There’s something about summer that feels both expansive and exhausting. The days are longer, the invites are endless, and the pressure to do it all can sneak in before you even realize it. One minute, you’re saying yes to rooftop happy hours and weekend road trips. The next, your energy is fried and your to-do list is giving you side-eye. 

Just a couple of weeks ago, I checked in with my best friend who said their next free weekend was in 7-8 weeks. Let’s be honest: the summer hustle hits different. It drains you in a different way. But that doesn’t mean you have to lose your center in the process. This week, we’re talking about summer self-care—not the fancy kind, but the kind that keeps you grounded, glowing, and present for the moments that matter most.

Because your peace doesn’t take a summer vacation.

☀️ 1. Start with a Summer Morning Ritual

Longer daylight can mean a more peaceful, unhurried start if you allow it. Slow mornings are my favorite thing. It can be tempting to sleep in, but if you’re able, try finding something that you have to look forward to in the morning, that is special to you for summer. My go-to is ascending my spiral staircase in my slippers and sipping a slow cup of coffee on my rooftop patio in the early morning light. 

→ Try one of these: Open the windows, play your summer playlist, and make your morning beverage a whole moment. Even five minutes of intentional stillness before the day kicks off can regulate your energy for hours.

🧘‍♀️ 2. Choose Sunlight + Stillness Over Scrolls

You know those 10-minute doom scrolls that somehow turn into 45? What if you swapped one of those for sitting on your balcony, your front stoop, or walking around the block with no phone? It’s easy to say to not do something. I used to tell myself to stop working so late, but I didn’t actually stop working late until I replaced it with something else for me to look forward to in the evening – yoga class and cooking dinner for myself. Challenge yourself to be present with something that allows you to ground yourself in the moment. 

→ It’s not about doing more. It’s about experiencing more of what’s already around you.

💦 3. Stay Cool with Cooling Habits

Hydrate. Nourish. Rest. Repeat.

→ Make an easy hydration ritual part of your daily rhythm: chilled cucumber water, fruit-infused ice cubes, or a weekly smoothie prep.

→ Don’t forget the power of an early evening shower to rinse the day off and reset.

🛑 4. Reclaim Your “No”

Summer FOMO is real—but so is burnout. You don’t have to attend every event or say yes to every plan. 

→ Let “maybe” be your buffer. Give yourself permission to check in before committing. Peace is a valid plan.

🌻 5. Prioritize Your Kind of Fun

Your kind of summer fun might not be the loudest or flashiest. Maybe it’s a vintage market stroll. A patio brunch with your favorite person. Reading in the shade.

→ Choose what recharges you instead of what drains you—even if it looks different from what everyone else is doing.

This week’s gentle reminder:

You don’t have to trade your rest for your summer. You get to live it fully and mindfully. Choose the moments that bring you back to yourself.

Mindfully,
MK