Blueprint Breaker: Amy Palmer
Some women experience fear and anxiety during menopause. Let’s face it, fear can be a real drag.
It shows up uninvited right before a big presentation, whispers doubts before a new experience, and manifests in physical symptoms that make you want to retreat.
Fear And Anxiety During Menopause:
Now I hate to blame even one more thing on menopause – but I can only go by my personal experience. Fear and anxiety skyrocketed for me during perimenopause. I wasn’t used to it and I wasn’t expecting it. And I let it get the best of me on more than one occasion.
But here’s the thing: we’re not teenagers anymore, letting anxieties dictate our lives. We’ve built careers, raised families, traveled the world, and navigated countless challenges. We are formidable women, and fear doesn’t have to hold us back.
“Fear and anxiety skyrocketed for me during perimenopause.”
So, the next time those anxieties rear their ugly heads, try these five practical strategies to silence them and step outside your comfort zone. In full transparency, I am better at some of these strategies than others and I am still a work in progress.
5 Steps To Get Your Fear And Anxiety Under Control:
1. Breathe Like a Boss:
Ditch the basic breathing exercises. Channel your inner champion – imagine blowing out the candles on a cake way too big for your age (because, well, adulting is hard). Breathe in deeply through your nose for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale forcefully for eight. Repeat this a few times, and feel your body start to calm down.
2. Challenge the Inner Critic:
Fear loves to whisper negativity. It tells you you’re not qualified, you’ll fail, or everyone will be judging. But here’s the truth: that voice is just a persistent mental loop, not your inner truth. Treat it like a bothersome telemarketer. Acknowledge its “concerns” (with a healthy dose of skepticism) and then dismiss them firmly.
I’ve been hearing variations of this technique over the past few weeks. Someone suggested “naming” the voice as you speak to it. Personally, I have tried expressing gratitude for the voice and have found it works at quieting down (and eliminating the nervous butterflies).
3. Project Confidence (Even When You Don’t Feel It):
Sometimes, the best way to overcome fear is to pretend you’re fearless. Strike a power pose, apply your favorite lipstick (confidence in a tube, right?), and walk with purpose (even if it’s just across the room).
“Sometimes, the best way to overcome fear is to pretend you’re fearless.”
Sometimes, all it takes is a little external reminder to fake it ’til you make it. It’s times like these when my training as an actress comes in handy!
4. Focus on the “Why,” Not the “What If”:
Our brains love to catastrophize. Don’t get lost in the “what ifs.” Refocus on the “why” behind your goal. Why do you want to take that writing class? Why are you nervous about that presentation? Remind yourself of the positive outcomes and the potential for growth on the other side of fear. Do you have a vision board? Look at it, internalize it (see my previous article on creating a vision board.) The more this vision becomes reality, the less you worry about the “what ifs”.
5. Celebrate Small Victories:
Trying something new can be intimidating, so don’t try to conquer Everest in one step. Start small. Aspiring novelist? Maybe begin with a short story for a local competition. Nervous about public speaking? Volunteer to give a toast at a friend’s gathering. Celebrating small wins keeps you motivated and builds the confidence to tackle bigger challenges.
Conquering fear is a continuous process. There will be bumps along the road. But by using these tools, you can transform fear into a healthy dose of nervous excitement. So, step outside your comfort zone, embrace the challenge, and show the world your fearless side. We can get past our fear and anxiety during menopause.
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About the Author:
As host and facilitator for the Blueprint Breaker podcast, Amy A. Palmer is dedicated to expanding and amplifying the voices of women over 45 who are living a “non-traditional” lifestyle.
After a lifelong struggle with feeling “outside” the societal norm and longing to live up to perceived expectations, Amy has found peace, acceptance, and joy as she embarks on the next era of her life. Amy was formerly a senior corporate executive, a nationally recognized sales and operations expert, an award-winning actress, a resident of 13 different US cities, and a prize-winning DC blogger.
Amy has a vast network of friends and colleagues with whom she enjoys travel and adventures and a close family including six niblings (nieces & nephews), the loves of her life!
