There’s so much we can have planned for this summer, but who knows if we’ll be actually prepared for the things we have planned. I know students have been excited about summer starting, including myself. 

Although we are looking forward to doing different things, it’s important that we walk into summer knowing we can enjoy these things. Check out these three ways you can ensure your summer is the best it can be:

Learning how to let go

A lot of people see summer as a way to start all over to make up for their mistakes. But, it is important to let go of past conflicts.

In an article by reporter Tommy Baker titled Why Letting Go Will Change Your Life, they say “by far, the most important benefit of letting go is the creation and freeing up of time, energy, physical and mental space and the ability to allow something new and powerful to come in.”

For example if you have a bond with someone/something that you know is toxic, you must let those things go in order to enjoy your life. When you let go of things that don’t make you happy, you’re opening yourself up to other opportunities that could bring you positive feelings.

This tip can apply to anything. It can apply to your physical and emotional/mental/psychological well being. 

Accepting how things are

Going back to what I said in the beginning, although we have a lot of things planned for the summer, things may not always go as planned. For example, if you want to go on a summer vacation but it doesn’t work out in the end, you should plan on how to enjoy summer from home.

In an article by reporter, Arlin Cuncic, titled How Do You Live in the Present? They say “[…] you need to let go of how you think things should be and accept them for what they are. You cannot control everything that happens around you; sometimes life is going to be different than how you want it to be. Practicing acceptance will help you let go of the things in your life that are out of your control.” 

We may want to do certain things but if we continue to try harder and it just doesn’t work out, we should always have an alternative plan. 

Another example of acceptance is accepting the fact that you cannot change any bad things that may go wrong during the summer. If you accidentally hurt yourself, have an accident on the beach, or don’t get enough hours at your summer job, you must accept the fact that it happened, and look for alternatives. 

If you dwell too much on the negative aspects of the present, you will lose sight of the time you have now to do good things in the future. 

Taking care of yourself

Taking care of yourself physically usually is the last thing on people’s mind when trying to get through rough times. When we feel good enough to take another step, dealing with ourselves physically is challenging.

In an article by Harbor Light Hospice, called The Importance of Self-Care, they say “by making the time to let yourself recharge, you will improve the outlook of yourself and others as well as develop significantly lower unhealthy amounts of stress.”

Always take care of yourself hygienically. There are great products out there that can help you out, but you must be careful. Always moisturize since it’s going to be really hot outside, make sure you use sunscreen as well. 

Cleaning your room and doing your laundry can make you feel more productive. Being in an area you feel comfortable in can also make you feel productive. Being organized can make you feel more “put together,” but it may not feel the same for everyone.

Being clean can mean different things for everyone, depending on their perspective. Just because you think doing a certain thing means you’re clean, it may not mean the same thing to someone else. 

Since summer is hot, a lot of people will wear more light clothing. So we must always be respectful to others and their bodies. No one has the right to talk to anyone about someone else’s body. Body hair, acne, cellulite, dark circles, etc, are all normal things.

Have fun

Getting ready mentally and physically for the summer may not be something you are interested in, and that’s fine. As long as you live your life the way you want, you will always be free.

Don’t worry about what others think or say of you. You must have fun and live your life to the fullest, we only have one life to live.

I could make hundreds of lists on how to get ready for summer, but I believe that we must seek the things we want from within ourselves. When someone tells us to do something, it won’t be the same if we don’t want it for ourselves.

Spend your summer how you want to (stress-free of course) and live your life with no regrets. And always remember to take care of yourself!