Happy May 21! Today is a special day - it’s my birthday, a beautiful new milestone around the sun, and the perfect moment to step away and look inward.
2x date = age, loving the syncronicity of numbers
I got my Lady M mille crepe cake to celebrate - baklava, lavender, yuzu matcha.
In this fast-paced life, we frequently push our own wellbeing to the absolute bottom of the priority list. But today, we celebrate. We celebrate mental health, we celebrate life, and we celebrate the gift of a fresh chapter.
Loving these gorgeous California wildflowers in bloom near my home that we planted in February!
This milestone is deeply tied to a beautiful weekend of connection. I am celebrating bday moments on May 16 & 23 with my community and friends. I had a magical day with my wonderful Bayview community, giving back and feeling the pure joy of collective impact - moments I cherish with folks who care.
We even got to check out a pop-up museum of human web from Arpanet to GPT with exhibits from the Computer History Museum.
❤ Thank you for being in my life! ❤
Grateful to share my joy of baking mochi cupcakes and mini puff bites with mi gente.
Carrying that beautiful energy forward, I am immersing myself in the vibrant heart of SF, letting the energy of San Francisco ground me. I am treating myself to the symbol of the mandarin orange (color for May 21) - a sweet, mindful symbol of abundance, new beginnings, and prosperity for the year ahead.
May Energy: Mandarin Orange
May 21 - “colorstrology” for the day is Mandarin Orange 🧡.
It’s a shade that feels like a warm hug.
I even got to enjoy orange kunafa and an amazing lunch at a Lebanese restaurant in the Mission, continuing the miracles of the universe into my life.
And nothing says meaningful joy like volunteering at the Greek community kitchen and supporting folks in SF have a good dinner meal.
5.23 update - sharing moments of joy with y'all 🤗
From enjoying a hearty Colombian soup with guascas herb …
To cherishing this moment in time and space… art meets technology ❤️ Tiat SF
Portrait drawing machine - Nonoti
Earth seed dome - Transamerica Redwood Park
Mental Health Awareness
This May, as we honor Mental Health Awareness, we are turning our focus completely inward to explore something fundamental to our being: self-love.
Turning our focus to self-love isn’t abstract, self-indulgent, or secondary to our career goals. It is actually the solid bedrock of everything we do.
It is the absolute foundation for how we move through the world, how we show up in our demanding workspaces, and how we navigate complex life challenges. To anchor our practice this week, we can explore Unconditional Love.
Inner Critic and Navigating Grief
Many of us carry a highly active inner critic that loves to point out every minor flaw or mistake. For our neurodiverse community - especially those navigating ADHD or Autism, this critic is often fueled by years of “masking” and trying to fit into boxes that weren’t built for unique brains. We burn incredible amounts of energy attempting to appear perfect, and then we judge ourselves harshly when we inevitably face fatigue.
As author Brianna Wiest notes in The Mountain Is You:
“The greatest act of self-love is to no longer accept a life you are unhappy with.
It is to be able to state the problem plainly and in a straightforward manner.”
Sometimes, stating the problem plainly means acknowledging when our hearts are simply heavy, even on a birthday. True mental health support means holding space for all our emotions, including grief.
When we lose beautiful souls, we realize how precious time is. And it makes me appreciate the folks in my life even more.
Recently, I connected with my roommate from 2023 and she mentioned her dog, Electra, crossed over the rainbow in Dec 2025. Not seeing Electra’s sweet heart and soul - unconditional lovingkindness has brought a deep sense of loss.
Grief reminds us how deeply we can love, and offering ourselves grace during times of sorrow is the ultimate act of self-compassion.
Real change and true transformation begin when we stop treating our vulnerabilities or our sadness as flaws, and start acknowledging our needs with radical kindness.
It has helped shape my thinking and understanding of unconditional love.
And of course, Electra - my roommate’s black lab poured her heart and soul into my life and it will never be the same again. This is the purest form of unconditional love.
I miss her - I'm grateful we got to meet again in July 2024.
RIP Electra - you will forever be in my heart and soul!
A gentle reminder:
Everyday may not be good but there is something good in everyday.
Micro-Habits for Gentle Self-Care
Self-love is not a grand achievement we reach one day; it is a continuous, low-demand practice of tending to our inner world. Here are three simple micro-habits we can easily fold into our work and life:
Practice Friend-Tone Dialogue: Pay close attention to your inner voice when a task goes wrong or when you feel overwhelmed by sadness. Consciously shift your dialogue to match the exact encouraging words you would give to a dear colleague.
Honor the Reset Boundary: Learn to set small, protective boundaries around your energy. Say no to an extra task when your mental battery is low, or step away for a five-minute sensory break to just breathe without feeling an ounce of guilt.
Acknowledge the Gain, Not the Gap: At the end of each afternoon, write down one small win from your day. It could be as simple as making a healthy lunch, taking a short walk, or closing a difficult tab. Celebrate the effort, not just the final output.
54. May 21 | Unconditional Love: Simply Worthy
I. Welcome
Let’s begin our mindful moment for May 21. Take a moment to settle in.
Feel yourself arrive, right here, right now. Take a collective, slow breath in... and a gentle breath out, together.
II. Guided Practice
Our mindful motivation today is Unconditional Love: the simple act of recognizing that you are inherently worthy, just as you are, in this very moment. Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze. Feel your breath moving naturally—it is our anchor.
Now, let’s engage our senses. Place a hand over your heart or on your lap. Feel the gentle warmth of your hand resting against your body. Listen to the subtle sounds around you.
Breathe into the feeling of warmth and acceptance. There is nothing you need to do or achieve to deserve this moment; it is your birthright. This focus is a resource you can return to anytime you feel overwhelmed.
III. Reflection
As you hold this quiet Unconditional Love, here is a reflection. Choose the option that feels most relevant to your week ahead:
This week, where will you intentionally apply Unconditional Love?
In one sensory moment, like speaking to yourself with the same kindness and encouragement you would offer to a dear friend.
In one emotional moment, like acknowledging your imperfections with kindness and letting go of self-blame.
Hold your chosen intention gently. We take one final deep breath in, gathering the focus we’ve cultivated... and a slow, releasing breath out, ready to carry this into the rest of your day.
And as you step forward, remember, you are cherished, and you are Unconditional Love.
Invitation to Collective Wellbeing
You do not have to navigate this journey alone. To celebrate another beautiful journey around the sun—including my birthday on May 21, I warmly invite you to join our inclusive live community sessions every Monday and Friday on Insight Timer.
What if you could pause, quiet your inner critic, and meet your vulnerabilities with radical lovingkindness?
Join me for a 15-minute wellbeing session on Unconditional Love.
This mindful motivation practice helps for a short sensory break to release the pressure of perfectionism and hold space for whatever emotions we are carrying. No expectations—just a gentle, low-demand practice to remind you that you are inherently worthy, exactly as you are.
Let’s practice gentle self-care, together.
Together, we gather to pause, breathe, protect our mental health, and co-create a supportive environment for our wellbeing journeys.
You can access over 50 free short, low-demand audio tracks on Insight Timer designed to fit into your busy routine.
Take a deep breath in, and let a slow, releasing breath out.
Remember deep down that you are inherently worthy of your own love, exactly as you are right now.
You are loved. You are cherished.
Gently holding lost souls in our hearts this month.