International Women’s Day: 10 Ways to Honor Your Mental Health This March 8th

March 8th can be beautiful. It can also feel… complicated.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is often presented as a loud celebration of achievement, power, and “having it all.” And yes, we absolutely want to celebrate women’s wins. But the original heart of IWD has always been bigger than performance. It’s about honoring women’s lives, labor, rights, and wellbeing.

That includes mental health.

Because the truth is, so many women are quietly carrying a lot: chronic stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, trauma histories, body image pressure, and a caregiving load that never really clocks out. Even when things look “fine” from the outside, your nervous system may be running on fumes.

So this year, let’s reframe celebration as self-respect. Not a bubble bath you force yourself to enjoy, but real protection and repair. The kind that helps you feel safer in your body, clearer in your mind, and less alone in your experience.

Below are 10 practical, doable ways to honor your mental health on International Women’s Day (and beyond). Pick what fits. Leave what doesn’t.

Why International Women’s Day Is Also a Mental Health Day

If you’ve ever felt pressure to use IWD to prove something, you’re not imagining it. Women are often celebrated when we are productive, polished, and pleasing. But mental health care asks something different.

It asks:

• What does your body need to come down from stress?
• What does your mind need to feel steady?
• What kind of support would help you stop white-knuckling your way through the week?

Honoring women means honoring recovery. Boundaries. Rest. Nourishment. Real support. Not just the highlight reel.

And if you only have the capacity for one small act of care today, that counts.

In this context of self-care and honoring our mental health on IWD, it’s important to recognize that many women struggle with various mental health issues, including eating disorders which can stem from societal pressures or personal experiences.

We must also acknowledge the chronic stress and burnout that comes from balancing multiple roles in our lives. This is where seeking professional help becomes crucial. Intensive outpatient programs can provide the necessary support for those struggling with their mental health.

Furthermore, it’s essential to address issues like food noise, which can significantly impact our relationship with food and body image. Remember that taking time for self-care isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for maintaining our mental health and overall wellbeing.

A Quick Check-In Before You Start: What Do You Actually Need Today?

Before you jump into a list of “shoulds,” take 60 seconds and do a gentle self-scan. No judgment, no fixing. Just noticing.

• Energy (0–10): How much fuel do I have today?
• Stress (0–10): How activated do I feel?
• Mood: Anxious? Numb? Sad? Irritable? Okay?
• Sleep: Rested or depleted?
• Appetite: Normal, low, increased, unpredictable?
• Urges: Any urges to restrict, binge, purge, overexercise, use substances, or shut down?
• Sense of safety: Do I feel emotionally and physically safe right now?

Now choose 2–3 ideas from the list below, not all 10. This is not a homework assignment. It’s support.

And a gentle note: if you feel unsafe, overwhelmed, or stuck in symptoms, reaching for help is not failure. It’s strength. It’s wisdom. If you’re experiencing these feelings and need professional support, consider reaching out to a mental health treatment program like the Partial Hospitalization Program in Atlanta offered by Revelare Recovery.

10 Ways to Honor Your Mental Health This International Women’s Day

Think of these as mix-and-match tools. Keep it realistic. Focus on what helps your body and mind feel safer and steadier, even if it’s small.

1) Set one boundary that protects your peace (and keep it small)

Boundaries aren’t punishments. They’re mental health protection.

If boundaries feel scary or guilt-provoking, start with one “micro-boundary” today. Something so small it’s doable.

Try one:

• Turn off notifications for one hour.
• Decline one extra task that isn’t yours to carry.
• Limit contact with one draining person (even temporarily).
• Decide you’re not discussing a topic that always spirals you.

Simple scripts you can borrow:

• “I can’t make it tonight, but I’m cheering you on.”
• “I’m not available to discuss that.”
• “I can do X, but I can’t do Y.”

If guilt shows up, you’re normal. Guilt often fades with practice, especially when you start noticing how much calmer you feel on the other side of the boundary.

Remember that it’s okay to seek help if you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling with your mental health. You can contact the Revelare Recovery Center for professional assistance and support.

2) Take a “pressure pause” from comparison (social media, productivity, or body image)

IWD content can be inspiring, and it can also trigger comparison spirals about career, relationships, motherhood, bodies, or “how together” everyone looks.

Consider a simple 24-hour experiment:

• Mute or unfollow accounts that spike anxiety or body image distress.
• Avoid scrolling before bed (even 30 minutes helps).

Swap comparison with something grounding:

• A podcast that makes you feel less alone
• A walk without tracking anything
• Music that shifts your mood gently
• Reading a few pages of something comforting
• Journaling (even a messy paragraph)

If body image has been loud lately, curating your feed toward body neutrality and recovery-supportive content can genuinely reduce distress over time. You deserve a mental environment that doesn’t bully you.

3) Eat something supportive, without making it a “perfect” food day

Nourishment is mental health care. When blood sugar is unstable, anxiety can get louder, mood can drop, and your brain can feel more “on edge” than it needs to.

If food is complicated right now, aim for enough and consistent, not flawless. It’s important to understand that the struggle with food often involves what is termed as food noise, which can complicate the relationship with eating.

A few gentle options:

• Eat one balanced snack (carb + protein/fat), like crackers and cheese, yogurt and granola, toast with peanut butter, or a turkey sandwich.
• Add protein or fat to what you’re already having.
• Hydrate in a simple way (water, tea, electrolyte drink).
• If it helps, do a loose meal plan for today that reduces decision fatigue.

If you’re navigating eating disorder thoughts or behaviors, you don’t need diet talk or “clean eating” pressure. You need safety, steadiness, and support. For many women, healing includes a combination of therapy and nutrition counseling, especially when food and body image struggles are part of the picture.

4) Do one nervous-system reset (5–10 minutes)

When stress hits, your body can move into fight, flight, or freeze. That’s not you being “too sensitive.” That’s a nervous system doing its job, sometimes a little too often.

Small resets matter because they teach your body, over time: we’re okay right now.

Pick the easiest option, not the most impressive one.

Try one for 5–10 minutes:

• Box breathing: Inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4 (repeat).
• 5-4-3-2-1 grounding: 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
• Progressive muscle relaxation: Tense and release muscle groups slowly.
• Brief stretching or gentle neck/shoulder rolls.
• Warm shower or warm mug in your hands.

If you want this to become easier, pair it with a daily anchor you already do: morning coffee, lunch break, or bedtime.

5) Choose movement that feels like kindness, not punishment

Movement can support mental health. It can also become compulsive or controlling, especially when tied to body shame. This compulsive overeating often stems from viewing movement as a form of punishment. The difference often comes down to motivation.

Supportive movement sounds like:

• “This helps me feel calmer.”
• “I want to get some fresh air.”
• “I want to loosen tension in my body.”

Punishment movement sounds like:

• “I have to earn food.”
• “I can’t rest.”
• “I need to fix my body.”

Kind options today:

• A short walk (even 8 minutes counts)
• Gentle yoga or stretching
• Dancing in your kitchen
• Sitting outside for a few breaths (yes, that counts too)
• Nature time without tracking steps

And truly, permission to rest is a valid choice. Rest is not laziness. It can be recovery.

It’s important to note that the mindset surrounding movement and eating can significantly impact one’s mental health. For instance, the distinction between anorexia and bulimia lies in their underlying motivations and behaviors towards food and body image. Understanding these differences can be crucial in fostering a healthier relationship with oneself.

6) Name what you’re carrying, and share it with one safe person

Many women hold an emotional load that is invisible: caregiving, mental labor, perfectionism, old trauma, keeping everyone else okay.

Try this simple prompt:

• “The thing I’m not saying out loud is…”

Then share it with one safe person: a trusted friend, partner, support group, or therapist.

If talking feels hard, start smaller. Here’s a text template:

• “Hey, could I vent for 10 minutes today? I don’t need fixing, just someone to hear me.”

Support is not the opposite of resilience. Support is part of resilience.

7) Make space for your story: journal, therapy, or a trauma-informed practice

IWD is a chance to honor lived experience, not just public success. That includes what you’ve survived and what you’re still untangling.

If journaling helps, try one prompt:

• “What am I proud of surviving?”
• “What do I need more of, and less of?”
• “What would I tell my younger self if I could sit beside her for a minute?”

If you’re in therapy or considering it, [trauma-informed care](https://revelarerecovery.com/behavioral-health-therapy-programs-georgia) can be a powerful foundation. Trauma-informed work centers safety, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and trust. It’s not about forcing you to relive everything. It’s about helping your system feel steady enough to heal.

For many women, approaches like trauma-focused therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help with anxiety, depression, and stuck patterns by building skills, clarity, and compassion alongside change.

8) Celebrate women in a way that doesn’t drain you

You don’t have to perform empowerment to be empowered.

If you want to honor women today, keep it low-pressure and values-aligned. In an ACT lens, you might ask: What matters to me here? What kind of person do I want to be in this moment?

A few gentle ideas:

• Send a voice note to a woman you admire
• Thank a colleague who makes work feel safer
• Donate (even a small amount) to a women’s organization you trust
• Attend a supportive event, or skip the event and rest without guilt
• Read a book or essay by a woman author
• Mentor someone in a simple, realistic way

Let it be nourishing, not draining.

9) Reduce one “mental clutter” stressor (a tiny life admin win)

Unfinished tasks keep your brain on alert. Even small “open loops” can create background stress that adds up. This is where the concept of decluttering your mind can be beneficial.

Pick one 10-minute task. Set a timer. Stop when it ends.

Options:

• Schedule one appointment you’ve been avoiding
• Refill a prescription
• Tidy one surface (nightstand, counter, your bag)
• Set up autopay for one bill
• Plan two easy meals for the next couple days

Small completions build self-trust. They tell your brain: I can take care of me.

10) If you’ve been white-knuckling it, consider a higher level of support

Sometimes self-care isn’t enough, especially when symptoms are persistent or getting worse. Getting more support is not “too much.” It’s appropriate care.

You might consider stepping up support if you notice:

• Frequent panic or anxiety that’s impacting daily life
• Depression that isn’t lifting
• Trauma symptoms like hypervigilance, shutdown, nightmares, or emotional overwhelm
• Increasing isolation
• Substance use increasing , or feeling out of control around it
• Eating disorder behaviors or intense food/body image distress
• A sense that you’re barely holding it together

At Lightwork Therapy & Recovery, we use an integrated, trauma-informed approach that can include psychotherapy, skills-based support like ACT, and nutrition counseling when food and body image are part of what you’re facing. We also assess and treat co-occurring concerns, because real life is rarely just one thing.

Our spaces are inclusive and welcoming for women-identifying clients of all sexual orientations and races, and we offer care in Woburn and Braintree, Massachusetts.

A Gentle Reminder for March 8th (and the Rest of the Year)

Honoring your mental health is not a one-day project. It’s an ongoing practice.

If you want a simple way to carry IWD forward, choose one thing from today and repeat it weekly:

• one boundary
• one nourishing meal or snack
• one nervous-system reset
• one honest conversation
• one support appointment

Progress over perfection. Support over isolation. You don’t have to earn care by suffering first.

Call to Action: We’re Here When You’re Ready

If International Women’s Day is bringing up something tender for you, you don’t have to hold it alone.

At Lightwork Therapy & Recovery, we offer compassionate, women-focused mental health treatment for anxiety, depression, childhood trauma, eating disorders, and substance use, with day treatment and outpatient options in Woburn and Braintree, Massachusetts. We also specialize in treating co-occurring challenges such as dual diagnosis in women which often involve understanding the causes of co-occurring disorders.

If you’re ready for support, your next step can be simple: reach out to schedule a confidential call or assessment. We’ll listen, help you make sense of what’s going on, and talk through what level of care might actually help.

When you’re tired of white-knuckling, we’re here.