As summer approaches, many people are beginning to figure out how they will spend their time. Whether you take summer classes, travel the world, or work a job, this summer could be a huge opportunity to really get to know yourself and dive deeper into self-discovery.
Why is summer the perfect time for self-discovery? For most college students, summer is a time with less responsibility. Even if you are just as busy during the summer, the warm air and the bright blue skies are inspiring enough to make you want to pour positive energy into yourself, so why not?
Here are a few of the ways I plan to turn my summer into one of self-discovery:
Take Myself Out
This summer I am going to learn how to be okay with going out in public alone. As someone who is uncomfortable with doing things alone, this has always been something I have wanted to embrace. I want to challenge myself to try out a new food spot or go shopping alone without being so worried that people are staring at me. Plus, being alone is the perfect time for self-discovery. You can learn a lot about yourself just by doing things alone. Also, why not treat yourself from time to time rather than waiting on someone else to do it?
Indulge in New Hobbies
Summer is my favorite time to try out new hobbies because there is just something better about starting new hobbies when it’s warmer outside. I love to get crafty from time to time and get inspired to create things. Next time when you are scrolling through social media and come across a post of a cool hobby someone does, save it to get inspired to try it out yourself! I have started so many new hobbies just from seeing a single video about it.
One hobby that I love to do during the summer is crocheting. I absolutely love sitting alone and mindlessly crocheting while listening to music or a podcast. There’s an added bonus if you listen to self-care-based podcasts while doing this. It is also super fun to make things you can wear or things you can give as a gift.
Another hobby I love is doing my nails. I love to sit outside and experiment with different colors and designs I can do. Not only is it creative, but it also is self-care! It can help you save a lot of money too if you are someone who gets your nails done frequently. There are so many hobbies to try whether you like something artsy or something more physical. Figuring out what you like to do versus don’t like to do is a way to discover yourself even more and find things that can provide relaxation to boost your mood!
Journaling
Journaling is something I will always recommend to people. In fact, journaling is one of my favorite hobbies, so it had to get its own section in this article. Not only is journaling a fun and relaxing hobby, but is also facilitates self-discovery. While I do journal year-round, I find myself slacking during the school year.
However, this summer I will be spending lots of my free time journaling. Whether you write journal entries about your day, draw and write creatively, make collages and trackers, or find prompts to answer online, there are so many ways to engage in journaling. And what’s the best part? There are no rules! With just a quick search online you can even find journal prompts specifically for self-discovery.
In a year or two when you look back, going through your journal will teach you so much about who you were then and show you what ways you’ve grown since then. It is also a great way to hold yourself accountable for the improvements you want to make and the goals you may set for yourself. Journaling may help you to discover patterns that you might not be aware of—and ultimately help you to understand yourself better.
Learn to Let Go
If you are always in a state of constant worry or stress, it doesn’t leave you much time to be present and learn things about yourself. One thing that I am going to do this summer is work on learning to let go. This can mean many things. You can learn to let go of things that don’t serve you whether it be a relationship or physical objects. Letting go of these objects or aspects of your life can clear up more time and space for things that will bring better energy to you.
Letting go can also mean letting go of negative thought patterns such as constantly thinking you are going to mess something up or fail. When your head is filled with negative thoughts, it can be hard to focus on growth. Instead, focus on what you can control in situations and put your energy into that.
Self-discovery is all about taking the time to understand and get to know yourself better. Discovering your passions, values, and beliefs can help lead you down a path that sets you up for success. Self-discovery is about embracing who you are and having self-love—even in moments when it might be hard. That’s why I’m focusing on myself and my own version of wellness this summer.