Less Doing, More Being With the S.E.L.F. Reset for Mental Health Awareness Month
- Brainz Magazine
- May 2
- 5 min read
Written by Natasha Mosby, Clinical Program Director
Natasha Mosby is a recognized expert in mental health and integrated healthcare. With over 20 years of experience specializing in mood, anxiety, stress-related, and trauma disorders, she has developed and implemented programs that promote mental health and wellness.
In a world that moves fast and praises productivity, many of us have unintentionally neglected the most important relationship we have, the one with ourselves.
I know how easy it is to get swept up in the pressure to “do more and be more.” I’ve lived it. I’ve burned out, pushed through, and overcommitted until my body and spirit said, “Tasha, Enough!” That’s why, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I’m leaning more into a mindset that’s become foundational in both my personal and professional life: Less doing. More being.
This isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a necessary shift. It’s the heart of the S.E.L.F. Awareness Framework, a model I created from a place of “me too.” Because healing isn’t something we squeeze into our schedule, it’s something we live and breathe daily. And this May, it’s also the focus of the S.E.L.F. Reset Workshop I’m hosting in Las Vegas on May 3rd, 2024, because sometimes we all need space to pause, reflect, and reset.
What is S.E.L.F. awareness?
The S.E.L.F. Framework stands for:
S: Stillness
E: Emotions
L: Listening
F: Flow
Each pillar invites us to reconnect with the parts of ourselves that often get lost in the noise of daily life. Whether you’re a professional, parent, caregiver, or simply someone doing their best to make it through the day, this model meets you where you are and helps you come home to yourself.
The power of stillness
Stillness can feel uncomfortable at first, I get it. I’ve sat with the awkwardness of silence, wondering if I was doing enough. But something shifts when we let ourselves be. We begin to observe instead of react. We start hearing what we’ve been too busy to feel.
Just five minutes of stillness a day can reduce mental fatigue, calm the nervous system, and even help improve digestion, immunity, and focus (Porges, 2011). That’s because when we slow down, the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in our “rest and digest” mode and our bodies begin to repair. I’ve experienced it myself, and it’s often the reset I didn’t know I needed.
Emotions as data, not directives
Whew, this one took some work. I used to believe my emotions were something I had to suppress or push through. But I’ve learned that emotions aren’t threats, they’re messages.
When I started noticing and naming my emotions without judging them, I found that they didn’t control me anymore. And it turns out that emotional honesty doesn’t just help us mentally, it has physical benefits too. Suppressing emotions has been linked to higher stress levels, while expressing and understanding them helps regulate the nervous system and even supports better gut health (Gross, 2002; Sapolsky, 2004).
Now, when I feel anxiety, I try to say, “I notice anxiety is present,” instead of “I am anxious.” That tiny shift? It creates space. It reminds me that I am not my feelings, I’m simply human for having them.
The art of listening to ourselves
There have been so many moments when I felt off irritable, tired, and drained, but couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t until I started practicing deep listening to my own needs that things started to make sense.
Our bodies are always talking to us. That pit in your stomach, the tightness in your chest, the fatigue that won’t go away, it’s all information. When I began listening inward, I realized how often I ignored my own boundaries or pushed past exhaustion.
Tuning into our bodies, thoughts, and spirit isn’t self-indulgent. It’s survival. Interoceptive awareness—our ability to sense what’s going on inside has been linked to emotional regulation and overall well-being (Critchley & Garfinkel, 2017). And from my own journey? Listening helped me stop abandoning myself.
Finding flow in a chaotic world
Flow is where I feel most like myself when I’m not chasing, forcing, or performing. Whether I’m journaling, speaking, laughing, or simply being still, those are the moments I feel aligned. That’s flow.
And science backs it up: Flow states trigger dopamine release and reduce activity in the brain’s inner critic, making space for more joy and presence (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Dietrich, 2004). I remind myself regularly: Flow doesn’t mean I have everything together, it just means I’m rooted in what matters most.
In my workshops, therapy sessions, and my self-care journey, I help others find their version of flow, not someone else’s version of “successful,” but what feels like truth, purpose, and peace to them.
Cognitive restructuring: Rewriting the inner script
If you’re anything like me, you’ve had that inner voice that says, “I’m not doing enough.” I used to believe it. Until I asked, “Says who?”
One of the most powerful tools I’ve used both for myself and in my work is cognitive restructuring. It’s about catching those unhelpful thoughts and rewriting the story.
For example:
Thought: “I should be doing more.”Reframe: “Rest is part of my healing. I am not behind.”
This technique is rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and it’s proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression (Beck, 2011). But what makes it real for me is how much freedom it brings. The more I practiced it, the more I could choose compassion over criticism.
Caring for the mind, body, and spirit
I’ve learned the hard way that self-care isn’t just a checklist; it’s a commitment to yourself. And it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Here’s what I try to keep in balance (most days, anyway):
Mind: I journal, reflect, and stay in therapy, because my thoughts deserve care too.
Body: I hydrate, stretch, and rest without guilt, because my body carries me through it all.
Spirit: I listen to music, pray, and laugh, because joy is medicine.
You don’t have to do everything. Just start with something that honors where you are.
Ready to practice less doing, more being?
If you’re in the Las Vegas area, come join me for the S.E.L.F. Reset Workshop on May 3rd, 2024. It’s an intimate space for restoration, reflection, and real-life wellness, no stiff chairs, no pressure to perform, just space to breathe and be.
And whether we meet in person or connect through these words, I want to leave you with this:
You don’t have to earn rest, joy, or presence.
You were always worthy of it.
Read more from Natasha Mosby
Natasha Mosby, Clinical Program Director
Natasha Mosby is a leader in mental health, specializing in integrating mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. She has developed programs that bridge mental and physical health to promote holistic wellness. As the founder of Health, Wellness & Integrated Care, she is dedicated to helping individuals achieve optimal health. Her mission: It’s all integrated—mind, body, and spirit.
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