5|6|2025

Hey, Gem. Zhara here, and I’m back with another one.

Let’s jump into it.

Reclaiming Your Mental Health x Zhara. J

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It’s easy to keep going, giving, and smiling. Not really, but follow me here… 

Beneath the strong woman myth, the high-functioning routines, and the pressures of ‘holding it all together,’ so many of us are quietly unraveling. This Mental Health Awareness Month, SheIsTreasure wants to remind you that you don’t have to constantly carry it all as if everything is fine. Let’s normalize keeping it real with ourselves!

Being self-aware is vital for our growth and emotional maturity.

Our community has long been praised for its resilience. However, as licensed therapist and author Dr. Thema Bryant often says, “You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep others warm.” Strength without support is survival, not healing.

Many of us were taught that therapy wasn’t for us, and that faith and grit were enough. While both are sacred, they’re not substitutes for rest, care, or space to feel. Black women, in particular, have often had to wear masks of composure while grieving silently, succeeding while hurting, showing up for everyone else while rarely being asked, “How are you really?”

This month, we’re leaning into truth. We’re recongizing when we’re burnout, we’re saying no without apology, and we're seeking help. Most importantly, we’re reminding ourselves that we’re worthy of being whole.

In the words of Audre Lorde, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” She snapped with that one, Gem!

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Gem, let’s check in with ourselves and other women, especially those close to us. Let’s make therapy, journaling, and safe space-building part of our routine and not just a response to crisis. Let’s choose softness where the world demands pride and tough egos of survival.

Also, send this to someone else who needs the reminder.

Until next time, I hope you give yourself the grace you deserve during your hard moments. -Zhara. J.

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