Review: Little Daisy Self Care – 100 Days of Menopause Affirmations

We were sent the 100 days of menopause affirmations jar for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.

I’m a really big fan of the power of positive thinking in helping you on your way towards a happier outcome in life. Back in 2012, I had a bad accident and ended up needing two emergency surgeries on my back. At risk of permanent damage and paralysis, I spent nearly a year in excruciating pain and unable to function. The experience left me in permanent pain, with nerve damage and numbness throughout my lower body.

With a whole raft of physical problems to deal with, my mental health really suffered and I found myself in a very dark place. I was sent to rehab to help get me walking again, and slowly I began to recover myself physically and mentally. I would never be the person I once was, but I made a decision to not let my pain define me. I decided to focus not on the things I’d lost, such as being a more physically active mum, I lost my career and it damaged a number of important relationships. I chose instead to look at the good things which had come out of it all. Like being able to spend more time with my son, being able to be there every single day after school and during the holidays, plus it gave me my blog which took me to all kinds of places and it introduced me to so many new and amazing friends.

Little Daisy Self Care - 100 Days of Menopause Affirmations

Positive thinking really helped get me out of that hole, so when I find myself in a tight spot, or a dark place, I try and think of the lessons that situation is teaching me, or the people it is showing me who are there for me. I’m by no means Little Miss Sunshine, but being able to see the stars from the gutter is a gift I really appreciate.

Which, long story short, brings me to the 100 Days Of Menopause Affirmations jar from Little Daisy Self Care. I’m 47 now and like most of my mid-40s friendship group, I’m experiencing some menopause symptoms. I’m not quite knee-deep in night sweats and HRT, but there are changes happening which need managing.

As I said previously, I try and tackle all the bumps in my road with a positive, let’s try and see the bright side attitude, so that’s what I’m trying to do with my very impending menopause. I am reassured, just like Fleabag, that the menopause is usually pretty bloody awful, but once you get to the other side, life begins again and all kinds of good stuff is waiting for us. And that’s very good to know, but easy to forget when you’re in the thick of it.

Little Daisy Self Care has an Etsy shop which stocks, amongst other things, little jars full of affirmations for various times in our lives. There are journal prompts and mindfulness prompts, and many more. I’ve done daily affirmations for various things before, and whilst not every affirmation will be useful, I generally find it’s a good exercise to engage in, especially if you’re trying to be more reflective and positive in your approach to things.

Little Daisy Self Care - 100 Days of Menopause Affirmations

The Little Daisy Self Care jars have been created by Alison, an experienced councillor. She’s helped many ladies work through their menopause and through that work she was inspired to create the 100 days of menopause affirmations.

There are 100 affirmations printed on little colourful pieces of card in each jar. Each card has a different affirmation related to menopause symptoms and positive thinking. The jar also comes with a QR code, so you can access a breathing technique demonstrated by Alison to help you with your self care.

Some examples of the menopause affirmations include:

I will take the time and space I need to adapt
I love myself exactly as I am
Some days can be difficult and that’s okay
I listen to my body and give it what it needs
I am just hot stuff!

I have been enjoying dipping in and out of this jar. I’ve popped it on my desk at work, so when my mood drops, I can pick a card of positivity out of the jar and reflect on it for a few minutes. If a card doesn’t hit the spot for me at that moment, I’ll pick another one and put it back, because in a few weeks or months time, it might just be what I need at that point.

Whilst we will all approach the menopause differently; a good vitamin regime, HRT or other medical or alternative therapies will form the main thrust of your approach to dealing with the menopause. I do believe in the power of positive thinking, and if these little daily affirmations can help you over a bump in the road, or help you see a glimmer of sunshine through the clouds, then that can only be a good thing.

I really love the branding too, and that’s it’s presented neatly in a jar. Each little colourful card is a scrap of potential joy. It’s just nicely put together and I like that you can scan a QR code for some extra self care if you need it.

Little Daisy Self Care - 100 Days of Menopause Affirmations

Each jar costs £12 and would be a useful gift for someone experiencing the menopause, or a small treat for yourself, especially if you’re looking to approach menopause positivity.

Little Daisy Self Care jars are available from Etsy.

How I learned to talk positively to myself every day

Five years ago I was in a horrible place, physically and mentally I was broken. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get me back to the pretty good place I find myself in today. It was a long and at times painful road. The thing that really helped me back to wellness was talking positively to myself; or rather talking to myself with a more positive voice.

I have always talked about myself negatively. I have a negative voice in my head which tells me how terrible I am, how ugly I am and how useless my life is. My negative internal voice has always had a terrible impact on my self-esteem. I don’t think the negative voice will ever really go away, but when it pipes up, I make a point of trying to find some positive things to affirm myself with.

How I learned to talk positively to myself every day

Five years ago when I was in that dark dark place, a friend sat me down and gave me a talking to. I needed to start digging myself out of the dark hole I was in. Every morning I would text them a positive thing about me. Some days it was really hard to find a good thing to say about myself, some days were easier than others.

Each time I sent a positive text to my friend I also copied it into the notes on my phone. When I needed some positive affirmation I could look back and remember good things, good times and the days when I was stronger, better, happier and know that more of those good days were ahead of me.

I no longer send those positive texts and I don’t list the good things each day. There are times when I can feel my mood dipping; my anxiety rising and I know I need to put my positivity pants on again and I make a list. I list the good things I am grateful for. I list the good things about me and my life and I try to balance every negative thing my internal voice throws at me with something good, something better, something incredibly positive about me.

It’s not an easy habit to get into, but if you struggle with your own negative voice then getting into the habit of finding something nice about yourself every morning and writing it down can help you focus a little on the positives when everything may seem quite negative.

It helped me to have someone to text my affirmation to; someone who would come back to me and say I can do better, or that’s not positive enough. It helped me to have someone to be accountable to.

It’s not a magic bullet which will cure depression, anxiety or low self-esteem. Talking positively to yourself is a tool in your armory which can help and did help me. I really do credit this daily habit I kept up for almost a year for helping to drag me out of the absolute depths of my depression.

I’ve looked back at my talking positively list. Here are a few of my positive thoughts and affirmations from that time…

I know I can and will survive what life throws at me.
Overthinking and dwelling is bad. I can stop it and I will.
I am so lucky to be as loved as I am.
It’s a beautiful day and full of possibilities.
I can make good things happen to myself.
There is nothing to panic about. Everything is ok.
People can’t hurt me unless I let them.

How I learned to talk positively to myself every day

How positive thinking turned my life around

Low self esteem sucks. Feeling down on yourself the whole time and having that negative voice in your head pointing out all the bad things about you takes its toll. My negative voice tells me all kinds of “home truths”. It tells it like it is and is brutally honest. Whenever I tell someone else what this negative voice is saying they usually give me a whole list of reasons why it’s lying to me. Over the years I’ve worked to silence that negative voice. How? Through positive thinking and positive talk. Here’s how I did it.

A wise old man once sat me down and gave me a talking to. I needed to stop listening to the lies my negative voice told me and I need to drown it out with positivity. Every morning before the day got started I was to write down three positive things about me and my life. It could be about anything, including little wins I’d had in the previous 24 hours. Slowly this started to work. Slowly I stopped absolutely hating everything about me and my life and slowly I began to see positive things and make positive changes.

Positive thinking

In the spirit of sharing, I’ve decided to write down ten things which are good about me. A little bit of positive thinking never did anyone any harm, and for me forms part of my daily self care routine. Focus on the positives and less on what I think is bad. How’s that for real positive thinking?

♥ I am funny and quite quick witted.
♥ I’m creative and can think on my feet.
♥ I am a good mum. No, I’m a brilliant mum.
♥ I’m a good friend.
♥ I am very caring, I love to take care of people.
♥ I have nice, dark, soulful eyes.
♥ I’m honest and open.
♥ I have decent legs.
♥ I’m brave and stronger than I give myself credit for.
♥ I know I can and will survive what life throws at me.

It’s not all positivity. I could write a list of negatives more than twice the length of this little list, but I wont, because who wants and actual list of everything they think or imagine is wrong with them?

Positive thinking has changed my life. What I do can’t work for everyone, but it can’t hurt either. I know that drowning out my negative voice has helped me to step away from antidepressant medication (under supervision).

Positive thinking has helped me see more good in my life than ever before. I don’t skip through life carefree and bursting with positivity, but there is more of a balance between the good and the bad. If I find myself slipping, I just turn to my notebook of positive things and good memories and I’m reminded that I am ok. That I am worthy and I am valued and valuable.

Read more about how my low self esteem effects me here.

How positive thinking turned my life around

Positive Thoughts

I’ve spent the last few weeks at home with my family enjoying the various delights of Christmas, Chicken Pox and Potty Training, because of this I’ve had a little bit more online time on my hands and have re-discovered the joys of Pinterest.

One of my favourite things to browse and pin on Pinterest are quotes or words of wisdom. I have my own board called “Words of Inspiration” and I wager most Pinteresters have a similar board. Quotes, proverbs and inspirational phrases are big business.

We all have mottos that we live by, or mantras we say to ourselves in times of need. I start each day by coming up with a positive thought about me, about my life in the hopes that a smidge of positivity each day will make me feel and act in more positive ways. It’s a small tool I’m using to fight the depression I’m trying to shake off.

Christmas, for all it’s special family moments can be a hard time. You’re forced to spent 24 hours a day with the people you love most, or if not that, then you’re related to them and love them grudgingly in your own special way. Regardless, it’s tough.

Being confined to barracks due to chicken pox hasn’t helped either, but browsing Pinterest and reading positive quotes, motivational quotes and 1001 things to do with quinoa has helped fend off a little of the black dog thinking.

I am desperate to get back into our routine on Monday. I know most people hate routine and I used to so I understand why. But if like me depression gives you a chaotic mind, then routine can help still that a little. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really just a bit down these days, but last year I was crazy depressed and now I know I have to look after myself to stop going down that road again.

So back to Pinterest, I found this when browsing last night and I thought “YES! I’m having that” so here it is. I think I might print it off and stick it on my fridge next to my “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” quote which I’ve clearly been ignoring recently.

I will look at this quote every day in 2014 and reflect on living positively and what that means to me.

Do you have a favourite, inspirational quote? I’d love to hear yours, I need as much, inspiration, motivation and positivity as I can get my hands on.

Thanks for reading.