A no-nonsense guide for women to protect their mental health, reclaim their energy, and finally stop staying in situations that drain them.

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Remove Yourself. Let Me Tell You Why.

I live by two words: remove yourself. And honestly, I think every woman should.

But first, let’s get real with some facts:

• 1 in 4 women will experience an extended period of major depression in her life.
• 1 in 6 women is on an antidepressant.
• Major depression affects women twice as often as men.
• 49% of women say they can’t sleep because of stress.
• Over 30% of women report extreme stomach issues.
• 40% get headaches from stress.
• And almost all of us feel like we have to multitask everything, all the time.

We live in a world that expects women to do it all. Work. Cook. Clean. Hold down relationships. Remember birthdays. Mentor coworkers. And somehow, in all that chaos, not lose our minds.

So what do we do? More often than not, we leave ourselves in situations that activate the stress response—because we feel like we have to. We think we have to take care of everyone before ourselves. And if we don’t? Well, apparently, we’re failing. And then… stress blows up.

That’s why I live by these two words: remove yourself.

Funny story: it started when I was talking to a guy I really liked. But then I scrolled through his Instagram and saw all the girls in his following… and I literally said to my mom, “I can’t be on this list. I have to remove myself.” That was it. No drama, no begging, no overthinking. I just removed myself. And just like that, it became my life philosophy.

Now I say it all the time, and here’s what it actually looks like:

1. Friendships that feel like a competition, unsafe, or leave you feeling unseen or unheard? Remove yourself.
2. Talking to someone whose effort is… meh? Remove yourself.
3. See a guy’s following looks like he went to an all-girls high school, college, and job market? Remove yourself.
4. Places that don’t feel like home? Remove yourself.
5. Old habits or ways of being that no longer serve you? Remove yourself.
6. A job that literally makes you want to die every Monday? Remove yourself.
7. Social media that makes you feel like trash, inadequate, or anxious? Remove yourself.
8. Events, parties, or groups that drain you faster than your phone battery? Remove yourself.
9. Drama that isn’t yours to carry but somehow always is? Remove yourself.
10. Toxic family dynamics that make you question your sanity? Remove yourself (with boundaries, obviously—ghosting your mom might be harder than it sounds).
11. Overcommitting because you think saying “no” makes you a bad person? Remove yourself.
12. Anything that makes you feel small, stupid, or unworthy? Remove yourself.

Here’s the thing: removing yourself isn’t about running away from challenges. Life is going to throw you curveballs. Some stuff, you have to grind through, because you need a paycheck, a career, or stability. But here’s the difference: removing yourself is about choosing what you engage with, and what you refuse to let control your mental, emotional, and physical health.

It’s about giving yourself permission to step back. To say no. To prioritize your peace over everyone else’s expectations. To stop pretending that putting yourself last is noble or necessary. Because newsflash: it’s not. It’s exhausting. And unnecessary.

We women are already carrying enough. We multitask like superheroes, yet we rarely get a medal for the stress, stomachaches, sleepless nights, and headaches. So why would we stay in situations that actively make those problems worse?

Here’s the moral: remove yourself. Protect your energy. Protect your time. Protect your joy. You don’t have to stay in people’s drama, in unsafe spaces, in jobs that suck the life out of you, or in habits that no longer serve your growth.

Because when you remove yourself from the things that weigh you down, you make space. Space for peace. Space for joy. Space to actually breathe. And trust me, your mental health, and probably your stomach, sleep, and hair will thank you.

So, ladies, live by these words. Repeat them when you need them. Whisper them in your head before replying to that toxic text, before saying “yes” to another obligation, before scrolling into someone else’s highlight reel.

Remove yourself.

Because the world doesn’t need more burnt-out, stressed women. It needs women who are whole, energized, and unapologetically protecting their peace.

-Olivia Jade