The Soft-Life Check-In – Black Health Matters

For many of us, March feels like an invitation to rush. The sudden urge to ‘clean up’ and ‘clear out’ or wrap up that winter to-do list while racing towards a fresh start. We wear the ‘Superwoman’ cape so much we forget it’s still a choice and not a uniform. This is your official invitation to pause. Consider this your soft-life check-In: an intentional audit designed to help you hang up the cape before the spring rush sets in.

Your Pre-Spring Self-Care Roadmap 

Yes, Spring is literally a few days away but before we rush into a new season, when was the last time you gave yourself permission to just be still? A true roadmap isn’t about adding more to your plate; it’s about deciding what needs stay and what needs to go.

Licensed therapist, relationship & self-care expert and New York Times best-selling author Nedra Glover Tawwab, released her newest book, The Balancing Act, in February and it arrives just in time to help us identify and develop more checks and balances in our lives. The Balancing Act is a continuation of Tawwab’s signature voice and practical approach to recognizing our individual needs by creating healthy dependencies, and relationships that don’t require losing yourself.

Tawwab’s work challenges us to look at our boundaries – not just the ones we set for others, but the ones we set for ourselves. Where are the areas that you are over-extending yourself out of habit?

Peace Over Productivity 

Alex Elle, also a New York Times bestselling author is widely known as a wellness educator and restorative writing teacher with over a decade of experience. Her work is rooted in taking a soul-centered approach to ‘soft living.’  “Everything isn’t meant to be yours and everyone isn’t worthy enough to hold a place in your space. Quiet is good.”, shares Elle in her book Words of a Wanderer.  Elle’s work asks the question, is rest a luxury or a requirement? By leaning into her practices and guide work of self-affirmations and intentional stillness, the path forward becomes clearer and less overwhelming.  Peace over productivity is more than clearing our digital calendars, but rather clearing out the mental clutter, the mental noise, to make room the version of ourselves that isn’t exhausted and running on fumes. Together, both experts ask us to stop being the backbone of every space we occupy.

Alex Elle’s newest book The Company We Keep is currently available for pre-order, featuring a national tour that kicks off late Spring 2026.

Practice Makes Perfect 

Diving into soft living is easier said than done, right? Yes, the soft-life framework requires more than a mindset shift, it requires a shortlist to keep the ‘Superwoman’ tendencies at bay. As you navigate this roadmap, consider these best practices to help you remain focused:  

Slow Mornings: Resist the urge to check your phone the second you wake up. Give yourself at least 30 minutes of screen-free quiet time to check in with yourself before the world’s demands show up.

The Black Female Project Wellness Calendar 2026 is a beautiful resource for daily reflections, and affirmations, specifically designed to help Black women pivot to rest and recovery.

Conduct a ‘Should’ Audit: Before adding another task or event to your calendar, ask yourself am I doing this because I want to…or because I should? If it’s the latter, try giving yourself permission to decline.

Curate a Sensory Environment: Soft living is as much about what we see and hear, as it is about what we do. Cue up the playlist, devote a special corner in your home, or light your favorite candle. Scents from Harlem Candle Co. don’t just smell incredible, they offer an artful aesthetic with historical flair.

Schedule ‘Rest Stops’: It’s all in the name. Block out time on your digital calendar to do absolutely nothing! Set timers on social media apps to limit your scrolling time. Reclaim your quiet time!

The Sunday Reset: Sundays USED to be about preparing (and stressing) about Monday. Now use this day to set intentions for the week. Prioritize joy on the day of rest by enjoying a slow, yet energetic sip from Golde or rejuvenating body care routine with selections from Oui The People, for the ultimate self-care Sunday.

Choosing peace can feel like a radical act, but as we continue to move through the month of March, let’s strive to curate a month that feels as good as it looks. Instead of filling your days with work and demanding obligations, consider exploring workshops, conferences, book tours, or quiet spaces in your own community that reflect peace over productivity. Be proactive about seeking out environments that allow you to exhale – because this month should be dedicated to shifting from to-do lists to moments of peace that allow you to prioritize YOU.

Put The Cape DOWN 

The world is perfectly fine with women…Black women specifically, carrying everything, for everyone. Consider this a charge to consider that letting go is where growth actually happens. Springtime is for blooming – but it is impossible to bloom when you’re too tired to stand in the sun. It’s not necessary to be ‘Superwoman’ in order to be a trailblazer or highly successful. Establishing a healthy lifestyle (mind, body and soul) is an achievement in and of itself. The time is now. Will you put your cape down? The soft life is waiting for you, and you’ve already earned the right to claim it.