I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you don’t need to “make the most” of summer by doing all the things. You don’t need to cram in road trips, weekend projects, family outings, and still somehow “relax.” You don’t have to pretend the longer days mean you should be constantly productive. You’re allowed to slow down. In fact, your body needs it.
This is your invitation to take a breath. To pause. To resist the pressure to be in ten places at once, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Summer doesn’t have to be a sprint. It can be a season of healing, simplicity, softness, and restoration. In fact, the long, hot days invite us to relax – to sit on the back porch and listen to the song of cicadas and tree frogs. To slow down and sip an icy drink before the heat catches up to us. There’s a reason it’s called “summer break.” Use this time to wind down and enjoy the lazy days of summer. It’s the perfect time to embrace slow living.
Why Slow Living Matters (Especially in Summer)
We live in a culture that worships hustle. The to-do lists never stop growing, the calendar keeps filling up, and somehow, we’ve convinced ourselves that rest is optional. That it has to be earned. But your nervous system wasn’t designed for nonstop stimulation. Your body wasn’t built to operate in fight-or-flight mode all year long.
Slow living isn’t laziness, it’s nourishment. It’s choosing intentional rhythms over chaos. It’s resetting your nervous system so you can stop surviving and start thriving. Summer is the perfect time to start a nervous system reset. The longer days, the warmth, the rhythm of nature — it all beckons us to lean in, breathe deeper, and finally listen to our bodies.
We want to be outside, but we don’t want to overdo it. There’s a reason we want to lounge on the beach or sit with our toes dipped into the edge of a swimming pool. This is our natural rhythm in summer – embrace it.
Glow Up by Winding Down
You don’t need 15-step routines and the latest “hot girl” trends to glow this summer. Your glow begins with regulation: a body that’s safe, a mind that’s grounded, and a spirit that’s at peace.
Here’s what slowing down this summer can do for you:
- Reduce Cortisol: Chronic stress leads to high cortisol levels, which can cause fatigue, breakouts, hormonal imbalance, and inflammation. Slow living helps your body recalibrate.
- Support Digestion & Detox: When your body is calm, your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in (rest and digest mode), improving gut health – often the root of skin, immune, and hormonal health issues.
- Rebalance Hormones: Slower, simpler living supports better sleep, more balanced blood sugar, and fewer stress spikes, all of which are critical for hormone health.
- Activate Inner Glow: Peace shows up on your face. It’s in your energy. It radiates from your presence. Glowing skin begins with a glowing spirit.
How to Practice Slow Living This Summer
This isn’t about escaping to the beach or saying no to everything (though, that does sound dreamy). This is about sustainable rhythms. Little choices. Intentional swaps. A thousand small decisions that say “I choose peace today.”
Here are a few ways to slow down this summer:
1. Slow Down Your Morning
Instead of scrolling or rushing, start your day with quiet. Step outside with your coffee or tea. Feel the sun on your face. Breathe deeply. Pray or journal.
Even 10 minutes of calm in the morning can change the chemistry of your entire day.
2. Create a Rhythm
Swap productivity pressure for soft rhythms. Morning journaling. Midday rest (if possible). Evening walks. It doesn’t need to be perfect or structured, it just needs to feel good and be relaxing. Don’t add more to your plate, clear it off as much as possible and add some relaxing routines to your day.
3. Simplify Your Beauty Ritual
Ditch the complicated 12-step routine. Focus on nourishing, nontoxic products that actually support your skin’s microbiome. Honey, oil cleansing, moisturizers and masks — nature gives us what we need. Let your skincare be a slow, nourishing self-care routine, not another chore. Here are some of my favorite non-toxic skincare products.
4. Touch Grass – Literally
Grounding (or earthing) has real, measurable affects on stress reduction and inflammation. It feels good and is good for your body. If you want, you can even hug a tree (seriously!) Bonus points if you can do this just after sunrise in the morning to help set your circadian rhythm.
5. Enjoy Nature as Much as Possible
Hike. Garden. Take slow walks at sunset. Watch bees on flowers. Use this season to awaken your senses and ground your soul. If hiking isn’t your thing, sitting on your back porch is a perfect way to enjoy the nature around you. Be fully present when outside and try not to take the moment for granted.
6. Protect White Space on Your Calendar
You don’t have to fill every blank day with playdates or errands. Rest is a valid use of your time. Practice saying, “That sounds lovely, but I have other plans that day.” Protect your peace – for the sake of your health.
Don’t underestimate the power of rest. Naps can be healing. Books can be nourishing. Doing “nothing” is sometimes exactly what your body needs to reset and repair itself.
7. Eat Seasonally and Mindfully
Watermelon, cucumbers, strawberries, herbs. Summer foods hydrate, cool, and refresh. Slow living includes slowing down and being fully present during meals. Chew slowly, savor the moment, and don’t forget to bless the food. Choose local, in-season food when available and eat outside to enjoy the fresh air. It’s gentler on the wallet and the body.
Finally
Slow living isn’t something we earn after we’ve done enough. It’s something we choose because we are enough, just as we are. Burnt out or blooming. Tired or thriving. Some of us have had to learn this the hard way.
This summer, give yourself permission to live softly. To breathe deeply. To laugh more and expect less of yourself. Remember, you don’t have to hustle to be worthy. You were created for more than survival. You were created for beauty, wholeness, and peace. Let this be the summer your finally believe it.
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