May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a timely invitation to step back, breathe deep, and check in with the one person you spend every moment with: yourself.

In a culture of constant inputs — news, notifications, expectations — it’s easy to lose track of how we actually feel. This toolkit isn’t about overhauling your life. It’s about tuning in, clearing out, and creating space for clarity to re-enter the chat.

Here’s your self-check kit for a clearer, calmer you:

1. The 2-Minute Mental Audit

Start with this simple self-inventory:

  • Am I tired, overstimulated, or just under-nourished?
  • What’s actually mine to carry today?
  • What do I need more of right now — movement, stillness, sunlight, connection?

Pro tip: Set a daily calendar alert labeled “Mental Check-In.” Even 2 minutes can prevent a full-on mental fog.

2. The Morning Pages Reset

Borrowed from The Artist’s Way, this is a grounding habit that clears the mental clutter.

What to do:

  • Each morning, write 2–3 pages longhand. No filters, no structure. Just dump the mental noise.
  • Don’t reread them. Don’t edit. Just empty out.

Think of it as a “thought drain” for your brain sink.

3. The Input Detox (aka Quiet Hours)

Mental clarity doesn’t come from adding more advice — it often comes from less.

Try this:

  • Choose one 2-hour window each day (or week!) where you disconnect from all screens, podcasts, and conversations.
  • Do nothing. Or go for a walk, nap, doodle, or just...be.

“The mind clears when the noise stops.” — every therapist, ever

4. The One-Breath Practice

When you can’t do a whole mindfulness routine, just do one breath — intentionally.

  • Inhale for 4.
  • Hold for 4.
  • Exhale for 6.
  • Notice how your body shifts with just one cycle.

Stack this with existing habits — after brushing your teeth, before answering emails, before you scroll.

5. Your Personalized Clarity Ritual

Mental clarity is personal. Maybe for you, it looks like…

  • Cleaning one drawer
  • Lighting a candle before journaling
  • Taking a solo drive with no destination
  • Watering your plants slowly, one by one
  • Saying “no” without apologizing

Choose your anchor — something that grounds you when your mind feels like fog.

Final Check-In:

Ask yourself at the end of each day:

“Did I honor my mental space today?”

If not, tomorrow’s a fresh chance.