5 ways i'm showing up for myself this may

on recovery, hormones, nourishment, movement, and creating a life that feels supportive

I can’t believe it’s already May.

Maybe it’s because this year has already felt so heavy in certain ways, or maybe because life keeps moving even when you feel like you’re still trying to catch your breath. Either way, here we are. The fifth month of the year.

And honestly? I’ve been craving a bit of a reset. iykyk.

Not the kind that requires a brand new routine, or becoming a completely different person overnight. Just a few things I want to focus on a little more intentionally this month. Things that genuinely support my wellbeing and the kind of life I’m trying to build.

So here’s what I’m focusing on this May.

1. Stop shrinking myself

This one has been sitting with me for a while.

I want to speak up more. Trust myself more. Stop second-guessing my ideas before they even have a chance to exist outside of my head. I think for a long time, I’ve softened my voice before anyone else had the opportunity to hear it fully.

Not in an aggressive way. Just in a “maybe this isn’t important enough to share” kind of way.

But I care deeply about what I’m building here, and I want to keep growing into that. Keep writing. Keep sharing. Keep trusting that my voice deserves to take up space, too.

2. Get my iron levels up, naturally

No lies here. Your girl is depleted.

Between pregnancy, loss, surgery, and blood loss, my body has been through a lot these past several months. And while I’m absolutely focusing on rest and recovery, I also want to be more intentional about rebuilding my iron levels through food first, alongside the supplements my OBGYN recommended.

So lately, I’ve been paying more attention to iron-rich meals and pairing foods in a way that supports absorption. You’d be surprised how many women walk around with iron deficiencies and have no idea.

I don’t gatekeep around here, so here are a few iron-rich foods and pairings I’ve been focusing on lately:

• lentils + lemon juice

• tofu scramble + bell peppers

• spinach/romaine bowls with citrus tahini dressing

• oats with hemp seeds and berries

• pumpkin seeds as an easy snack or topping

• quinoa bowls with leafy greens

• sourdough with unsweetened peanut butter, banana, hemp seeds, and flaky salt

a classic for a reason. there’s nothing like a peanut butter and banana toast.

I’ve also been trying to pair iron-rich meals with vitamin C foods more since it helps support absorption. Nothing complicated, just small things that add up over time.

There’s something empowering about understanding what your body needs instead of constantly fighting against it.

3. Pay closer attention to my cycle

I know “cycle syncing” has become a trendy wellness phrase online, but for me, this is less about perfection and more about awareness. I want to better understand my hormones, my energy levels, and what my body is trying to communicate to me throughout the month.

Especially as we prepare to try to conceive again later this year.

I also think conversations around periods, hormones, fertility, and reproductive health deserve to be more open and less taboo. We spend so much of our lives in these bodies. They have the potential to create life. That’s incredible, honestly, and I think we should feel more allowed to talk about it that way.

I know I’ve mentioned this book before, but honestly, Blood by Dr. Jen Gunter is such a goldmine.

4. Host the kind of gatherings I keep talking about

A few weeks after we moved into our house, my husband found the most beautiful dining table on Facebook Marketplace. A big, crafted wooden table that the owners built themselves. It was an immediate yes for me.

The second I saw it, I pictured slow lunches, lazy dinners, and friends gathered around it. The kind of home that feels warm, welcoming, and lived in.

We’ve already been able to host some friends and family around it, and every single time our home is full, it makes me happy.

I’ve talked for months about wanting to host a supper club-style gathering, and I think this summer might finally be the time to make it happen. I’m getting stronger, summer produce is about to reach peak freshness, and honestly, I want in. My friend Jessica wrote about what it takes to host a supper club last year, and that idea has stayed with me ever since.

So this month, I want to stop romanticizing dinners from afar and actually create space for it in real life. Even if it’s simple. Even if it’s just pasta, a salad, a couple bottles of wine.

I want to gather more around the table.

5. Reconnect with movement gently

Before surgery, walking and Pilates were such grounding parts of my routine, and I miss that feeling. Not even physically, necessarily. Mentally.

So this month, after I get the clear from my doctor, I want to ease back into movement slowly and gently. A walk around the neighborhood. Get back to the studio when my body is ready. My local studio recently launched their prenatal series, and I already can’t wait to be part of it when the time comes.

Post-op has definitely been humbling, though. One minute you think you’re ready to do all the things again, and the next your incision is basically screaming, “girl, sit your ass down.”

I think wellness can become so performative online that we forget it’s supposed to support our actual lives.

So maybe this month is an oppourtunity to look around your own life a little more honestly. What’s something your body, mind, or environment has been asking for more of lately?

Maybe the answer is simpler than you think.

x, holy