Start envisioning your ideal retirement life

well before your last day of work. What hobbies,

travels, or projects would you like to pursue?

If you can, gradually adjust your

routine and your schedule to simulate the lack of

structure that comes with retirement.

Explore ways to stay mentally and physically

active, such as taking classes, volunteering, or

joining social clubs. Reframe

retirement as an opportunity of new beginnings and

personal growth rather than an ending.

Embrace the journey and stay open to the new possibilities that

await you. I think,

I've told you that you can go to my website and leave me a voice

message. Right? I honestly love to

hear from you. One listener recently left me

a message with a question about empty nesting,

and it was based on the empty nest episode

number 19 that I did. Check it out if you haven't

done so. But I thought this question was a good one

to share in this, episode. And so her

question is, I've

been really struggling with anxiety since

becoming an empty nester last year. My kids were

my whole world, and now I'm not sure who

I am without them at home. How can I cope with this

identity shift? Well, you know what?

Again, I think we've we all who are empty nesters

experienced this in some way or another in that

our kids, or in my case, kid, really was our

whole world. When you think about it, every day

for however many years, 18 years, 21 years, depending

on what when they left, every day,

our routines and our lives were centered

around them and their needs from birth to

when they left to go to college or got married or moved into their

own apartment. So the empty nest transition

can absolutely trigger an identity crisis,

which is completely valid and normal to fill.

So for so many years, your role as a mother was your

primary focus and sense of purpose. It's natural to

experience some questioning when that identity shifts.

Trust me. I went through a range of emotions

too. 1st, though, be gentle with

yourself as you navigate this major life change.

Allow yourself to fully feel and process

the range of emotions, sadness, loneliness,

pride at the job well done raising your kids.

Don't resist or judge the feelings as

you need them or you need

to feel them in order to heal.

Next, see this as an opportunity for

rediscovery. Who were you before you

became a mother? What hopes and

dreams and interests did you once have that you

can now explore. Spend some time

journaling about your values, your passions, and

your goals for this next chapter.

It can also be helpful to fill that nurturing

role in new ways, like volunteering,

mentoring others, or nurturing personal creative projects

that you're passionate about, Connecting with loved ones

and expanding your social circle is also key.

Most importantly, know that this

identity shift, it's only temporary as you

transition to your second act. With

patience, self compassion, and openness to

growth, you'll begin feeling grounded in your sense of self

again. This, it can be

a time of blossoming into an even

more authentic version of yourself.

Well, girl, there you have it. I hope this

look into nurturing our mental health as women over

50 has provided valuable

insights and practical strategies that

you can implement in your own life. At the end of the

day, prioritizing our mental well-being

isn't just important. It's essential for

living our fullest, most vibrant lives during this

remarkable state. As we wrap

up, let's recap 5 top takeaways for

boosting and protecting our mental health. Number

1 would be reframe societal narratives

about aging and embrace your hard earned

wisdom. Number 2, cultivate a

growth mindset and a belief in your ability to

keep evolving. Number 3,

challenge limiting beliefs and negative self talk

4, build self confidence and

silence that inner critic. And 5,

see life changes as opportunities for self

discovery and growth. These

takeaways are, let's call them guidepost

for nurturing your mental health during this stage of

life. They aren't just words that are coming out of my mouth.

They are powerful mindset shifts and habits that

can transform how you feel, how you think,

and and how you show up for yourself. So

keep them close, put them into

practice, and know that I'm

cheering you on in this journey of growth, self

actualization, and most importantly, mental

well-being. Until next time, keep

shining bright and take care of your

beautiful mind. And remember, we are in this

together.

Thanks for hanging out with me today. I hope you're feeling

inspired and ready to own your awesomeness. I love

sharing this space with you, and if you loved today's episode,

do me a favor, share it with a friend who could use some

extra inspiration. A quick rating and review

really helps too. Don't forget to subscribe so

you never miss an episode. Let's keep this conversation

going. Head over to pod.aging with

graceinstyle.com to sign up for my newsletter.

Until next time, keep shining with grace,

style, and a whole lot of sass.