If May feels a little like December… you’re not imagining it. School events. Graduations. Banquets. End-of-year deadlines. Travel. Sports. Teacher gifts. Work stress. Family schedules. Summer planning. Trying to keep up with all the things while smiling through it.

Welcome to what many people now call “May-cember.”

And while May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, many of us are so busy surviving this season that we barely stop long enough to notice how overwhelmed we actually feel. The truth is, most people I work with are not “falling apart.”They are over-functioning without enough support, rest, or margin. They are capable, loving, responsible people carrying a lot while looking completely fine on the outside.

Mental Health Isn’t Just About Crisis

According to the American Psychological Association, mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It impacts how we think, feel, handle stress, relate to others, and make decisions. When our mental health suffers, it rarely stays contained to one area of life.

We may notice:

  • Increased irritability
  • Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
  • Emotional exhaustion
  • Feeling disconnected from ourselves or others
  • Trouble resting, even when we’re tired
  • More anxiety, overwhelm, or second-guessing
  • Less patience with the people we love most

Sometimes we look calm on the outside while feeling overwhelmed on the inside. Sometimes our minds are thinking three steps ahead even when we’re trying to rest. Sound familiar?

“Should-ing” All Over Ourselves

One of the biggest contributors to shame and emotional exhaustion is the language we use with ourselves.

“I should be handling this better.” “I should be more productive.” “I should have more patience.” “I should be able to do it all.”

The word should often creates judgment and disconnection. What if we replaced “should” with “could”? Instead of: “I should be doing more.” Try: “I could slow down and prioritize what matters most.”

That small shift changes everything.

  • “Should” implies failure.
  • “Could” creates space for choice, flexibility, and compassion.

Feelings Are Not Final Facts

One of the healthiest things we can learn is emotional awareness. Not avoiding feelings…and not being ruled by them but rather learning to acknowledge them honestly. Feelings are not good or bad. Feelings are information about what we are experiencing.

Our feelings are real. Our feelings are valid. And our feelings are not Final Facts.

A simple practice I often encourage is: “Right now I am feeling…”

Not forever. Not always. Just right now.

Because feelings are data, not directives. Anxiety, sadness, frustration, grief, exhaustion, disappointment, loneliness, and even joy are all part of being human. And emotions change.

A Gentle Reminder This May

As we move through this busy season:

  • You do not have to earn rest.
  • Productivity is not the same thing as worth.
  • Your feelings deserve attention, not shame.
  • You are allowed to slow down.
  • Taking care of your mental health helps everyone around you too.

Maybe this month the goal is not perfection. Maybe the goal is presence. Presence with yourself. Presence with your family. Presence with God. Presence with the life you are living right now.

A May Mental Health Challenge

This week, try practicing:

  • Change “should” to “could”
  • Change “but” to “and”
  • Pause and name your feelings honestly
  • Ask yourself what you need instead of what you “should” do
  • Create five minutes of quiet before reaching for your phone

Small shifts matter. And healing often begins in small, repeated moments of awareness and compassion. Maybe the goal isn’t perfection. Maybe the goal is daily care, connection, compassion, and emotional wellness.

Jennifer West, LPC, NCC

Listen to the Episode

Jennifer goes deeper into "shouldin'" with co-host Sara Veillon on Episode 1 of This Might Be Triggering — Stop should'ing all over yourself and others.

Listen on Apple Podcasts · Listen on Spotify · All episodes

Duration: 35:55 · Published: September 17, 2025 · Hosts: Jennifer West, LPC, NCC (Sugar Land) and Sara Veillon, M.S., LPC, NCC (Katy)

About Jennifer West

Jennifer West, LPC, NCC, M.S., M.A. is the Founder and Practice Owner of MHC Sugar Land, with over 30 years of clinical experience working with adolescents, individuals, couples, and families. Her clinical work integrates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), the Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, Narrative Therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). She co-hosts the This Might Be Triggering podcast with Sara Veillon, M.S., LPC, NCC.

Read more about Jennifer → · Book a session

Talk With a Counselor

Jennifer sees clients at MHC Sugar Land, Three Sugar Creek Center, Suite 100 · (346) 567-7691. Prefer a different location? Find a counselor at our Katy or Fulshear offices, or book online to be matched with the right fit. Mental Health Counseling Group also provides individual counseling in Katy, Sugar Land and Fulshear, and by telehealth across Texas.

Frequently Asked Questions about May-cember and Mental Health

What is May-cember? May-cember is the term many people now use for May's December-like overload, when graduations, banquets, end-of-year deadlines, sports championships, teacher gifts, summer planning, and family schedules all stack up at once.

Why does May feel like December? The same combination of social events, financial pressure, deadlines, and travel logistics that crowds December reappears in May, but without the cultural permission to "slow down for the holidays."

What are signs that May stress is becoming burnout? Increased irritability, brain fog, emotional exhaustion, trouble resting even when tired, more anxiety or second-guessing, and less patience with the people closest to you. The World Health Organization describes burnout as exhaustion, mental distance from your responsibilities, and a reduced sense of effectiveness.

When should I consider seeing a therapist for stress or overwhelm? When stress starts changing how you sleep, eat, relate to people, or perform at work, and especially when it lasts more than a few weeks, talking with a licensed counselor can help you reset before it deepens.

How do I find a therapist in Katy, Sugar Land, Fulshear, or Austin? Mental Health Counseling Group has offices in all four cities. Visit our locations page to pick the office closest to you, or book online to be matched with a counselor who fits your needs.

Further reading

Photo by Thomas Griesbeck on Unsplash.