Self Improvement

3 Pressures That Come with Summer and How to Deal with Each

posted on July 10, 2019 | by Hannah DiBella

3 Pressures That Come with Summer and How to Deal with Each

It’s that time of year again where social media seems to be flooded with summer. Photos of airport travels, pretty European cities, and people with perfect bodies spending countless days on the beach. It is HARD not to feel like you’re missing out on living that ideal summer lifestyle when you are stuck in an office, classroom, or wherever your responsibilities may lay.

We head into this supposed care-free and easy-living time with high expectations then, BOOM – reality hits. Summer, for me, tends to come with loads of pressure. Whether that be pressure to make sure my body is beach ready or pressure to make every bit of summer count, I never feel that I can find a happy medium. However, this year, I have decided to take on summer head first. I realized that if I am constantly pinpointing little things that I don’t like about myself/summer, I’ll never be able to thoroughly enjoy it. Here are my 3 main pressures and how I am dealing with them.

PRESSURE TO HAVE A BIKINI BODY

We have all been there. You make plans with your friends to go to the beach then change into your bathing suit and suddenly decide you don’t want to go anymore. After seeing numerous pictures of girls with perfectly toned abs and a golden skin tone, it is hard to feel comfortable with the way you look. But when you start to get down on yourself it is ALWAYS key to remember that you are, and always will be, your biggest critic.

This may sound a lil’ cliche, but something that has really boosted my confidence (& has somewhat shrunk my stomach pooch) is eating clean. Now this doesn’t mean eat like a fitness guru because we all know a pint of ice cream is necessary here and there. But eating things that make you feel good internally has the power to make you feel better on the outside as well! It is so much easier to feel confident about yourself after eating a nice salad or a yummy smoothie. Romanticize food ladies. You never want to be with someone who doesn’t make you feel good, so have the same mindset about food!

One more thing that has helped me feel more ready to take on the beach are high-waisted bikini bottoms. If you have not hopped onto this trend yet, let me be the first to say, you are in for a treat. I noticed that my biggest insecurity is that pesky stomach pooch, and these bottoms suck it in and cover it RIGHT up. So if you haven’t already, go out and get yourself a pair! Being comfortable in what you are wearing is so important, so why not get something that does the job while still being cute as hell?!

PRESSURE TO USE UP EVERY BIT OF YOUR FREE TIME

After a long day or work, sitting down on the couch is absolute heaven. Being able to kick up your feet, watch your favorite show, and chow down on your favorite snack is the best part of the day. But, over the summer when you are constantly seeing people doing fun, adventurous things it is hard not to feel guilty about your “laziness”.

Let me be the one to tell you that it is OK to use your day off for YOU. It does not need to be filled with a “go-go-go” attitude. Something that has helped me feel more okay with taking days for myself over summer is filling it with a “For ME to-do list” or a self-love day. Use your free time to better yourself and check off things that YOU need to do. Whether that be cleaning up around the house or finishing off your favorite Netflix series, do whatever it is that will make you happy.

Your day doesn’t need to be filled with Instagram-able moments (even though hanging out with your dog definitely deserves a post). Don’t let the pressure of what others are doing affect you. Acknowledging that everyone takes their day at their own pace is a crucial part of not letting the summer pressure get to you.

GETTING OVER YOUR FOMO

FOMO is a major b****. Have you ever been stuck in the office knowing that all of your friends are out having fun while you sit there and… work? We have all been there. IT SUCKS. This is something that tends to happen to me more often than not over summer. Being invited to something then having to decline due to an obligation is never fun especially when you know you could be out there having fun with them. This has been (still is) hard for me to get over. But with a little mindset change, it gets easier!

One thing that has helped me get over my fomo is telling myself that I am working for a reason. I always remind myself that while working or doing schoolwork I am gaining new experiences, more knowledge, and in the best cases more money. I try to seek the positive in this sort of shitty situation because nothing makes you feel worse than dwelling on something you can’t necessarily avoid!

In addition to looking at your obligations in a brighter light, it is important to have things to look forward to! If you know you can’t make it to a certain outing, plan something fun in lieu of it. This definitely helps my fomo knowing that, yes, I might not be able to make memories this time around, but next time I will be right there with them.

Overall, summer is TOUGH for some of us. There is so much stigma around how you should look and how you should be spending your time, but always remember there are ways to overcome it. The pressure will still be there, of course, but the way you handle it can be game changing! Do whatever will make you happy and make you feel that you put this sunshine filled time to use!

These are just a few pressures I experience, but I am curious to hear what you guys deal with!

What is something about summer that stresses you out? How do you deal with it?