Summer Self Care

Summer is hard! I know, I know. Most of us spend about 9 months a year waiting for summer to come as the winters can be really long. I don’t know about anyone else, but summer is the hardest season for me to take care of myself. Of course, the weather is nicer so, in theory, I should be able to exercise outside making exercise more accessible. Also, fresh fruit and vegetables are easily available and at low cost. All these things are supposed to make it easier for me (us) to be healthy. Summer also comes with endless opportunities to engage with others as well as trying to cram in as much outside time before it gets cold again. The opportunities to socialize typically involve food and sugary beverages which aren’t always healthy (please pass the brats to this girl!) and some people (me again) tend to not take advantage of the healthier options that are available (who wants a boring salad?). I also have found myself making excuses for why I can’t exercise that go something like, “it’s too hot,” “there are too many mosquitos to walk to the mailbox” (I have a 0.4-mile walk to mine), and “I don’t have time!” I’m also a wonderful excuse inventor for not giving myself quiet time to recharge. Those excuses sound like “It’s only nice out for a couple of months, I have to get out and enjoy it!” or “It’s still light out! I can’t go to sleep yet!” If you find yourself in the same situation, here are some tips that I am finding helpful for myself.

• Veggies first: At each meal, I make myself eat vegetables first before anything else. This can include eating a whole plate of salad before my meal, eating grilled veggies before I dig into my delicious brat or finding fun ways to incorporate veggies into recipes. Mock Potato Salad is a favorite of mine! Here is a recipe that is pretty close to the one I use: Mock Potato Salad
• Find a friend: Instead of meeting up for happy hour or lunch with a friend, go on a walk! The Fargo-Moorhead area has a lot of indoor and outdoor spaces where you can walk. If it’s too hot outside, go to the Rustad Center or the mall. If it’s a beautiful day, try walking one of the many paved trails we have in town. Another way I’m increasing exercise is with our office fitness challenge. Trishia and I have started a “Buns, Guns and Abs” 30-day challenge and are holding each other accountable.
• Saying NO: I am a human who needs time alone to recharge my batteries. I love to do that sitting on my deck or inside reading a book. The mosquitos have been so bad that it’s safer sitting by a window inside reading a book ? Also, being outside reading sometimes involves loads of sweat which I try to avoid if possible! This also means I say “no” to various social activities on the weekends to allow myself to have this quiet time I need. Fortunately, my friends know this about me, and I don’t get too much grief from saying “no” but at times it is still hard. However, if I’m feeling good and energized it improves all my relationships, so it is definitely worth it.
• If all else fails, get to bed: I know it’s hard to go to bed when the sun is still out but if you only have time for one self-care behavior, I highly encourage you to prioritize sleep. Sleep is so essential for helping us manage stress, helping our bodies heal, helping our brains consolidate all the information from the day, and a bazillion other things. If you find you are easily forgetting things and can’t focus, try getting a good night’s sleep for a couple of weeks! You will thank me for how much better you feel.

Of course, there are many other things you can do to take care of yourself this summer and we hope you will share what you are doing for yourself in the comments! Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope you whole-heartedly enjoy the rest of your summer.