MENOMORPHOSIS
A podcast for busy midlifers ready to reclaim their energy, joy, and purpose.
Are you, like me, riding the rollercoaster of midlife and menopause, and eager to get back to living your best life? Are you tired of low energy, a short temper and endless self doubt?
Well, It’s time to stress less and shine more. It’s time ditch the worry, reclaim your mojo and unleash your inner brilliance.
It's never too late to transform, and you’re certainly not too old. And in my opinion, midlife and menopause provide the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Join me each week for uplifting stories and expert insights on how to feel as good as you can and create a joyful, purpose-driven life you truly love.
So when you’re ready, Let the beautiful menomorphosis begin!
MENOMORPHOSIS
Thursday Thoughts - Embracing Winter
In this week’s Thursday's Thoughts, Lucy and I are diving into the theme of embracing winter.
We’re exploring how our mindset shapes how we experience this time of year.
Yes, we could spend the cold, dark months of January and February moaning and complaining—which, let’s be honest, only makes us feel worse…
OR we can choose to embrace this season, making the most of the shorter days, the cosiness, and the crisp, cold weather.
We’ll also be sharing some of our favourite tips and strategies for staying positive during winter.
We hope you enjoy this conversation!
Love Polly & Lucy x
To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace
Email me at: info@pollywarren.com
https://www.pollywarren.com/
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Hello and welcome to Thursday Thoughts. Thursday Thoughts what on earth are they? I hear you ask. Well, my friend Lucy and I meet every week over on Instagram to talk all things personal growth, because she is as obsessed with it as I am, and we decided that we might as well put those conversations out as a weekly podcast. So now you can listen to us chat here on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts, and we'll be talking about topics such as spirituality, limiting beliefs, the ego imposter syndrome, gratitude, meditation, confidence and so much more. So, if you're ready, here we go this morning. We're going to be well, this was yours, maybe you start. Here we go this morning. We're gonna be well, this was yours, maybe you start, but we're gonna be talking about embracing winter.
Speaker 1:I actually really like this because, yes, it's very difficult when it's really really, really really wet and dark and cold muddy um, to kind of think, oh god, this is really really miserable, but actually we don't want to be thinking like that, because that's not going to help anybody, so, lucy, well, I, I love this topic because I think it's probably because I well, you're a winter baby too, aren't you?
Speaker 2:well, you're an autumn baby and I'm a winter baby, but I think that it's one of those things.
Speaker 2:It's almost like we just automatically, as soon as the new year's done and we're kind of back to work in January, everybody across you know the the world or the northern hemisphere is like oh my god, I hate this time of year. It's just so shit, and everyone. It's almost like we don't even take a second to think about what we're saying. We just automatically start banging on about how crappy this time of year is, and oh, I hate winter, and oh god, january's the worst month, and oh, and then February's the worst month, and oh, it's going so slowly, apart from anything else, I'm really sorry, but time goes so quickly that why are we doing this to ourselves? Because what we're doing is we're kind of we're wasting, like you know, a quarter of the year or a third of the year sort of waiting for well, maybe not that long, but you know what I mean about round, about that sort of waiting for spring to arrive. But in actual fact, I think we have, like like I personally one of those people who I I love every season. I'm actually a real autumn, winter girl and I love everything about autumn and winter autumn, particularly, is my favorite season. But winter also has this kind of romance about it and this kind of beauty about it, and I think really it comes down to awareness and a mindset shift, because what is the point of being like, oh my god, I'm so miserable, oh I hate this time of year? You know, let's just lean into all the fabulous things about this time of year. There are. There are so many things that we can use this time of year for. We can get really cozy, we can kind of really get excited about, you know, cozy fires and and cozy boots and jumpers and cardigans. I much prefer winter clothes. Give me winter, give me boots and jumpers any day over freaking summer dresses and sandals, um, but there are just so many things about it. You know, actually, I think nature looks just as beautiful in the winter in its own way and in some ways, I I think winter is incredibly beautiful.
Speaker 2:So I just think we want to kind of shift our mindset and start to. You know, let's not start, let's not go into 2025 with that kind of classic Maybe it's a British thing, oh my God. Well shit, and I just hate my life and everything's just oh God. And you know the weeks ago. So, but do they really? Like in my world, the weeks go in about five seconds flat. Like in my world, the weeks go in about five seconds flat. And I think the older we get, the faster time goes.
Speaker 2:So, and and actually it's a matter of weeks, it's literally a matter of weeks until March. And if we think about it like that, you know why not use those weeks when the weather is shit to start that project you wanted to work? You keep talking about wanting to work on. Start that side hustle, start writing your book, get those really good habits going to, kind of you know, see through the rest of the year. There are just so many ways that we can use this time of year to our advantage. So I just think we all need to have a bit of a mindset shift and just embrace it, because we can't change it. And let's, let's look, let's intentionally look for the fabulous things about this time of year, because there are many.
Speaker 1:You know, yes, and I think, yes, I agree with all of that, um, and I, although I was born in November, I must admit I'm the opposite to you, in the sense that I love you love summer.
Speaker 1:I prefer summer clothes to winter clothes. I prefer, I mean, I just love summer and I just feel like I properly just kind of like I just open up in summer and it's just like, uh, having said that, though, I do totally know where you're coming from and I totally agree with you in that you have to. You know, we can't change it unless you. You know, I've been very fortunate that I've just had some sun over winter and I and I have done that intentionally over my life because I know that I really benefit from that, that boost of sunlight and sun, and it really helps me. And I know quite a few people who really do suffer from the lack of sunlight in terms of their mood, you know, and it is it's a thing you know sad, the, the um, that sad disorder where you just don't get enough sunlight, can really affect how you are. So I'm very, I've been very, I've really intentionally carved out certain, you know, and been fortunate enough to kind of be able to go and get some winter sun at certain points, which really helps me. Having said all that, I do love the coziness of winter and I love, you know, I was brought up having always having open fires in our homes. I've always lived in houses that have ensured that I'm able to light a fire, whether that's a wood burn or whatever, because I love that getting cozy, hunkering down. And you're right, it's totally. We've got to really think about the lens through which we are seeing these winter months. We can choose to just go this is shit, I hate it, runs it all over. Hate it, hate it. Or, as you said, we can choose a different story and we can choose to see it as a time where actually it is really cozy, it is well, and that's how I choose to sit. And, yes, it, it can. It has its moments.
Speaker 1:I mean having a dog for all those dog walkers out there. You'll know, and particularly if you live near any sort of countryside, how damn muddy it is at the moment, particularly here in the UK. I had a little fall actually on Saturday. I had negotiated the muddiest bits, like the most boggiest bits. I had done that really well and I was like so proud of myself and it was. I was actually just on a little bit of a slope, it didn't even seem that that bad, but I just lost my footing and I just went arse over tit and just went flying and just got covered in mud completely. But actually you know it was like, well, there you go, what do you do? It was no harm lost. I actually had a good old laugh about it.
Speaker 1:But yeah, and the mud with the dog is like, oh god, it's hard work because the dog has to, you know, brings it in the house, stuff, but it's that you just have to remind yourself it's not, it's just a couple of weeks, it's not forever, and you just got to not let it get you down. I think that's the thing. So I was thinking about this this morning, lucy, and I was thinking right, okay, what are some of the things which I personally use to help myself through this time, as someone who doesn't generally gravitate towards winter, and I think the first one I came up with was like, just be kind to yourself.
Speaker 1:And I think, particularly at new year, everyone's talking about new goals, setting news, you know, new start and all that sort of thing, and I think I I feel that actually it's a really shit month to start new things, in the sense that it's a hunkering down month.
Speaker 1:You know, if you think of all those animals out there who are hibernating, it's a real let's get cozy type of month. It's not the kind of month to start loads of new things. Actually, let's just really bed down on what we're already doing and be kind to ourselves. Spring feels much more of a month, of a time where actually, yes, let's, let's bring new energy in and start new things. So if that is you, I think, just really get get cozy, hunker down and just really double down on the things that you are already doing. You know, don't start cutting out things like sugar and it gets hard at this time of month because actually you want to stay cozy why not look instead of adding in more nutrient dense food, adding in things which you know are really good for you, rather than depriving yourself?
Speaker 2:be kind to yourself, because it's it can feel really difficult, um, otherwise I think Absolutely, although playing devil's advocate, I also do think that it can be a really good time of year to start things, because, because you know the day well I mean, obviously the days are getting lighter now, but it's still dark really early, it is cold, it is wet. So actually it can be, if you want to treat it like that, it can be the perfect time to start something new, because actually you're probably more likely to be in, and you know, than out a lot. Maybe you know you're probably going to be going out less than you are in the middle of the summer, when the you know the evenings are warm and light and la, la, la and and also so anyway, that's just, that's just my take, but I think you know you can. You can, you can look at it however you want. But one thing I wanted to say, going back to you talking about your dog walks, that's one.
Speaker 2:I think that's one of the best things about winter, because when you go out for a walk and it's freezing cold and it's which I've been doing a lot of recently that, like I've been, you know, walking on the beach in the freezing cold, really super windy, crazy weather, wet, disgusting, but actually when you force yourself to wrap up and go out for a walk in nature on a really crappy winter's day, actually it feels even more life-giving than it does on a summer's day because you, you know, when you kind of embrace that you, you feel even more alive, like, yes, of course it's nice to go for a walk on a beautiful, hot sun's day, although I personally would be like sweating like a freaking pig. But do you know what I mean? In the winter you can just wrap up and it there's something about those bracing winter walks that is so sort of soul nourishing. So we've got to think about it in those terms and just again, like you said it is. It is always life is always going to be about the lens through which we're looking and we can choose where we want to place our focus and if we want, we can go.
Speaker 2:Oh my god, it's January, and then it's February and I hate these months and oh my god, the weeks are going so slowly and oh, there's nothing to look forward to and oh, the weather shit and all. If we want, we can choose to look at it like that or we can go. Do you know what I'm going to? Really take advantage of these next couple of months. It's only eight weeks until March, like when you put it, like that, eight freaking. I mean it's basically Christmas, let's face it, it's basically it's basically Christmas 2025, because that is how quickly time goes.
Speaker 2:But if you think about it, it's only eight weeks. Why not make the most of those eight weeks, when you're not necessarily going to be out and about as much as you will be in the spring and in the summer, and use them to, even if it's just like? Do you know what I'm going to bloody? I'm going to read a whole book this month, or I'm going to read a whole book this week. I'm going to spend my, you know, I mean, obviously I'm talking from a single single childless perspective. So I'm talking to, you know, my audience, who are at home at the weekend, you know, probably by themselves, at least some of the time. So there is the time to go. Do you know what I'm going to read? This novel that I've been wanting to read for ages. It's been sitting on my shelf, and why don't I just cozy up with my blanket and my hot chocolate and just indulge in reading a whole freaking book?
Speaker 2:Because there again, there are so many fabulous things about this time of year. If only we choose to see them. You know we can. We can look at summer. We can look at summer and I mean also when you're British, like we are, as soon as it gets really hot, everyone's going to be fucking moaning about that, which I cannot bear. I can't have such a thing about. When people start moaning about the hot weather, it's like are you actually joking? Um, so I really try and make a point of not doing that. Um, but yeah, it's it just as with anything in life that we do talk about over and over and over again how we have to choose where to place our focus, and we get to decide where to place our focus and what to place it on over the next couple of months until we get to the spring.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, back to your point about going out at this time of year. Yesterday I looked out the window and I was. I had planned that I might go for a just a very, very slow run and looked out it was absolutely blowing a gale, it was pissing it down and I was just like, oh my god, that is disgusting. So then I thought, oh, maybe I just get back into bed. And then I was like, no, no, go and do the run. So anyway, I, so I made that choice, I'm gonna go and do it, because I was thinking about the feeling I was gonna have when I became was gonna come back in and then I could get all cozy and warm and I'll be so proud of myself and I will have done it and I will have felt so much better. And so I did. And you know, it wasn't actually that and it was. It was it was wet and cold and windy, but the feeling I had when I came back in the house, I had a shower, I got all cozy, I didn't. You know, it was just the best and I had been out and you, as you said, you, you know, when you're with the elements, it makes you feel so alive and so brilliant, and so it's things like that you've just again.
Speaker 1:It's that choice. You know it's thinking about the end result. How is it going to make me feel otherwise? I know I would have just felt a really lethargic. I would have just been stuck inside, wouldn't have had any fresh air, and actually it was completely the opposite. So it really is about choosing to get uncomfortable. Put yourself out in the in in. You know it's not like going for a lovely summer's walk, which is so much easier. It is about getting uncomfortable, but actually it does make you feel really like yes, come on, give it to me, bring it on, I'm gonna take this on and I'd say, with that as well, it's, it's worth, you know I, it's worth investing in some good shoes and you know so that you are warm, you are dry, because that makes a big difference as well it's when you.
Speaker 2:It's when you haven't got the right stuff, um that's when it can be feel really miserable totally speaking of footwear, I am obsessed with my merry people boots, if anybody is like, because basically, as you know, I'm currently living in Dorset. I normally live in London and and when I first moved down I was like, oh my god, I've got to get some Wellington boots and I just didn't get around to it. And then merry people, this make of boots, just popped up on my Instagram and I've since bought a pair of merry people boots which, I swear to god, I have been living in since I got them about four months ago and basically they're they're a set. They kind of look. They're the sort of they're a kind of Chelsea boot shape. I think they were 85 quid. They do them in all sorts of amazing colours. I got the like classic, kind of welly green colour, but they're basically like ankle wellington boots. They're completely made of rubber. It's a really lovely Australian company, um, you know, founded by this australian girl, and so, if anybody is looking, this is, you know what a perfect opportunity to buy a new pair of boots. And the great thing about merry people boots is that you can look like I've been wearing them up in london as well and not feeling like a weirdo because you don't feel like you're wearing wellies because they kind of look like normal sort of chelsea-ish boots but they happen to be rubber and there is nothing more delightful than just like stomping through puddles and being like I've got my waterproof boots on and I love them and and so, as I say, they do them in they. By the way, this is not, this is not an advert. I'm not being sponsored, sadly, although if anyone from every people is listening, please sponsor my, my podcast. That'd be awesome, um, but no, it's a it's. It's an opportunity to to kind of embrace things like that.
Speaker 2:And also one other thing at this time of year that, I think, is you know, you can, you can spend time really. You know, write stuff down, write down your intentions for the year. You and I talked I think it was last week about who do we want to be in 2025. This is the perfect time to, oh my god, treat yourself to some new stationary, stationary porn. I cannot get enough of stationary. It's just like the most lush thing.
Speaker 2:Um, you know, treat yourself to some new stationary and and just journal out what your intentions are for 2025. Right, you know, pick a couple of goals, even if it's something really tiny, like I'm gonna, you know, drink more water to every day in 2025. It doesn't have to be anything massive, but when we actually write down our goals, we're so much more likely to achieve them. So now is the perfect time to do that, and I know not everybody. I'm not necessarily talking about making New Year's resolutions. I don't tend to make, you know, quote make a New Year's resolution, but I do think about where I want to go in this year and I think about my intentions 2025. I write down my goals, so now is the perfect time to do that. So get yourself some merry people boots and a new journal.
Speaker 1:I've actually got. Oh my god, I'm really happy with this. I've got this brand new. It's like a diary.
Speaker 2:It says I page for every day and, oh my god, I'm literally having envy, stationary envy and I'm, I'm.
Speaker 1:This is giving me great joy, and one of my intentions for this year is is to be more intentional, is to really each day write down what I'm focusing on, um, because I can tend to sort of drift a little bit, and so, yeah, I mean absolutely, it's kind of each each day.
Speaker 1:I've kind of got a spot for my top three priorities and I'm going to fill that in every day and it doesn't have to be something massive, but it's just to feel like you, it's like a north star, a guiding star of what you actually want to achieve in that day.
Speaker 1:So it stops you from procrastinating. You feel good when you've achieved those three things and I intentionally make them not massive things, they're just these things I know I've got to get done, and then it kind of allows you to have some time to do other things, because I think otherwise. You know, we all have endless to-do lists and actually sometimes, unless you are very intentional about what you want to get done in a day, you'll just keep going on your to-do list and actually then you become overwhelmed and then you end up not getting very much done, whereas if you can actually just give yourself three things which you really need to get done that day, for example, and you get them done, then you have a give yourself a little bit grace, go and do something for you, go outside, do the walk, whatever.
Speaker 1:So that is, that is what I'm really focusing on yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm starting starting, yeah, straight, right from now. The other thing I was going to say at this time of year. This is more on a health side of the things. You know, it's really important to take a vitamin d supplement at this time of year, because vitamin d is something which we all really, really need to stay healthy, to keep our immune system strong, to keep us strong, and yet it's something which we're probably very, very few of us are getting enough of at this time of year. Even if you're outside a lot with the sun, the daylight just isn't strong enough, and I think they found in during the pandemic that that was one of the simplest solutions. If everyone had been taking a vitamin d supplement, the pandemic people would not have been suffering so badly with covid. So just everybody really should, just at the, particularly in the months of December, january, february you should be taking a vitamin d supplement just to give yourself that little bit of extra boost.
Speaker 1:Um, I also take a vitamin C supplement as well at this time of year. Uh, just because, again, just for immune. You know there's lots of bugs and germs flying around. Just to just to keep yourself, you know, as strong as you possibly can.
Speaker 2:Speaking of vitamin D, I take another advert. I use a vitamin D spray by Bare Biology which I really like. You literally use three sprays under your tongue and I was actually told by my GP because going off on a slight menopause tangent, but I was told by my GP that I needed and I think it's. Am I right in thinking that it's also good for women who are in sort of our age of life to have to take to make sure that we're getting a vitamin D supplement?
Speaker 1:Because if you think about bone, you need, you know, for bone health and all that sort of thing, you need vitamin, vitamin D, muscle health, because we're obviously losing bone density, muscle mass at this age. So, yeah, it's really really important yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Um well, is there anything else that you want to that?
Speaker 1:you wanted to add the only other thing I was going to think say which is so brilliant at this time of year is because of our daylight hours in the northern hemisphere, you can get on a really lovely sunny day. You know, those lovely sunny days you get to see sunsets and sunrises so often and I mean depending, obviously, where you live. If you look at when the sunrise and sunset time is and look up at the sky and go outside, you might get to see it. And I have seen. I mean I'm very lucky I live by by the sea but I have seen. I mean I'm very lucky I live by the sea, but I have seen this winter more incredible sunrises and sunsets than ever before and it just they never get boring. They always give me so much joy and that is something at this time of year you can really, yeah, use and embrace. Yeah, it's such a lovely way to start your day to see the sunrise.
Speaker 2:It's so it's so, so, true, it's, it's, it's really embracing those tiny little things. And you know, I think we forget about all the beauty that is right, literally there for us every single day and it's, it's amazing how we can just kind of walk through our lives and they can, and they and this used to be me, they used to. You know, if I would see a beautiful sunset or a beautiful sunrise, I'd kind of be like yeah, yeah, really nice, moving on, rushing around, doing whatever. And I, like you now, I'm obsessed with sunsets and sunrises and there is nothing more joyful than that. So, and and also this time of year, the light is incredible when you get that, those stunning days, those stunning crisp, cold mornings, when and also because the sunrise is so much later, like it's not, you know, you're not having to get up early, like you are in the summer, to see the sunrise.
Speaker 2:Because it's so much later.
Speaker 2:You can go for a walk at 7 38 and the sun hasn't even properly risen yet yeah and so that is incredible and and also the light on those kind of, you know, late afternoon light in the winter is just so beautiful. I my favorite days I'm sure I've said this before on here and on my podcast my very favorite days of all are cold, crisp autumn, winter days, um, where the sky is blue and there is. To me there is just nothing more stunning than that winter late afternoon light. It's just amazing. And, like you say, you know we can see more sunrises and sunsets and you know, try and get out there, even if you just even if you walk away from your desk for 20 minutes to go and watch this, watch the sunsets, because if you, it's, and it's about appreciating those tiny but well then, it's not tiny, it's freaking amazing.
Speaker 2:But it's just being intentional, about noticing amazing things like sunrises and sunsets, and that in itself and feeling grateful for that. It's another thing. We always talk about gratitude, but gratitude is just so. You know, if you're, if you're feeling low, if you're feeling shit about this time of year and you're just feeling like, oh, the best way to shift your energy is to think about what you're grateful for. Always it works a freaking charm, doesn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 1:you know, and it's been shown, that when you're grateful it actually changes the way that you're breathing. So when you're feeling grateful for something, your breaths will tend to be slower, more expansive, and that's going to shift you into your parasympathetic side of your nervous system and it's going to have all the all those knock-on effects. So, yeah, gratitude is so, so powerful totally well.
Speaker 2:It's only 25 pounds, but I reckon, I reckon we've covered it. It's basically about changing your mindset to embrace this time of year and not doing that automatic thing where you just find it. It's almost about changing your mindset to embrace this time of year and not doing that automatic thing where you just find it it's almost like we don't even think about it. We just say the words without even thinking about it, like oh my god, I just hate this time of year. Let's just just take a pause before we start talking like that yeah, exactly perfect, all right brilliant well thank you and um.
Speaker 2:We'll see you next week, all right love. Have a good week.