May is a month bursting with reminders to pause and take care. It’s both Mental Health Awareness Month and Women’s Health Awareness Month—a beautiful invitation for women to remember that our wellness matters. Not just in service to others. But for the sanctity of ourselves.

And yet, how often do we truly give ourselves permission to pause?

As women, we’ve been culturally conditioned—sometimes even praised—for self-sacrifice. We’re celebrated for being strong, for pushing through pain, for holding everyone else up. But where in all that praise… are we allowed to soften?

To rest without guilt.
To say “not today” without explanation.
To put ourselves on the priority list—not below the dog and the laundry and the endless inbox—but right at the top.

Let’s be clear: That’s not selfish.

That’s survival. That’s sacred. That’s aligned.

A Bit of Herstory

Women’s Health Week (May 12–18 this year) was first launched in the late 1980s in the U.S. as a national effort to shine a light on the unique health issues women face—heart disease, hormone imbalances, reproductive care, autoimmune disease, mental health and more. It eventually expanded into Women’s Health Awareness Month, honoring the full spectrum of a woman’s wellness—physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.

Why? Because for centuries, women’s health has been under-researched, underfunded, and under-acknowledged.

Because we needed a megaphone to say:

We deserve to be well. We deserve to be heard. We deserve to be held.

And not just by others.
But by ourselves.

Why This Matters (Especially Now)

In my work with high-achieving women, I see it daily: the silent shame of burnout. The ache of being everything to everyone while silently neglecting the woman in the mirror.

We skip meals.
We skip sleep.
We skip self-care rituals because “we’ll get to it later.”

Only later never comes.

And here’s the raw truth: You can’t pour from an empty cup. But you can absolutely overflow from a full one. And when you do? Everyone around you benefits.

Alignment isn’t indulgent—it’s intelligent.
Self-care isn’t a reward—it’s a requirement.
And rest isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.

A Loving Invitation

This month, I invite you—gently, but firmly—to turn inward.

Check in.

Ask yourself:
What does my body need today?
What’s one emotion I’m ready to honor, not hide?
What ritual helps me feel connected to my spirit?

Even five minutes of conscious attention can shift your day from survival to soulful presence.

✨ Light the candle.
🕯️ Take the nap.
🍵 Make the tea and sip it without multitasking.
🎶 Move your body in ways that feel like a love song.
📖 Journal, cry, laugh, breathe.

You’re not lazy for caring for yourself.
You’re not selfish for saying “not now.”

You’re not wrong for needing what you need.

You are human.
You are worthy.
You are wise.

A Final Word (and a Challenge)

Every day—not just in May—is a day to practice radical self-love.

So here’s my challenge to you:

🌀 Do one thing today that aligns your energy.
Mind. Body. Spirit.

This is your return home.

You don’t need to earn it.
You only need to allow it.

Unapologetically rest and rejuvenate.