Self-Care Summer: 10 Ideas to Feel Grounded, Joyful, and Present

Summer invites us to slow down, soak in the sunlight, and return to the rituals that ground us. But between unpredictable summer schedules, travel plans, social gatherings, and the pressure to make the most of every moment, it’s easy to feel scattered or overstimulated.

This season, reimagine summer as a time for soft boundaries, nervous system nourishment, and intentional joy. Whether you’re savoring slow mornings or chasing golden hour adventures, these self-care ideas are designed to help you feel more present, peaceful, and connected to yourself.

Here are 10 simple ways to care for yourself this summer:

1. Set Soft, Supportive Boundaries

Summer can bring a full calendar of activities, but that doesn’t mean you have to say yes to everything. Protect your peace by tuning into what you actually want to do. Practice saying no with kindness and clarity, and remind yourself that rest is a valid way to spend your time.

2. Create a Nervous System Reset Routine

Between the heat, the hustle, and the heightened energy of summer, your nervous system may need some extra TLC. Build in small daily rituals that regulate and ground you: morning breathwork and journaling, barefoot walks in the grass, cold plunges, or gentle evening yoga.

3. Start a Summer Journal Practice

Journaling is one of the most powerful ways to stay connected to yourself. This summer, carve out a few mindful moments each day to reflect, process, and check in. Whether you’re using blank pages or a guided format like our Everyday Positive Journal, let your writing be a space of clarity and self-discovery.

Try this prompt: What does self-care look like to to me this summer? 

4. Document your Gratitude — With Your Kids, Too

Sometimes self-care looks like taking time to capture the good around you and what you’re grateful for. Use our Everyday Positive Notepad to jot down a moment of kindness, self-care, and gratitude — and ask your kids what they’re grateful for, too. It’s an easy, low-pressure way to stay grounded in joy, even on the busiest days.

5. Make Space for Spontaneity

We often think of self-care as routines, but it can also be about saying yes to unexpected joy. Allow space in your week for unplanned fun — an impromptu beach day, an outdoor concert, a night out with friends.

6. Reconnect with Your Body

Summer is the perfect time to rebuild trust with your body. Move in ways that feel good — swimming, dancing, walking, yoga, stretching, biking, or foam rolling. Nourish yourself with food that’s seasonal, satisfying, and makes you feel vibrant.

7. Try a New Morning Routine

The way you start your day sets the tone for everything else. Since your schedule may already shift in the summer, it’s the perfect time to experiment with a new morning routine that feels aligned. With a focus on mindfulness, try waking up early to journal, sipping something iced and grounding, or taking a walk in the sun before the world wakes up.

8. Schedule Time Alone

Alone time isn’t selfish — it’s essential to resetting our nervous system. Block off solo time just for you, even if it’s just 30 minutes. Take yourself out to breakfast. Read by the water. Wander a bookstore. Listen to your own thoughts without distraction of phones or others.

9. Unplug and Explore Self-Discovery

Try a digital detox for a day (or even an hour). Step away from screens and reconnect with what’s right in front of you—and what’s stirring inside. Our Everyday Positive Workbook offers guided prompts and personal growth exercises that help you explore your values, habits, and mindset in a meaningful way.

10. Do More of What Brings You Joy

The simplest self-care tip? Follow your joy. What lights you up lately? What feels fulfilling and expansive? Do more of that. Often, the things that bring us joy also bring us back to ourselves.

Make Summer Your Season

Summer doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. Let this be your season of softness, slowness, and showing up for yourself — again and again.

If you’re ready to deepen your self-care practice, explore our Everyday Positive collection:

• Everyday Positive Journal: a guided daily space for gratitude, intention, and self-care
• Everyday Positive Workbook: activities that dive into mindset, intentional living, and personal growth
  
• Everyday Positive Notepad: a daily page to check in with yourself and start your day with intention, gratitude, kindness, and self-care.

Here’s to a summer of ease, joy, and intentional care. ☀️