It’s almost summertime! I love the summer: the sun, the sand, lounging by the pool. It pulls up memories of warmth and friends. However, it can also bring up some self-image issues.
Nearly $58 billion will be spent in 2022 to market weight loss in the US market. That includes everything from fad diets to exercise routines. Add to that the Instagram-ready photos of experiences, and you have an entire industry dedicated to making you feel like you are missing out on SOMETHING.
This obsession with looking like we have our lives together keeps us from creating a life that gives us pride. Instead of having that “hot girl” summer, let’s focus on having a transformative summer. Create a season of your life that makes you feel yourself fully and not a fragment of a social media post.
Improve Your Relationship with Food
The first thing that needs to happen to distance yourself from “hot girl summer” is to change your relationship with food. Summer swimsuit season pressures women into having the “ideal” beach body. This can warp our relationship with food, making meals smaller and slashing the amount of nutrients we put in our bodies.
Instead, use the summer to explore food. Try new dishes. Experiment with ingredients that are fresher during the summer. Go to a different restaurant. Do not limit your food experiences to someone else’s opinion.
Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Ask yourself this: what is something you’ve always wanted to do but have been terrified of trying?
As the weather gets warmer, more and more people begin to step outside their doors and comfort zones. Summer is the perfect time for new experiences, from traveling to exotic locations to learning new skills.
The most important part of this practice is to make sure someone else’s opinion doesn’t hold you back. We’re so obsessed with what other people think about our lives on social media that we forget that our lives are not for others. This is OUR life. Do you want to learn Argentine Tango? Go for it! Purchase that plane ticket. Want to wear that cute bikini that makes you feel great, but one person commented rudely about it? DO IT!! Then lose that person’s number while you’re at it. Live your life!
Put Yourself First
So many of us are stressed, overworked, or feel terrible about ourselves because we don’t put ourselves first. We prioritize the kids, the job, the significant other, or the one friend you’ve been loyal to since high school. However, as I’ve already mentioned, it’s YOUR life, and transforming your life means doing what makes YOU feel good.
“Hot Girl Summer” emphasizes looking good for other people, but those people may not know you. They have their problems. So, don’t be afraid of taking the day off to go to the beach for a day. You deserve it! If they are jealous, maybe that means they need to put themselves first now and again.
This isn’t to say that you should quit your job, buy an RV, and run away from your responsibilities…okay, maybe a little. Do what makes you happy in a way that works for your life. If you’re a busy mom, then drop off the kids with someone and take a few hours to yourself. If you’re the sole breadwinner, make sure you do what you love.
This is the summer of YOU! You’re hot whether you look skinny and fit in your bathing suit or are comfy in your pajamas having a movie marathon. Define what is “hot” for you and go with it.
