Permission to Pause: A Mental Health Check-In for Women Who Do It All

Dear Empowered Reader,

May is Mental Health Awareness Month — and I want to start by offering you something many women don’t hear often enough:

Permit Yourself. To pause. To rest. To choose YOU!

As a therapist, a mother, a wife, and a woman who has spent years being strong, I know what it’s like to move through the world with a full schedule and an empty cup. To go through the motions with a smile while anxiety simmers beneath the surface. To feel exhausted, keep going and still ask yourself, “Am I doing enough?”

❤️But here’s what I’ve learned — and what I want to pass on to you:

You are allowed to stop and focus on yourself. Not after the next crisis. Not when everything on your list is done. Now.

Mental health isn’t just about surviving the hard moments. It’s about choosing yourself every day in small, powerful ways. It’s about reclaiming your right to feel, rest, reflect, and be well, not just for others, but for YOU.

A Mental Health Check-In for Women Who Do It All

I invite you to start by taking a slow and deep breath.

Ask yourself:

● How have I really been feeling lately?

● Am I sleeping? Eating? Resting in ways that feel nourishing?

● When was the last time I said “no” — and meant it?

● Am I holding tension in my body right now?

● Have I cried, laughed, or let myself feel without judgment this week?

● What do I need that I haven’t given myself permission to ask for?

These questions aren’t here to make you feel any particular feeling, they’re here to help you reconnect. You’re not meant to pour from an empty cup or thrive in constant overdrive. Your emotional well-being is just as important as the roles you fulfill.

What Mental Health Awareness Month Means for Us

For many women, especially women of color, strength has been our survival. We’ve been praised for holding it all together, but rarely given space to fall apart. We’ve been told to keep going, but not how to safely pause.

This month is about rewriting that narrative. It’s about knowing that your feelings are valid. That therapy isn’t a weakness. That rest is not a luxury — it’s your birthright. That asking for help is an act of courage. That you are not alone.

Mental Health Awareness Month isn’t just about awareness — it’s about action. It’s about reclaiming your wellness, one deep breath, one boundary, one “yes to me” at a time.

Whether you're booking a therapy session, journaling with intention, or simply giving yourself five minutes to sit in silence, that is healing work.

You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to carry it alone.

You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to be.

This month and always — I see you. And I hope you choose you.

With love ❤️

Jennifer Nicole

P.S.: Check in on yourself every chance you can get. You know you best so take care of yourself.

---

Your May Invitations to Reconnect With Yourself

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to check in with yourself, this is it. Below are a few gentle invitations you can carry into the rest of this month — and beyond:

Rest Cue Ritual

Choose a small practice that helps your body and mind transition into rest. It could be lighting a candle, sipping warm tea, wrapping yourself in a soft blanket, or playing calming music. Let it signal to your nervous system: You are safe. You can let go.

Name One Thing You’ve Been Avoiding

Sometimes avoidance is our nervous system trying to protect us. But gentle acknowledgment can open the door to healing. Grab a journal or say it out loud: What’s one truth you’ve been avoiding because it feels too heavy, too hard, or too soon? You don’t have to solve it today — just start by naming it.

Mental Wellness Journal Prompt Pack

Looking for a way to reflect and reset? Download your FREE Mental Wellness Journal Prompt Pack — created to help you explore your emotions, build self-awareness, and create space for healing in a way that feels safe and doable. Click here to download your free journal prompts

---

Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect with me. If this post resonated with you, I’d love for you to stay connected! Visit my websites, Perfectly Imperfect and EmpowerHer Society, for more insights, resources, and updates on how we can navigate this journey together.

Let’s stay in touch on social media, too! Follow me on Instagram at @theempowerhersociety and @sheisjennifernicole, or connect with me on LinkedIn at Jennifer Nicole Brown.

---

Disclaimer: The resources mentioned in this post are shared because I believe they could be helpful and have personally found them of interest. I am affiliated with Perfectly Imperfect Counseling Services as the founder and a therapist and EmpowerHer Society as its creator and facilitator, and I share it as part of my mission to support women of color in their journey toward self-love, empowerment, and balance. For all other resources, I am not affiliated and do not receive compensation for sharing them. These resources are provided solely for informational purposes to support your personal growth and well-being. I encourage you to explore them and determine if they align with your needs.