I have just come back from a lovely cool swim in the sea off Brighton beach on what must be one of the hottest days of the year.
The beach, as usual, is very busy and the water is full of people who were laughing and chatting away whilst kids were playing and splashing around.
Whilst I floated away out there it set me thinking to how much happier we are in summer. Whilst the weather has a huge part to play in how we feel due to an increase of serotonin, our mindsets are so much healthier and focused when we increase activities that make us feel good. In turn, this also increases the chemistry we need to feel motivated, confident, focused and relaxed.
During summer we:
Spend more time connecting with friends and family for barbecues and other social gatherings.
Reduce screen time naturally to spend more time outdoors focusing on the people we are with and the experiences we are taking part in.
Make much more time to exercise.
Eat healthier and lighter food.
Seem to wake up from drifting through life and make much more in the way of healthy life changes.
Have more fun and engage with life!
The more we increase screen time, become more introverted, eat heavier foods and reduce exercise in favor of more couch time, the less motivated and well we feel. This can become the new auto-pilot behavior which for some people summer snaps them out of, whilst some seem to stay stuck in their old habits.
We can’t have summer all year round (shame) but we can keep work to keep a momentum going of mental attitude and habits to take with us into autumn and winter when our serotonin levels can naturally lower.
Or drift back to sleep and just hope for the best…
