May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and maybe that feels... a little abstract.

It’s one thing to know mental health matters. It's another thing entirely to give yourself permission to act on that.

This year's theme is “Turning Awareness into Action,”  In my practice, I often hear clients say they know what they “should” do: eat well, get in movement and sunshine each day, prioritize quality (and quantity!) sleep, connect with friends and community.
The hard part is doing those things when life feels overwhelming, or exhausting, or like you’re holding things together with duct tape and coffee.

So this month, I’m not offering a pep talk about radical self-care or overhauling your life.
Instead, I want to offer a gentle nudge towards improving your mental health.

Start by checking in with yourself.
Before you can take meaningful action, you need to know how you’re really doing. Even a few minutes of reflection or journaling can help you notice what’s happening beneath the surface.

Try asking yourself:

• What's been giving me energy lately?
• What's been quietly draining me?
• What do I need more of right now? What could I use less of?
• Where in my life do I feel most like me?
• What feels in sync with what matters to me the most? And what doesn't?

Then, take one small step.
Not a ten-step plan. Not a life overhaul. Just one gentle shift.

• Reach out to a friend you've been missing.
• Say "no" to one thing this week so you can say "yes" to rest.
• Schedule that therapy session you've been putting off.
• Trade 10-minutes of doomscrolling for something calming or nourishing.
• Step outside and breathe for 5-minutes without doing anything else.

Those everyday actions add up.

And maybe, have that conversation.
You know, the one you've been rehearsing in your head, or avoiding entirely. Maybe it's about a boundary you need to set. Maybe it's being vulnerable enough to ask for help.

Whether it's a conversation with a loved one or with a therapist, saying the hard thing out loud can be a powerful way to take action for your mental health.

This month, let yourself remember:
​You are allowed to care for yourself. You don't need permission to tend to your mental and emotional well-being. It's part of being human. When you do, you're better able to show up in your life, in your relationships, and in your work as the version of yourself that feels whole and steady and real. 

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