What is the first thing you do when you wake each morning? Start ruminating about your day. Check your phone for missed notifications. Scroll through the latest headlines. Ponder the needs of others in your household.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a good time for each of us to look within. What can we do to offer our brains a bit of reprieve? A good place to start is with mindful mornings.

Mindfulness is the simple act of choosing presence over autopilot, intention over routine and stillness over action. It’s not about adding more tasks to an already busy day; it’s about owning the few moments of the day that are truly yours, and setting the tone for everything that follows.

Pausing to take in all around you creates a sense of steadiness before the world begins to pull at your attention. The first step is giving yourself permission to slow down and ease into your day.

Before you rise, close your eyes and notice your breath, the quiet rise and fall that’s been happening without your awareness. This simple act helps awaken the body without jolting it into stress mode, and signals to your mind that you’re beginning the day with intention, not urgency.

Mindful mornings thrive on ritual: stepping outside to feel the morning air, enjoying a warm cup of coffee or tea as you listen to the birds begin their daily chorus, or returning to a purposely chosen spot to practice a brief meditation. Rituals work because they’re consistent, sensory and soothing; they remind you that you’re allowed to begin slowly, even if the rest of the day moves fast.

When you start your day with awareness, you create space to think clearly, respond thoughtfully, and move through your day with a renewed sense of inner peace. Your restful mind is following you, not leading you into the fray.

Tomorrow morning, give it a try. And maybe the next day.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, consider that the best way to move into your day may be by first hitting Pause.