{"id":183,"date":"2025-08-11T14:16:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T14:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/?p=183"},"modified":"2025-08-11T19:03:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T19:03:47","slug":"finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"\">I used to pride myself on being someone who could <em>think things through<\/em>. I would analyze everything from every angle\u2014dissecting details, trying to predict outcomes, and collecting information like I was prepping for a debate. Other times, especially when I was overwhelmed, I\u2019d make decisions quickly\u2014impulsively\u2014just to escape the discomfort of uncertainty. Sometimes it worked. But most of the time, I was either stuck in analysis paralysis or making choices I\u2019d regret later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Then I learned about the <strong>Wise Mind<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">A foundational concept in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Wise Mind is the place where <strong>Rational Mind<\/strong> and <strong>Emotional Mind<\/strong> overlap. It&#8217;s the calm, clear-headed middle ground\u2014where logic meets intuition. It\u2019s not about shutting off your emotions or ignoring facts. It\u2019s about integrating both to respond with wisdom, not just reactivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My Turning Point<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">After ending a 20-year relationship, my world felt like it had collapsed. I wasn\u2019t just grieving the loss of a partner\u2014I was grieving an identity, a shared history, and the version of my life I thought I had built. The emotional fallout was overwhelming. I didn\u2019t know how to regulate what I was feeling, and even though I appeared functional on the outside, inside I was flooded\u2014confused, raw, reactive, and constantly on edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">That\u2019s when I started DBT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">And it\u2019s no exaggeration to say that learning the Wise Mind exercise <strong>saved my life<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">For the first time, I had a structured way to slow down the chaos inside me. The exercise helped me name what I was feeling, but more than that\u2014it helped me <em>respond<\/em> instead of react. It gave me space to breathe between the feeling and the action. I didn\u2019t have to suppress my emotions or let them take over. I could hold them, honor them, and <em>still<\/em> choose the next right step from a place of clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">What started as a therapy tool soon became the core of my emotional well-being. It\u2019s how I now cope with the daily realities of living with <strong>Complex PTSD<\/strong>. It\u2019s how I make decisions. It\u2019s how I reconnect with myself when I feel fragmented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Three States of Mind:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Rational Mind<\/strong> is driven by logic, facts, and reason. It\u2019s what you use when doing your taxes or troubleshooting a technical problem.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Emotional Mind<\/strong> is fueled by feelings, impulses, and urges. It\u2019s activated when you&#8217;re overwhelmed, excited, angry, or heartbroken.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Wise Mind<\/strong> is the quiet internal knowing. It doesn\u2019t shout. It often feels like a gut sense of what\u2019s true and kind. It\u2019s where your emotions are honored <em>and<\/em> your reason is respected.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">I remember the first time I used the Wise Mind exercise during an emotional spiral. I was about to fire off a defensive message in a conversation that felt like it was falling apart. I paused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">I asked:<br><em>What does my Emotional Mind want to do?<\/em> (Answer: scream, shut down, or run.)<br><em>What would Rational Mind do?<\/em> (Answer: pretend it didn\u2019t matter.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Then I sat quietly. I breathed. I asked myself what Wise Mind knew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">And what came up was simple: <em>You need to feel seen. You need to express that without trying to control the outcome.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">That moment changed everything. I didn\u2019t escalate. I didn\u2019t abandon myself. I spoke calmly, clearly, and vulnerably. I showed up for myself instead of reacting out of fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Since then, Wise Mind has helped me:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Gain perspective<\/strong> when I\u2019m caught in emotional flashbacks or anxiety spirals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Make decisions<\/strong> that reflect my values, not just my survival instincts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Regulate emotions<\/strong> and stay grounded, especially when trauma responses start to take over.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Sometimes I journal through it. Sometimes I just visualize the Venn diagram of the three minds and ask myself where I\u2019m operating from. But the power is in <em>remembering<\/em> that there\u2019s a wiser, more grounded part of me I can access\u2014even in the hardest moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Want to Try It?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here\u2019s a quick version of the <strong>Wise Mind exercise<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Identify the situation<\/strong> you\u2019re struggling with.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Ask:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">What is my <strong>Emotional Mind<\/strong> saying?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">What is my <strong>Rational Mind<\/strong> saying?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Breathe. Sit quietly. Ask: <em>What does my Wise Mind know?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Wait for the answer\u2014it may come as a thought, an image, or a deep sense of calm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Write it down if it helps. Move forward from that space.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This isn\u2019t a one-time fix. It\u2019s a <em>practice<\/em>. A lifeline I return to again and again. And it has helped me rebuild my life from the inside out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If you\u2019ve ever felt like your emotions were too big, too much, or too messy\u2014please know: they\u2019re not. You don\u2019t have to shut them down or let them take over. There\u2019s a space in between. That\u2019s where Wise Mind lives. And once you find it, it changes everything.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I used to pride myself on being someone who could think things through. I would analyze everything from every angle\u2014dissecting details, trying to predict outcomes, and collecting information like I was prepping for a debate. Other times, especially when I was overwhelmed, I\u2019d make decisions quickly\u2014impulsively\u2014just to escape the discomfort of uncertainty. Sometimes it worked. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mental-health"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I used to pride myself on being someone who could think things through. I would analyze everything from every angle\u2014dissecting details, trying to predict outcomes, and collecting information like I was prepping for a debate. Other times, especially when I was overwhelmed, I\u2019d make decisions quickly\u2014impulsively\u2014just to escape the discomfort of uncertainty. Sometimes it worked. [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-11T14:16:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-11T19:03:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MAPEASLEY\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MAPEASLEY\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"MAPEASLEY\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#\/schema\/person\/2540569a32e03f0e54ec1290425bd138\"},\"headline\":\"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-11T14:16:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-11T19:03:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/\"},\"wordCount\":838,\"articleSection\":[\"Mental Health Stuff\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/\",\"name\":\"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think -\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-11T14:16:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-11T19:03:47+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#\/schema\/person\/2540569a32e03f0e54ec1290425bd138\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/\",\"name\":\"\",\"description\":\"Hormones, humor, and a whole lot of drama\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#\/schema\/person\/2540569a32e03f0e54ec1290425bd138\",\"name\":\"MAPEASLEY\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88b7548a570fbd7f819ac16c99d1fa0eef751e041fdbe0973b61f5b3362a40cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88b7548a570fbd7f819ac16c99d1fa0eef751e041fdbe0973b61f5b3362a40cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88b7548a570fbd7f819ac16c99d1fa0eef751e041fdbe0973b61f5b3362a40cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MAPEASLEY\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/author\/mapeasley\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think -","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think -","og_description":"I used to pride myself on being someone who could think things through. I would analyze everything from every angle\u2014dissecting details, trying to predict outcomes, and collecting information like I was prepping for a debate. Other times, especially when I was overwhelmed, I\u2019d make decisions quickly\u2014impulsively\u2014just to escape the discomfort of uncertainty. Sometimes it worked. [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/","article_published_time":"2025-08-11T14:16:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-08-11T19:03:47+00:00","author":"MAPEASLEY","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MAPEASLEY","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/"},"author":{"name":"MAPEASLEY","@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#\/schema\/person\/2540569a32e03f0e54ec1290425bd138"},"headline":"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think","datePublished":"2025-08-11T14:16:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-11T19:03:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/"},"wordCount":838,"articleSection":["Mental Health Stuff"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/","url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/","name":"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think -","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-08-11T14:16:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-11T19:03:47+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#\/schema\/person\/2540569a32e03f0e54ec1290425bd138"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/finding-balance-how-the-wise-mind-exercise-changed-the-way-i-think\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Finding Balance: How the Wise Mind Exercise Changed the Way I Think"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#website","url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/","name":"","description":"Hormones, humor, and a whole lot of drama","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/#\/schema\/person\/2540569a32e03f0e54ec1290425bd138","name":"MAPEASLEY","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88b7548a570fbd7f819ac16c99d1fa0eef751e041fdbe0973b61f5b3362a40cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88b7548a570fbd7f819ac16c99d1fa0eef751e041fdbe0973b61f5b3362a40cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88b7548a570fbd7f819ac16c99d1fa0eef751e041fdbe0973b61f5b3362a40cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MAPEASLEY"},"url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/author\/mapeasley\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":181,"url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/brain-fog-and-perimenopause-am-i-losing-my-mind-or-just-hormonal\/","url_meta":{"origin":183,"position":0},"title":"Brain Fog and Perimenopause: Am I Losing My Mind or Just Hormonal?","author":"MAPEASLEY","date":"August 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"There was a time when I could remember everything\u2014names, dates, faces, deadlines, even where I parked my car without thinking twice. I was the go-to person for details. Multitasking was my superpower, and I took pride in how mentally sharp I felt. Then, seemingly overnight, it all changed. I started\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Physical Health Stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Physical Health Stuff","link":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/category\/physical-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":324,"url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/fear-is-the-new-f-bomb\/","url_meta":{"origin":183,"position":1},"title":"Fear is the New F-Bomb","author":"MAPEASLEY","date":"January 9, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cThe thought of being in a serious relationship scares me.\u201d I was told this by someone I had just recently met and started hanging out with. Someone I like. Someone I enjoy spending time with. And based on his words and actions, I\u2019m fairly certain he felt the same way.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Mental Health Stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Mental Health Stuff","link":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/category\/mental-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":281,"url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/seven-years-since-my-ironman-a-finish-line-that-changed-everything\/","url_meta":{"origin":183,"position":2},"title":"Seven Years Since My Ironman: A Finish Line That Changed Everything","author":"MAPEASLEY","date":"August 19, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Seven years ago today, I crossed the finish line of my first\u2014and only\u2014Ironman. When I think about that day, it doesn\u2019t feel real, yet it was the most alive I have ever felt in my life. I wasn\u2019t there to break records or chase a certain time. For me, it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Physical Health Stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Physical Health Stuff","link":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/category\/physical-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":61,"url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/when-love-spoke-a-different-language-what-i-learned-from-a-relationship-that-didnt-quite-translate\/","url_meta":{"origin":183,"position":3},"title":"When Love Spoke a Different Language: What I Learned From a Relationship That Didn\u2019t Quite Translate","author":"MAPEASLEY","date":"April 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Looking back now, I can say this: we loved each other. That was never the problem. The problem was that we loved each other differently. He felt everything deeply. He moved through the world with emotion right on the surface\u2014raw, beautiful, sometimes overwhelming. And me? I was built for stability.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Relationship Stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Relationship Stuff","link":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/category\/relationship-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":86,"url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/riding-the-hormonal-rollercoaster-my-journey-through-perimenopause-and-understanding-hormone-replacement-therapy\/","url_meta":{"origin":183,"position":4},"title":"Riding the Hormonal Rollercoaster: My Journey Through Perimenopause and Understanding Hormone Replacement Therapy","author":"MAPEASLEY","date":"June 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"No one really warns you about perimenopause. Sure, there\u2019s vague talk about \u201cthe change,\u201d but nothing truly prepares you for the slow, strange disintegrating of what once felt like a predictable body. For me, it started subtly\u2014a little extra irritability here, sleep issues there\u2014but then the waves started crashing: unpredictable\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Physical Health Stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Physical Health Stuff","link":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/category\/physical-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":66,"url":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/navigating-sensitivity-learning-to-hear-without-hurt\/","url_meta":{"origin":183,"position":5},"title":"Navigating Sensitivity: Learning to Hear Without Hurt","author":"MAPEASLEY","date":"May 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"For as long as I can remember, I've worn my heart close to the surface. Whether it was a teasing comment or a misunderstood joke, I\u2019d often find myself internalizing words more deeply than intended. My friends noticed this long before I did. Over time, what began as concern or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Relationship Stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Relationship Stuff","link":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/category\/relationship-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=183"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":186,"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183\/revisions\/186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/infirstposition.com\/ovaryactive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}