As the sun-kissed days of summer begin to dwindle and you embark on the last lap of summer courses, it can feel a bit melancholy. It could feel as though you’ve spent your entire summer in a textbook and ambivalence could set in – you’re happy that the rigorous work of the course is ending, but that means summer is over too.
Well, summer doesn’t have to be (that is, until the bitter chill of winter sets in). Summer is not a time or a place, it’s a feeling and all of us can capture and hold onto it forever with a couple of tweaks to our lifestyle.
Summer creates the great notion that we’re all allowed a pass. A pass from our mundane work responsibilities, a pass from cleaning after work and a pass from things that generate negative energy. One way to hold onto summer forever is allowing yourself a pass throughout the year. Even though the weather may be colder than it was a couple of months ago, if you’re feeling stressed, you can still take a break and dance in your office, eat a chocolate bar (or two) and blast your music. Giving yourself a break throughout the entirety of the year allows you to possess the whimsical feel of summer.
Another way to feel the bright rays of summer all year long is to enjoy your mornings. During the summer months, mornings seem to last an eternity, the morning seemingly fades into the afternoon and only when it is dark does it feel different. Whether it’s summer, spring, fall or winter, enjoy your mornings. Give yourself the quiet time to self-reflect, cook yourself a large breakfast, read. Taking time for yourself in the morning will provide a positive outlook on the day, even when it’s raining or snowing. You will feel warm inside.
Lastly, read a summer themed book even in the dead of winter. Read of remote islands with beaches full of warm, white sand. Allow yourself to bask in the rays from the words of your book and escape the cold weather. Some titles we love are The Vacationers by Emma Straub and Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
As we said before, summer is a feeling that can be felt during any season. However, we suggest to soak up the sun on these last summer days.
Please tell us, what are your personal summer joys that repeat all year long?
