8 Tips to Keep Your Emotional Health Sunny in the Summertime

Summer can be a time of fun and relaxation for many, but it can also be difficult depending on one’s circumstances, physical health, and emotional wellbeing. As the summer heats up in Texas and other parts of the world, it often becomes unbearable to be outdoors, making “fun in the sun” not so fun. Challenges such as increasing temperatures outside, expenses rising due to travel or entertainment, finding adequate childcare and keeping ourselves or our loved ones engaged can cause added stress and contribute to changes in our emotions. However, even if your emotional health becomes a challenge, there are things you can do to help keep your thoughts cool and sunny on these blistering summer days.

1.     Don’t compare your summer to others: This is a tough one for me! I see my friends on social media going on great vacations or enjoying time at their lake house, and I’ll admit, I get a little jealous. My husband has a job that makes traveling for pleasure difficult in the summer, so we have to find other ways to enjoy ourselves locally. What helps me most is to remember that I can’t change my summer circumstances, but I can change the way I think about them and choose to enjoy the summer I have.

2.     Try a new hobby: Summer is a great time to find something new that you enjoy. Think about what you have always wanted to do and then go for it! You might be surprised to learn you are good at something or enjoy an activity that’s new to you.

3.    Take a break: You don’t have to go anywhere or spend a lot of money to take a break. Take a day off and spend the day at home reading or catching up on your favorite show. Or, give yourself permission to be lazy and stay in bed for one day. It’s amazing how refreshing one day off can be!

4.    Connect with friends: Summer is a great time to connect or reconnect with friends, new and old. Perhaps schedules are less busy and you can find time to get together that you don’t normally have during the hustle and bustle of the school year. The important thing is to be intentional about this and make an effort. Connection with others does wonders for your emotional health!  

5.    Do what you love, not what you ‘should’ love: This is huge! So often, we force ourselves to engage in activities that we feel we ‘should’ love because others around us love it. That’s great, once in a while, but don’t forget to take the time to do what you love, even if it means you have to sneak away for a little while.

6.    Maintain a healthy sleep routine: Sleep is always important and summer is no exception. Try to stay close to your sleep routine so that you are still getting the hours you need. You cannot be emotionally healthy if you are not getting enough rest.

7.    Drink water and eat well: Also, important year-round. Most of us tend to overindulge during the summer months and there is no harm in the occasional detour from our normal routine. But, when you can, try to keep your eating habits in line with your ‘norm’ and always remember to drink that water!

8.    Be active but have fun: You don’t have to be miserable to be active. If running is not your thing, then find another activity such as swimming, cycling, dancing or yoga that you enjoy and still keeps you active. If you are not having fun, keep trying new things until you are.

Even if summer is not the easiest time of year for you, hopefully the above tips will help you find something to enjoy. Remember that it’s ok to put your own needs first sometimes and find time for rest, relaxation and doing the things you love with the people you love. If your emotional health continues to be a challenge, Beacon of Light is here to help.

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