You’ve probably heard the saying ‘live life to the fullest’ a million times. Haven’t we all? It’s something that we often want to do whether it’s unconscious or not. It’s often something that we  hope we can inspire others to do, too. Going into menopause signifies a lot of life changes for you and this is not just with your body but also with your life in general, depending on your circumstances.

What does it really mean, though?

There isn’t a simple answer because we all have different passions, dreams, and goals for our lives. At the root, though, we often all want the same thing – to live the best life we can, do the things we want to do and achieve the things we set out to do.

So, here’s what it looks like – no matter what your aspirations are.

You follow your passions 

Your passion is what makes you feel alive, even better if you have more than one. Whether it’s a dream to pursue, a hobby, a goal, or a moment, passion is what makes you jump out of bed in the morning. It motivates you to keep going no matter what, it’s all the things in your life that you just can’t get enough of. Sometimes they grow more profound as we get older or change, sometimes it can be a fleeting passion that introduces you to a new passion. Passions give you purpose and a fresh perspective. When you follow them, you’re living your life to the fullest. Your priorities may well change as you go into menopause and that could mean symptoms stopping you from engaging with things you would normally enjoy or having more time to dedicate to things you want to do. So it’s important to regularly reassess what your passions are and make time for them. This can also mean seeking out new ones if you aren’t able to pursue others.

You live a life that is authentic

What does this even mean? I hate that kind of phrase! It’s a bit woo but honestly, it’s difficult to think of a different description without it sounding woo or cliché! Think – being your true self, living your truth….all that malarkey which, quite honestly, makes me cringe! Being who you really are though isn’t something you achieve one day and then stop, it’s a constant process. You grow and learn every day and hopefully, you follow the little voice inside that guides you. You don’t have to be what other people expect you to be or who they tell you to be, in fact, you don’t even have to be the person you think you’re supposed to be. All you need to be is yourself and when you’re that, you’re living a full life. Menopause can be quite liberating in this sense because many women develop a no fucks given attitude as they mature and move into this phase of life. After all, you’ve put the time in. You’ve earned your stripes. You’ve been there, got the t-shirt!

You keep going despite your doubts

It’s not easy, no. Your doubts and fears can crop up at any moment and in any situation. They can keep you frozen and leave you wishing you had the determination to pursue your dreams and become who you really are. They hold you back. Especially if anxiety has become a regular feature of your life since going through menopause. This plays havoc with your self-esteem and self-confidence so it’s important to keep it in check.

You can let them keep holding you back or you can push the doubts and anxiety aside and dive in headfirst. Life is always going to have scary moments, but the only way you can make the most of it and live it fully is by embracing your fears and pushing past them. Anxiety is sneaky and tricks us into thinking we can’t do things that we once used to. When you get those overwhelming anxious thoughts that threaten to stop you in your tracks. Ask yourself “what is the worst that can happen here?”

You live your life for you

This can be a controversial point, but it isn’t about being selfish or heartless. The truth is that it’s your life and you should design it as you want it. You’re the only one who should be deciding what it looks like and it’s up to you to determine how you’ll be remembered, and whether you listen to your inner-voice or not. If you are really living your life to the fullest, then you will be living a life that reflects who you want to be. So, forget everyone else’s opinion and live your life so that at the end of each day you can sit back and think, “Yes, I’m proud of what I have achieved today. I did it my way”.

For you, living life to the fullest might mean running a marathon every weekend, for someone else it might be travelling and experiencing different cultures, to others it could be helping others. The key is, we all have different wants and wishes, but as long as you are chasing what you really want then you can confidently say you are truly living your life.

Living life to the fullest, means you get everything out of life that you possibly can, whatever that might mean to you.

Once you realise what it is you want in your life, you can make a plan on how you’ll get there. Ok, get your notebook out and do your best evil plan laugh. It’s time to start living.