😎 Summertime Fine: Self-Care to Shine Bright All Season 😎

I don’t know who turned the heat on, but sheesh it’s hot in NC this summer! 🥵 We used to be able to sit on the porch & watch tv comfortably during the year, but we’ve barely gone out there this season due to the humidity. It’s almost been unbearable, & that’s something that will suck the life right out of you. But never fear, we’ve got the keys to staying summertime fine while beating the heat!

Keeping Your Body Summertime Fine 💪🏽

Summertime Fine Fitness 🏋🏽‍♀️

I think I go through a health kick every year, then fall off the wagon the minute vacation or something else that disrupts my usual routine occurs. This year, I’ve amazingly held on to the routine & have continued to work out 3-4 times a week. 👏🏽 

     Maybe this year’s motivator is really being healthier. None of us can stop aging, but we can control our bodies feeling younger. When you & your family go through major health issues, it hits differently & can jumpstart a healthier lifestyle easily. 👩🏽‍🔧 

     That’s exactly what happened with me: I’ve been in the ER twice this year for digestive issues, & that pain was close to feeling like labor pains. 🤰🏽I weighed more than I did the day I was induced to have my daughter & can’t even think about wearing anything that’s not stretchy. I walk around on the regular with knee braces on. Migraines will hit me out of the blue. 🤕 Insomnia is back to being my BFF more times than us falling out. 🥱 Somebody should’ve told me it all falls apart when you get over 40.

      Top that all off with husbae staying in the hospital for a week, & it makes you realize it’s time to get it together. 🏥 We had to really step back & look at our lifestyle, & babyyyyy… Between not moving around enough, late nights & broken sleep, & eating like I was on an episode of Man v/s Food, I created my new plan & have been trying to stick to it for the most part. The exercising has been easy; I just YouTube something & get to it. Get in 30-45 minutes 3-4 days a week, & you can be fit & fine! 😉

Summertime Fine Eating 🤤

The eating for me…Lord give me the strength! I’m a foodie, like a REAL FOODIE! I’m always ready to eat. Hell, my only requirements for vacations are pretty scenery & good food. 💯 I’m the chick who had a snack drawer in the office. 🗄️ The one who’ll go downstairs at night just to eat bread or a spoonful of peanut butter. 🥐Eating The Tonight Dough ice cream straight out of the carton in the bed was my kind of living. 🍦But that was contributing to my health issues.

     I started intermittent fasting a few weeks ago so I can decrease my inner Hungry Hungry Hippo. 🦛 I chose to go all in: 16 hours of fasting, 8 hours of eating. During my eating hours, I try to eat decent. Ironically, eating in such a small window has me eating less. And I don’t really get hungry during those 16 hours because I’m either sleeping, working, or drinking water. 💦 So far, so good!

     Since red meat is harder to digest & contributes to our digestive issues, we’ve stepped away from it. The one time I had a Whopper a few weeks ago had me instantly uncomfortable. 🍔 Now it’s either ground turkey or nothing. It takes some getting used to, but if you season it right you barely know the difference. I’ve also bought more salad stuff so we can up our vegetable intake. I’m learning to back off the dressing some & tolerate lettuce (at least a little bit, but spinach is easier for me to eat).

     Take advantage of the summer crops & eat more fruit. The peaches & strawberries have been crazy delicious this year! 🍑🍓 Keep some water on deck more than anything else. With the hot weather, it’s easier to get dehydrated. Plus the extra water helps out in another department…skincare.

Summertime Fine Skincare 🧴

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, you hear me??? When it’s time to show more skin, you don’t want to be looking like an alligator. 🐊 Between drinking half of your weight in ounces of water daily (I.e weighing 150 lbs & drinking 75 oz daily) & slathering yourself with lotion, you have to handle your business when it comes to your skin. 

     Once a week, whip that sugar scrub out & exfoliate your body, head to toe. Exfoliating makes your skin softer, smoother, & evens out your complexion. In addition, make sure you have some sunscreen when you’re out & about frequently. Yes, POC, we need sunscreen too. Sunburn is something I never want to experience again. THE WORST! 👎🏽 Just make sure yours is SPF 30 or more so you’ll be protected adequately. 

     Don’t skimp on those manis & pedis either! 💅🏾 Hit the salon or do a DIY one to keep those fingers & toes looking nice. And this isn’t just for the ladies. You don’t have to get nail polish, but your feet get tired & rough too, fellas. Nobody wants dragon toes in the bed with them! 🙅🏽‍♀️

Keeping Your Mind Summertime Fine 🧠

Summertime Fine Meditation 🧘🏽‍♀️

Summertime can be a good time for people. The warmer weather & longer days does something to wake up your soul & motivate you to get going on your to-do list. 📋 Even if your physical is together & feeling fine, it’s not a given that your mental will be as well. In fact, summer has the highest suicide rate of all seasons. So just like you want your body to be summertime time, your mind has to match it.

     Meditation gives you a chance to step out of reality & the chaos around you & just focus on freeing your mind & being present. 🧘🏽‍♀️ Summer weather makes us want to get out & moving, so you have to recognize when it’s time to back up & manage your mental self-care a little more. 

     Regardless of the season, I keep meditation in rotation at least twice a day. 2️⃣ Just a few minutes a day can work wonders on your mental & stress levels. Taking time to pause mentally & physically gives you the recharge you need to get through the rest of the day. You’ll need both to push through the longer days.

Summertime Fine Mental Health Check-Ins 🤗

Mental health is a hot topic, & it’s not for no reason. As taboo as it is, you’d be surprised at the amount of people who suffer in silence because they don’t want to be stigmatized. 😥 We have to stop the stigma & get real about what we need to do TOGETHER to help others cope with mental health challenges.

     I don’t think most people realize that they’re 1 incident away from having a mental breakdown. Life is a hot mess, & it doesn’t seem like it’s getting any better. Ol Satan has been on the grind in 2024! 👿 That’s why we have to toss the negative thinking about the subject of mental health & reach out to our people to check in on them.

     Journaling has gotten me through some of the worst mental situations I’ve ever been in. It gives me the time & space to unpack my thoughts freely. It doesn’t even have to make sense when you write as long as you get your thoughts out of your head. ✍🏽 Our adult line of Intentional Journals have daily positive affirmations to keep your spirits up. They also have space for gratitude, plenty of writing space, & writing prompts that keep your brain working.

     Our Youth Journals have a little more space to check in on mental health. We created a mood chart to track daily feelings, as well as areas for daily expression of gratitude, accomplishments, & self-love. 🥰😍 In the spirit of being optimistic & teaching our youth to be future-focused, there’s an area where you can choose how you want your mood to be the next day. 

     If your mental health isn’t together, the other parts will collapse. Find your circle of folks that you feel safe with talking to. Check in on a regular basis, even if it’s just a short text sending love their way. 💬 Don’t be afraid to get therapy or medication. You pay for your benefits at work for a reason, so use that EAP! You can’t make progress without taking steps! 👣

Summertime Fine Work-Life Balance ⚖️

USE THAT PTO!!! The kids get a break from school, so you deserve a break from work every now & then. You have a recipe for burnout if you never take time off. It’s imperative to turn your work life off & shut it down so you can be refreshed for the next day. 👩🏽‍💻 It’s too hot to crash & burn!

     I try to get away quarterly to regroup. I have to break up the monotony of my life so I don’t feel like I’m the star of the movie Groundhog’s Day. Whether it’s out of the country or a staycation, for a long weekend or 2 weeks, make time to vacation. Decreasing the stress levels helps with managing mental health issues. Use all of your resources to help you push through this vida loca. 

     Although it’s important to prioritize your self-care every season, with the high numbers of suicide during those months, you’ve got to take better care of yourselves. You can work hard & play harder, but you also need to rest & rejuvenate just as hard. 😴 We’re prioritizing our self-care throughout the month of July with our 31 Day Self-Care Challenge, so be sure to get in on in, even if it’s not to win the prize. Do it because you’re worth it!