Today on Glitter Guide, contributor Kara Stout offers five no-fail ways to sail through summer with a smile on your face!
I’m sad to say it, but it’s just about time for these glorious summer days to come to an end. Abundant sunshine, warm days spent outside, pool parties, beach days and vacations are what make summer such a universally beloved season. This deep love we have for summer can bring about some end-of-summer blues, making it difficult for us to transition into a new season.
Luckily, that new season is fall, and it comes with all of its own perks: Crisp air, the changing of the leaves, the holiday season kick off, yummy food, warm drinks and, of course, pumpkin-flavored everything! There is a lot for us to look forward to. Below, I created a list of fun ways to end your summer the best way possible to cure any lingering end-of-summer blues.
- Throw an end-of-summer bash to soak up that final ounce of the season. Make things like fruit-infused cocktails (here’s a watermelon wine cooler recipe you can try), fruit kabobs, zucchini pasta salad, caprese salad skewers, or cucumber, mint and watermelon mozzarella salad, just to name a few ideas! You can also plan a girls’ end-of-summer spa day for some much-needed pampering after all that play in the summer sun.
- Eat delicious, mood-boosting foods to help you stay happy and upbeat with the changing of the season. Zinc improves mood and stress levels, and some good sources are cashews, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and shrimp. Also, fish (like salmon), dark leafy greens, whole grains, beans, asparagus, lemon, cherry tomatoes, pasture-raised eggs, carrots, unsweetened organic Greek yogurt, cacao powder and dark chocolate are great food options to help lift your mood. One of my favorite mood-boosting combos is hot tea with raw honey. Teas that are known for lifting your spirits and decreasing stress are St. John’s Wort, lemon balm and chamomile. One last tip is to take vitamin D3 and fish oil. These are great for overall health, but can also help improve mood and psychological well-being. When fall and winter start, we won’t be in the sun as much to get all that vitamin D. So, it’s best to supplement in order to reap all the rewards of this mood-boosting, energizing vitamin.
- Exercise! Staying active always gets those endorphins going and puts you in a positive mindset. Find something you love to do, try out a new class, take a long walk or exercise outside. The weather is so beautiful in the fall, so make outdoor workouts a must. Depending on where you live, the summer heat can be brutal, so use this new season as an opportunity to start taking your sweat sessions outdoors!
- The cutest fall clothes are already out, so start stocking up! New clothing always puts a pep in our step. Grab some cute riding boots and booties, a new cozy sweater, distressed black or gray jeans or a fun trendy jacket to get your fall style on point!
- Start a fall bucket list. Write down some fun fall activities you love doing each season or maybe some activities you haven’t done yet, but want to do. Some ideas to help you get your list started are apple picking, visiting a pumpkin patch, attending a wine-tasting, having cider and donuts at an apple orchard, attending football games or planning a fall dinner party. Planning activities will help get you excited for all the fun that’s to come this fall!
