71. Gratitude: It’s More Powerful Than We Think in Perimenopause
Don’t Miss An Episode!
In this short, reflective episode, Claudia gets real about the power of gratitude–especially during the chaotic, emotional, and overwhelming season of perimenopause.
If you’re a busy, driven woman over 40 navigating hormone changes, aging parents, anxiety, or a constant sense of “not enough,” this episode is your reminder to pause, breathe, and reframe.
Learn how gratitude isn’t just a feel-good practice; it’s a brain-changing tool that helps you feel more grounded, clear, and connected.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Why midlife women are more vulnerable to stress and comparison
- Claudia’s personal reflection of chasing “enough” in her 30s
- How gratitude physically rewires the brain
- Why modern convenience makes this the easiest time to be alive–and yet the hardest on our nervous systems
- How HRT helped improve Claudia’s mood & overall outlook on life
- A simple 30-day gratitude practice you can start today
To learn about hormone therapy, grab Claudia’s brand new, FREE resource: 3-Day HRT Crash Course HERE. In just 3 quick emails, you’ll learn:
📌 What HRT is + how it works to improve symptoms
📌 The different types + how to choose for you
📌 Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Source:
The effects of gratitude expression on neural activity
A Short and Sweet—but Powerful—Shift for Midlife
Today’s episode is short and sweet—but it just might be one of the most powerful shifts you can make during this messy, beautiful chapter called midlife.
Let’s talk about gratitude.
I know… it can sound a little cliché. But hear me out. I spent the 4th of July weekend with family at the jersey shore and I really unplugged. That always gives me space to not just be present with people I love, but it slows down time enough for me to really see what’s right in front of me.
The Reality of Midlife: It’s a Lot
Midlife can be a lot.
Between hormone shifts, sleep issues, aging parents, grief, health scares, career pivots, and even old trauma that likes to resurface—some days it feels like we’re just keeping our head above water.
And I want to acknowledge that. This season can feel really hard.
But even in the hard… there’s so much good.
The Trap of “Not Enough”
For years, I lived in a mental loop of “not enough.”
Not enough money.
Not enough clients.
Not enough education.
Not enough time.
Not enough success.
Not a big enough home.
It was like this low-grade dissatisfaction that followed me everywhere. And I know many of you feel that too—especially in a world where social media constantly shows us what we don’t have.
But the more I healed—physically, emotionally, spiritually—the more I realized:
Why Gratitude Really Is Vital
Gratitude really is vital.
When we can see what’s good, we can feel what’s good.
And that changes how we show up for our health, our relationships, and ourselves.
In a recent episode, I talked about overstimulation and overconsumption—how we’re constantly fed noise, comparison, and this unspoken pressure to do more, have more, be more.
But at some point, we have to pause and ask: “When is enough… enough?”
Look at the Convenience Around Us
Because truthfully—we’re living in the easiest time to be alive.
Especially if you’re in the US, we have insane conveniences at our fingertips:
- Same-day Amazon delivery
- Uber rides in minutes
- Food delivered to our doorstep without having to put on real pants
- Free education from podcasts, YouTube, social media, books
- Access to health info that used to cost thousands, now in our pockets
That’s incredible. But most days, we don’t even notice.
We’re too busy chasing the next thing or comparing our life to someone else’s filtered version of theirs.
What Really Matters
And yet, the things that matter most?
Our health and our relationships.
That’s the gold in my opinion.
An Invitation to Practice Gratitude
So today, I want to invite you to the practice of gratitude.
Not the “I’m grateful for my coffee” kind of gratitude list (though it’s fine to be grateful for the little things). I’m talking about the kind that brings you back to your breath. Your body. The people you love.
Because happiness isn’t out there in some future version of your life.
It’s something we create now—through our mindset, our choices, and who we choose to surround ourselves with.
Gratitude Rewires Your Brain
And here’s the wild part: gratitude actually rewires your brain.
A landmark 2015 study by researchers at Indiana University used fMRI to scan people who did a simple gratitude letter-writing exercise. Compared to a control group, those who wrote gratitude letters showed significantly greater and lasting neural sensitivity in the medial prefrontal cortex…the area linked to emotional regulation, decision-making, and empathy—three months after the intervention ended.
That’s neuroplasticity in action. The more we practice gratitude, the more our brain starts defaulting to positive thoughts. It doesn’t erase hard emotions, but it helps us recover faster, notice the good more easily, and feel more grounded.
Your 30-Day Summer Gratitude Challenge
So here’s your summer challenge: 30 Days of Gratitude.
Start today or tomorrow. It doesn’t matter. Each morning or evening, take 3–5 minutes to write down 3 things you’re grateful for.
You can use your Notes app. You can use a journal. You can even voice-note it to yourself.
Just do it consistently.
Even if it feels silly or forced at first—stick with it. Because gratitude builds clarity. And clarity helps us see what’s already working…even when things feel hard.
Summer Is the Perfect Season to Start
Summer is a beautiful time to nurture your mindset. Longer days, more sunshine, maybe some beach or pool time. It’s a great time to slow down, stop chasing, and start receiving.
And if you do this for 30 days, I promise:
You’ll notice a softer heart, clearer mind, and a stronger connection to what really matters.
Gratitude and Hormones: Both Matter
Now all that said, while I’ll always stand behind mindset work and gratitude as non-negotiables in perimenopause…I also believe we can’t mindset our way out of a hormone deficiency.
For me, starting the right hormone replacement therapy—specifically progesterone, estrogen and thyroid support—made a massive difference in my mood, energy, and overall outlook on life.
But I also know how overwhelming and confusing hormone therapy can be. There’s so much noise out there.
Get Help Navigating HRT
So to help you, I created a free 3-day HRT Crash Course—to help you understand what HRT is, what your options are, and how to advocate for the right care. You can sign up at the link in the show notes.
And if you want more education, my Perimenopause HRT Roadmap course goes deeper—and it’s on sale this month.
A Final Note of Gratitude
That’s all for today, friend. I’m so grateful for you—for tuning in, for doing the work, and for choosing to show up for yourself in midlife.
If this episode resonated, share it with a friend or leave a quick review—it helps more women find this space. See you next week.
Claudia Petrilli is a Functional Health Coach, Integrative Nutrition Coach, Women’s Health Educator, and creator of The Perimenopause Method. Having experienced debilitating periods, digestive issues, a sluggish thyroid, a pituitary tumor, and perimenopause symptoms in her late 30s, she knows exactly what it’s like to get dismissed by doctors and spend years searching for answers.
To connect with Claudia Petrilli:
To connect with Claudia Petrilli:
FREE GIFT: Peri-What?! The Must-Have Guide for Women 40+ Navigating Hormone Changes
FREE GIFT: Perimenopause Daily Checklist
WORK WITH US: The Perimenopause Method
BOOK A CLARITY SESSION: Perimenopause Clarity Session
HRT COURSE: Perimenopause HRT Roadmap
QUESTIONS? EMAIL: claudia@claudiapetrilli.com
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