What time is it?! Summertime! Ah blissful summer, full of golden hues, ice cream, pool time, and all the sunshine we’ve been waiting for. Summertime is also the perfect time to set yourself for success to have a major glow up this summer both inside and out. This post will be first in my summer series on setting yourself up for a successful summer. Each blog post will focus on a different aspect of the below categories.Â
Check out my previous post on 11 Key Focus Areas to Organize Your Life for more of this topic!
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Summer Goals Planning
This blog post is meant to serve as a template for setting your own goals to glow up this summer. Read through the ideas and then jot down your own goals in the freebie listed below. For every category, focus on setting a goal for the summer and then break down that overall goal into actionable steps you can do each day or week. Create your goal to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely (SMART). Fill in each day in your planner or the free summer goals sheet with the tasks you’d like to focus on completing the goal.Â
For example, if a goal of yours is to read two books by the end of the summer, that would be a SMART goal for the entire summer. To break it down into actionable steps, you might want to read 50 pages per week. For a ten week summer, that would allow you to stay on track to read 500 pages. You can further break down your goal by each day or part of the week. In this example, you could plan to read 10 pages of your book Monday-Friday. Read on to get more inspiration for your summer goals!
1. Journaling to glow up this summer!
Set a journaling goal for yourself to help your glow up this summer! Journaling every morning is a great way to set an intention for the day and start the day off on a positive note. Journaling evening is a great way to spend your time in the evening while winding down and reflecting on the day.
Journal recommendations:
- Check out this Wellness Journal if you’re looking for a little more structure in your wellness routine.
- If you’d prefer a more streamlined journal perfect for jotting down your thoughts and feelings, check out this simple journal!
2. Read books that aren't textbooks for once!
Woo summer reads! Time to soak up all those books you’ve had on your bookshelf for ages. Pick out a few titles you’d like to focus on this summer. I’d recommend reading 1-2 that are fun and easy reads and 1-2 that get you thinking about something useful, like your career, a hobby, finances, or personal development.
This summer, I’ll be reading:
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
- Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
- The Cobra Event by Richard Preston
3. Try out a new hobby.
Whether you’d like to learn a new skill like baking or sewing or you’d like to try out a new sport, instrument, or type of art, use this summer as a way to explore something new that may even become a new passion of yours and help you glow up this summer!
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Carve out time in your calendar this summer to focus on the hobby.
4. Volunteer in your community!
Volunteering your time can be a great way to spend your time this summer giving something back to your community. A few things to think about are volunteering with your local community center working with either children, older adults, or animals. There’s something for everyone and it’s free!
5. Network to get ahead in your career.
If you’re a college student or graduate student, you may be doing a summer internship so you should have networking opportunities galore! If you’re not in a summer internship, not to worry! There are plenty of ways to network without an internship thanks to the help of a bit of Googling and LinkedIn.
I would recommend setting a goal for yourself to find at least one professional a week that you’d like to reach out to in order to learn more about their career and how they got there. Not only will it help you in deciding career path decisions, but you’re also helping set yourself up for success once it comes time to apply for jobs.
6. Plan out some adventure time!
Going on an adventure can be so restorative and help you get your mind off of life’s stresses for at least a day or so. Adventure can mean whatever your ideal day would look like for you! It might mean going on a camping trip or beach trip with some friends or it might mean exploring a new town or city near or far. You don’t have to spend a lot to have a good time away from home, but be mindful of your budget and the budget of others you’d like to invite!
7. Focus on personal relations.
Summer is the perfect time for creating lasting memories with friends and family. With all of the hustle and bustle during the academic year, it can be tough to reflect on the past and your family’s history. If you’re interested in learning more about your ancestors and memories from your parents’ and grandparents’, set up a time to have an informal conversation with them. A huge bonus would be asking their permission to record it so you can always hold on to your family’s history from as close to the source as you can get.
8. Upgrade your wardrobe to glow up this summer!
Level up your wardrobe by finding your style to help you glow up this summer. Check out Pinterest for style inspiration and create a list of clothing items you’d like to purchase. Try to pick out items you’d be able to pair with different looks so you can wear the items over and over again. Create a clothing budget and stick to it. To save money and work on a more sustainable wardrobe, start by checking out thrift stores for items that are your list.
Check out my previous post on How to Start a Professional School Wardrobe if you’re looking to elevate your look.
Here are some summer accessories I’ve been loving:
9. Try out some beauty and self-care products!
For those interested in makeup, hair, and skin care, there are a lot of options out there that can seem overwhelming. Start by setting a few beauty goals. For example:Â
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- Find a conditioner that leaves my hair feeling moisturized.Â
- Moisturize my arms and legs every day after the shower.Â
- Find a foundation shade that works for my skin tone and skin type.
Not every beauty product is one size fits all which means there are so many different beauty products to choose from that it can get overwhelming. Start by setting goals and creating a list and budget for beauty products.Â
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Here are a few of my current favorite beauty products:
10. Find an exercise routine that works for you and your body!
Exercise is so important for the mind and body! It can take many different forms, so don’t be afraid to find what works for you this summer. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try tennis, so hit up the local tennis court with a friend to try it out. Or maybe you’d like to set up a gym routine and want to use the summer to learn how to use most of the machines that once seemed daunting. Whatever it is, try to get into healthy habits with exercising weekly.
11. Focus on creating healthy food habits!
Speaking of healthy habits, having a healthy relationship with the food fueling your body is so important. Try out new recipes this summer that are refreshing and filling.
12. Pick out some fun housing decor.
Similar to your own personal clothing style, a housing decor style can take some effort to craft. Use the summer to check out different styles on Pinterest to find inspiration. Then, create your items list and set a budget. You can start by shopping in thrift stores and see if you can DIY anything on your list. You could even think about painting your room for a whole new look with a few layers of new paint.
Check out my previous posts on 29 of the Best Boho Bedroom Finds on Amazon and 10 Zero Waste Kitchen Items for Any Dorm.
13. Get into personal financial fitness!
Focusing on finances isn’t a very fun summer task, but think about it, when do you have time to learn about investing during the academic year? If men are doing it, you can do it too. Don’t let the intimidation of words and acronyms like Roth IRA or index funds keep you from learning about personal finance.Â
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My recommendations: Start out by listening to the podcast Financial Feminist or check out blogs like Her First 100K, Clever Girl Finance, Women Who Money, or Her Money.
