Summer is a great excuse to find new ways to make life healthier and happier. Hey, why not add wiser, kinder, more positive, creative and confident too.
Here are 7 ways you could do summer differently this year. If you’re not entirely sure about our ideas, that’s fine: we just hope they inspire you to expand your horizons in your own style…
1. Be Happy
A warm, sunny day makes everyone happier. Take inspiration from the sunshine and start practicing the Big Four; friendliness, cheerfulness, compassion and gratitude. Or sign up for Do Happiness.
2. Go Healthy
Let the longer, warmer days tempt you out to exercise. Wake up earlier, the light is softer, the air is cooler and it’s a beautiful time to go for a walk, a run, a swim or do yoga in the garden or in the park. Or why not find out about the latest fitness crazes – outdoor gyms, parkour, Tough Mudder, hydro-circuit training, aerial yoga, aqua-jetpacking, wild swimming… Hang on a minute: aerial yoga? This is one near us –there’s bound to be one near you.
3. Get Wiser
Learn something new on your holiday! From meditation retreats, to history cruises to learning a language in the country where it is spoken, there are a myriad ways to let the blue skies stimulate your grey matter. You could simply add some classic literature to your holiday reading or pack some non-fiction and learn about psychology, philosophy, palaeontology… You’ll find lots of inspiration here.
4. Be Kinder
Get involved with your local community, help out at a local street party or summer fete, take an elderly neighbour out for the day. Or you could book a holiday that makes a difference, volunteering with a charity project abroad. Volunteering is a great way to learn new things and meet new people and there are thousands of good causes locally, nationally, internationally just waiting for someone like you. Take a look at some ideas here.
5. Get Creative
Think up new ways to celebrate summer – a fancy dress picnic, play hide and seek in the woods, make your own ice cream, take a drawing pad to the park, go on a residential art course, learn to paint, cook, garden….
6. Be More Positive
Let the summer sunshine help you smile away those negative thoughts. Positivity is something we can all learn – it’s not about sweeping the bad stuff under the carpet but about finding ways of making the best of a situation. Here are 21 ideas to get you started.
7. Be Confident
Get out in the sunshine and try out ALL of the above! (Or at least as many as possible until you find something that works for you). Learning new things, meeting new people, getting out of your comfort zone – Doing Something Different will give you a huge confidence boost.
