Every summer, I like to pause and offer one simple reminder:
Take. A. Breath.
That’s it — one deep, nourishing, unapologetic breath.
Whether you’re catching this message on a sunny beach, between summer classes, or curled up at home, I want it to feel like an exhale.
This year’s Summer Yay message connects directly to our Season 5 theme: The Emotional Cost of Excellence — the hidden toll that ambition, high achievement, and constant overwork can take on our mental and emotional health.
Let’s talk about what excellence has taken from us — and how we can reclaim our joy.
What Excellence Has Taken
If you’re a scholar, faculty member, first-gen, high achiever of color, or administrator, you may have spent the past year navigating:
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Shifting institutional priorities
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Burnout disguised as “innovation”
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The invisible tax of representation
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The quiet grief of being excellent and still unseen
Excellence should never cost you your wellness, joy, or humanity — but it can if we’re not intentional.
July Is BIPOC Mental Health Month
July is BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month. As a licensed clinical psychologist, I’ve seen the deep impact of silence, hyper-productivity, and isolation — especially in predominantly white or non-inclusive spaces.
Here’s your gentle reminder:
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Mental health is health
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Therapy isn’t just for crisis
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You don’t need to “earn” rest
Make the appointment. Talk to someone. Check in with yourself. You deserve to be whole — not just high-functioning.
My Summer Yay Moment
Last weekend, I wandered through my local farmer’s market with no plan, no podcast, no errands — just time.
I stopped at a flower stand I’d passed many times, picked up ranunculus and wild eucalyptus, and later spent 15 quiet minutes arranging them while Miles Davis played.
It wasn’t expensive. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t even Instagram-worthy.
But it was mine — and it reminded me who I am outside the grind.
Your Summer Yay Toolkit
Here are five small ways to invite joy into your summer:
- Dance to the song that made you feel alive in college.
- Visit a museum or art walk — solo.
- Schedule joy like it’s a meeting.
- Buy flowers — or pick them — and arrange them like art.
- Unplug for a full hour.
And if none of these resonate? Do what feels good to your nervous system, not just what looks good online.
Excellence ≠ Exhaustion
Excellence is not the same as exhaustion.
Achievement is not the same as alignment.
Being successful should never mean being sick.
You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to unplug. You are enough today — just as you are.
This summer, give yourself permission to play, rest, and feel joy. Light the candle. Cancel the thing. Schedule your physical. Call your therapist.
You don’t have to be excellent right now — you just need to be you.
Ready to explore how to advance your academic career without sacrificing your wellness?
Book your complimentary consultation with me at theacclivity.com/consult.