Hey guys it’s Lay!
Sorry that thing went a bit out of order, originally this post was supposed to be a continuation of the hot girl summer post. However, after posting, I wanted to rebrand to make things more neutral and inclusive. While I don't know what else to call this era, the vibes are the same. This summer is all about:
Confidence
Deep diving into our dreams
Being intentional
Consistency
Maximizing our experience
If you're reading this, you're probably looking for some inspiration to make the most of your summer. In this blog post, we'll explore some actionable steps that you can take to level up your summer and achieve your goals.
Now, you might be thinking “Why would I want even more things to do”?
As a recently graduated student, I know how easy it was to get burned out. There is this pressure during the summer where if you aren’t doing summer courses, getting a certification, working an internship in your field, working a regular job, etc. that you aren’t “doing enough”. But I also want to remind you that productivity isn’t just doing those things. Being productive can be focusing on your health, taking time to travel, and spending more time on the hobbies/passion projects that you neglected, etc. You shouldn’t feel bad or like less than for doing things at your own pace. I could go on about how unemployment makes people feel like a failure because of how historically society connected it to a person worth and how we still are living under that perception, but instead, I want to give you this reminder:
If you are a student, once you graduate and get into the working world, there are no more breaks to be expected. If you want a break or vacation, you need to have it planned to use PTO and vacation days. It’s 100% not the same.
If you are a working adult who no longer is in school, make time for play no matter how busy your life gets. It’s so easy to lose ourselves for a job. It goes from doing the best you can at school to doing the best you can at work. The difference between them is we also carved out times for exploring what makes us happy and participating in activities that make us happy instead of doing things that numb us so we can handle the mundane tasks. It’s up to us to continuously add a spark to our lives so we aren’t just existing.
With that being said this post is about being intentional and consistent, you can maximize your experience and have a lot of fun doing it.
Whether you're a student on break or an adult with the goal of having more fun moments, there are plenty of actions and activities you can take to boost your confidence, deep dive into your dreams, and make this summer one to remember.
Actions
These are the must-do thing this summer. Before I share activities’ inspiration, I wanted to lay the foundation for actions that will make our goals much easier.
Mindset work: This refers to the previous post (which I highly suggest you check out). If you want to make changes in your life the first thing that has to change is your mindset. Confidence is one thing but you also need to believe that partaking in things, even if it is not making you money, is still productive and not a waste of time. Because of the society we live in people tend to judge others for what they are or aren’t doing without knowing all the details (not that they are entitled to). If as I was talking about in the beginning, you need to know that any action you do is productive if it’s benefiting you. People can't work efficiently if their self-esteem is low if their health is bad, if they aren’t rested enough, if they can’t have cohesive thoughts etc. Re-frame what it means to be productive and successful on your own terms and not through the lens of comparison or your insecurities.
Rearrange your space: This can look like moving around furniture, Decluttering your stuff, creating a new aesthetic in your room, etc. Your space is just as important as the goals themselves: If you want to paint more, create a painting area to do so. If you want to work out more, have a spot where you place your workout clothes and water every day. If you want to read the books you impulsively bought, make them visible to you so you remember they are there. This is a mandatory action so you won’t have as many excuses to backtrack on doing the things that you want.
Self-audit: In other words, this is an in-depth check-in with yourself. You have to know and understand where you're at to move in your life. If you feel stagnant in life, it’s probably because you are lost in the void (if you are a Melanie Martinez fan I hope you appreciated that reference). It is so easy to lose sight of who we are in life because of the expectations of having a specific role in society, a role in your family, a role as a friend, etc. Basically, life has so many expectations of us and we have our own expectations of life. Sometimes those expectations we have aren’t even what we actually want, but what shows, movies, books, other people, etc. make us think we want. Discover how much of what you want is really coming from you and it will make what you prioritize so much more sufficient.
Getting a strong support system: This one doesn’t come easy all the time. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a supportive family or meet friends that are so down to help you in any way they can and mean it. I am going to use myself as an example: so my biggest dream for the longest time has been to be a content creator but because how many people in my life don’t see it as a feasible thing, I put it on the back burner while finishing school. Even though I was getting good grades I was miserable, lost passion, and honestly that negative energy was radiating from me because the school felt like a chore and I wasn’t doing the things to balance it out. I probably ruined a lot of friendships because I was so captivated by that energy. Once I graduated I was pulled out of it but then I began to have anxiety about my post-graduation life because in my head if I didn't get a job in my field it means I failed and it wasn't like I had any other form of employment that's unrelated to my degree so I could at least have my finances in order. I felt so behind and then I saw this girl post about her unemployment life in her 20s and we became mutuals on Tik Tok. She asked me to join her discord where I met so many people who have the same anxieties I do but also the same ambition and motivation to keep going no matter what. Personally, it's been a digital safe space.
Activities
As promised, this is the inspiration for things you can do this summer. This is not an official bucket list, but based on your personality you can probably find some things to try so you are never bored.
Berry Picking
The outdoor movie theater ( Drive-in if you can, but some states like NYC host outdoor movie theaters in the park and stuff)
Have a photoshoot with friends
Go hiking
Build a fort
Get a disposable camera and go on an outing
Have a paint and sip (this can be with mocktails or real cocktails)
Watch the sunrise on the beach
Have a spa day
Make jewelry day
Paint wine cups
Book a workout class
Have a Pinterest-inspired picnic
Try out a new recipe
Try out a youtube challenge (workout, reading, etc.)
Have a staycation
Bake a vintage cake
Have a movie night (bonus points if you have a projector; you can make this a weekly thing with themes)
Decorate an abstract mirror
Go to a flower field
Camping if you can
Pizza make nights
Have a 24-hour read-a-thon
Pool day with slushies
Brunch ( Go out for it or make it at home)
Make ice cream from scratch
Go on a solo date ( ideas for that coming soon)
Have a game night
Go bowling
Go Bike riding
Go rollerskating
Go Skateboarding
Go on a car ride and have takeout
Go thrifting
Create your own reading list
Make a candle
Make a letter to your future self
Go on a morning walk/run
Make a viral frozen treat (not ice cream)
Visit a farmer's market
Go to a museum
Go to a Korean BBQ/ Hot pot
Learn how to crochet
Take one of your platforms seriously
Play tennis
Make a vision board
Start a journal
learn a program
Create something in a pottery class
Go to a butterfly sanctuary
Make an acai bowl
Go to a petting zoo
Go to an escape room
Join a Discord community
Do one drastic thing to change your style (dye your eyebrows, New fashion style, New hairstyle, get a new haircut, get lash extensions, get a brow tint and lamination, etc.)
Volunteer somewhere
Get bubble tea
Go to a bookstore or a book bar
Practice drawing
Have a tea party
Re-arrange your room
Do a decluttering session ( clothes, old makeup pallets, old skincare, cabinets declutter)
Learn about investments
Have a water balloon/ water gun fight
Go to a trampoline park
Do a random act of kindness
Visit plant shop
Tye dye something
Have or attend a BBQ
Have a game night with prizes
Go to a carnival or theme park
Have a field day/sports day
Play laser tag
Do your nails
Get fondue or have it at home
Try vlogging
Take a selfie a day
Go mini-golfing
Walk 10,000 steps a day
Go to a crystal shop
Get a tarot card reading
Make a scrapbook
Have a Digital declutter day (organize computer files, delete emails, delete photos/screenshots, organize your google drive, redesign your notion)
Write a poem or a short story
Learn to play an instrument or a new instrument
Learn a new language
Learn a form of self-defense
Find a pen pal
Be part of a live audience
See a parade
Get a tattoo (if of age)
Get a piercing
Create a new summer playlist
Make a lantern
Make a manifestation journal
Lounge on a hammock
Visit a rooftop bar/ restaurant
Go on a wellness retreat
Try weight lifting
DIY your own board game
Get out of your comfort zone
This summer is all about doing the things that make us feel alive. Personally, I struggled for the longest time making time for fun. I don’t want to make that same mistake again and with so many drastic changes in my life and people who I care about live’s, I want to make the most of the time I have left with them before they are off on their next adventure.
This blog is all about personal growth but I feel like a huge part of growth is to be able to relinquish control and do more things that make you feel like you are really living. Life is not just about what we need to do but making time for wants as long as it’s not detrimental. By taking intentional actions such as mindset work, self-auditing, and rearranging our space, we can lay the foundation for achieving our goals and flourishing this summer.
However, productivity isn’t just working towards something. The process of exploring what brings us joy is equally as important and so is resting when you need to. With so many exciting activities to choose from, we can try new things, step out of our comfort zones, and make the most of this season. Let's make this summer one to remember!
Thank you for reading and if you have anything you want to see more of, be sure to comment suggestions or email me. Remember to subscribe to my Youtube channel, and follow my Instagram and Twitter to connect and stay up to date. I am excited about my next blog post so make sure you come back. Until then, there’s a lot more content on my youtube channel. I hope you have a good day, evening, or night.
Until next time,
xoxo Lay 💋