07 Feb Nix premenstrual negativity
In the past few weeks, when I’ve faced an annoyance or problem, I’ve been using the advice from researchers out of the UK’s University of Kent to deal with it by looking for a silver lining, making a joke out of the situation or simply accepting the problem for what it is.
In their study, participants who used these three coping mechanisms when dealing with setbacks were far more satisfied at the end of the day than those who used other types of coping strategies, such as turning to friends, venting and distraction.
The reason they work? They prevent you from ruminating about issues, so you can move past them.
I bring this up because in premenstrual Week 4, plunging estrogen makes you more prone to focusing on the negative side of things, perceiving problems as bigger than they really are and churning the issue over and over in your mind till you drive yourself batty.
So, the next time you notice problems overtaking you in Week 4—or any day of your cycle—try looking for the bright side, seeing the humor in it or simply accepting that you can’t change anything about it. You may find it helps you move past the problem faster so you can enjoy a more upbeat mood!
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