How to make this summer all about self care

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Summer is here! Although lets be honest how many of us are actually feeling those summer vibes? Not many I’m guessing. With the world very slowly starting to regain a little bit of normality we can all enjoy summer a little bit more than we would have done in full lockdown. But things still aren’t the same as they once were and that summer feeling may have gone for a lot of us. I have some good news though! What if I told you this summer would be your time to shine? To become the best version of yourself and really start to look after yourself? Summer self care is the answer!

2020 has hardly been the best year has it? Summer is usually the time where we can all unwind and relax a little. Enjoy the sunshine (or wish for more of it if you live in the U.K.), attend events like weddings and christenings and look forward to BBQ’s, summer holidays and the days been a little bit longer. I’m an autumn girl at heart but I do have a real soft spot for summer. It’s good for my soul and at this time I think we could all do with indulging in a big dose of summer self care.

Fake your way to a summer holiday

Many of us will have already had to cancel holidays or may not feel comfortable travelling abroad right now. Luckily you can fake your way to a summer holiday and get those chilled holiday vibes at home. From mixing up your favourite holiday cocktails to recreating tapas night at home, there’s lots you can do to recreate your favourite holiday.

Places like B&M and The Range have fantastic outdoor collections,. From tropical cushions and outdoor dining sets, meaning you can transform your outdoor space into a tropical paradise for relatively cheap. Add some solar fairy lights and you’ll soon have your own little holiday tavern.

When it comes to spending time outside, we’re really lucky in that we have a very large garden but even the smallest of spaces can be transformed with a bit of thought. One of the best things we’ve done this year is to buy a paddling pool. Yes we’re a childless couple in our late twenties and early thirties but I have zero regrets about our paddling pool purchase! One of my absolute favourite days from the tighter lockdown was when we inflated the pool, cracked open the bottles of Bud and whacked on a playlist from our favourite Disney water park, Typhoon Lagoon. We had such a fun, chilled afternoon. Seriously I highly recommend getting a paddling pool!

Get that summer glow

When it comes to the beauty side of things, I am obsessed with anything coconut scented at the moment. There’s just something about that scent that instantly reminds me of holidays. I’ve actually really being enjoying Avon products at the moment and they have a great range of coconut products. I’ve been using the Aloha Monoi bubble bath and body spritz and my evenings have transformed into a holiday paradise. I also really like their coconut body wash too.

Finally the last thing you need for faking your way to a summer holiday is a tan. Now I love nothing more than sunbathing in the garden but I always make sure I’m slathering on the factor 50 on my pale skin. A natural glow is great and I always feel better with a bit of tan but the safer way is with a fake glow. I prefer gradual tanners to all out fake tan and my favourites are the Palmer’s one and the Dove one.

A little bit of holiday pampering does wonders for the soul and is just one step in creating a summer of self care. What I like about this one is it can become more a routine too rather than a one off summer self care activity. Make the most of your outdoor space, cook your favourite holiday food and indulge in some holiday pampering. It’s all about relaxing and having fun.

Pack up a picnic

Now more outdoor spaces have opened up, it’s the perfect time to pack up a tasty picnic and head out for the day. This one is a particularly good option for if you don’t have any outdoor space of your own. Lots of English Heritage and National Trust sites have opened up grounds and gardens now and they make for the perfect day out. You will more than likely have to book though so make sure you check online first.

If you’re wanting a more impromptu picnic though then heading to a park or nature reserve is your best option. We used to go on picnics all the time when we lived together at university as we lived in a studio apartment. We’d spend all day in the local parks with a bag full of food and just enjoy the sun, each others company and the good food of course. There’s something about being out in nature that I love all year round but in summer in feels extra nice.

A picnic is the perfect summer self care activity where you can switch off a little bit, enjoy being outdoors and indulge in your favourite foods.

Read in the sun

O.K. this is my absolute favourite summer self care activity. If I could only recommend doing one thing to lift your spirits this summer, it would be this. I love nothing more than getting comfy outside in a lounge chair and reading all day. There’s nothing else that relaxes me as much as this. I can easily get through quite a few books if we have a good block of days with continuous sunshine.

Reading allows you to completely switch off from the real world and dive into somewhere new. There’s no other feeling quite like getting lost in a good book. I saw a lovely quote once that said “The person who doesn’t read lives only one life. The reader lives 5,000. Reading is immortality backwards.” It’s so true. Think of how many different things you get to experience just from reading a book. What could be better summer self care escapism than that?!

If you’re struggling to find a good book, I highly recommend checking out my list of 21 books to read while social distancing. It’s a list of my all time favourite books and I’m certain you’ll find something on there that you’ll love.

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Just let the world pass by

I don’t know about you, but I always like to be doing something. Even if it is just something simple and relaxing like reading a book. And that’s great. But how often do you just stop and have a peaceful moment to reflect and watch the world go by? Not very often I’m guessing. Summer is the perfect time to indulge in this. Nature is in full bloom, the birds are singing and the wispy clouds are floating by. Sit back and take some time out of your day to just watch the world go by. Try reflecting on all the things your grateful for and just enjoy the quiet of nature.

The world can be a noisy place and that filters right down into our minds too. I always have about a million things going off in my head. I’m always thinking about something. Even 5 minutes set aside each day to quieten the noise in your mind will do you wonders.

Take care of your physical health

A summer of self care means taking care of your physical health not just your mental wellbeing. Summer is great but it can bring a host of medical problems with it from sunburn, heatstroke and insect bites. As much as I love being outside all day when the weather is good, it’s important to be sensible too. Applying sunscreen, wearing a hat, spending time in the shade and keeping hydrated are all important factors to remember to avoid nasty sunburn or feeling ill in the summer heat.

Another important physical health factor that we may not immediately think of is ear health. Blocked ears can easily occur from spending a lot of time with earphones in or swimming in paddling pools or swimming pools which we all love to do in summer. It’s easily treated and there are many places up and down the country that can quickly help like The Yorkshire Hearing Clinic. If not treated though it can affect your hearing and balance amongst other things so it’s best to get it checked out and seek treatments like ear wax removal in Harrow.

Stay out all day and night

I love those times where we get a solid week or two of unbroken sunshine in the U.K because I just spend all day outside. Honestly I’d love to move to a country where outdoor living was possible more often. You know somewhere that has beautiful weather most of the time. That would just be my dream life.

Take some time this summer to have one day where you spend most of your time outside. Day and night. It’s all too easy to get into a routine of evenings in front of the TV. I’ve already listed lots of ways you can spend your day outside but stay out into the evening too. Watch the sun set and the stars start to appear. Having a fire pit or chiminea is perfect for this time of the year too for when the warmth of the day starts to drop a little. Toasting marshmallows over a fire pit definitely makes for a fun little evening activity too.

Find your exercise routine

A lot of people love exercising not only for the physical health benefits but for the mental health benefits too. And what better time to get into a good routine than when the weather is nice? It could be something as simple as getting more walks in or a bit more technical like doing a yoga routine in the garden. Summer is the perfect time to exercise outside too.

If you’re not a fan of exercising then I recommend giving Up To The Beat Fitness a try. Gina is a recent discovery for me but I am loving the workouts and I never thought I would say that about any form of exercise. They’re so much fun and really work up a sweat. I feel so much better after completing one of the workouts.

Summer self care is all about spending time outside, feeling relaxed and peaceful and taking time to just enjoy and appreciate your surroundings without too many other distractions.

What’s your favourite summer self care activity? Let me know in the comments.

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