🌞 Reclaim Your Summer: 20 Fresh Ways to Work on You

Summer doesn’t have to be a pause in your personal progress—it can be a launchpad. While vacations, sunshine, and slower schedules are part of the season, they also create space for reflection and self-growth.

Whether you're in school, building a career, or somewhere in between, summer can be more than just time off. It can be time in—to reconnect with yourself and what matters most to you.

If you're craving clarity, confidence, or even just a stronger sense of who you are, here are 20 original ways to use your summer with intention.

☀️ 20 Ways to Build a Better You This Summer

1. Create a “Just Because” Journal

Not everything needs a purpose. Use a notebook or app to explore your thoughts without judgment or pressure.

2. Take Yourself Somewhere New

Spend a day exploring a new part of your town or city alone. No agenda—just discovery.

3. Curate Your Social Media Feed

Unfollow accounts that drain you. Follow ones that inspire, support, or make you laugh. Protect your digital space.

4. Save Your Confidence Boosts

Create a “confidence archive” with screenshots of kind words, compliments, and moments that made you proud.

5. Learn Something Just for Fun

Choose a totally random skill—like calligraphy, plant care, or baking bread—and dive in.

6. Face a Small Fear

Start with one fear that’s been holding you back. Write about it, talk about it, and slowly push your edge.

7. Own What You Want

Write out what you want—unfiltered. Getting honest with yourself is the first step in creating meaningful goals.

8. Unplug Regularly

Try a tech-free day or evening each week. Give your brain room to breathe and reset.

9. Define Your Version of Success

This summer, what does success look like to you? Maybe it’s rest. Maybe it’s growth. Maybe it’s letting go.

10. Flip the Script on Doubt

When your inner critic says, “What if I can’t?” reply with: “What if I can?”

11. Practice Saying the Honest Thing

Start small—with a friend, your partner, or yourself. Honest communication builds self-trust.

12. Move in a Way That Feels Good

Forget the numbers. Focus on movement that feels like play or release—like dancing, stretching, or walking outside.

13. Create Without Expectation

Make something just for you. No pressure to post or perfect—just to enjoy the process.

14. Catch Your Self-Talk

Tune into your inner voice. Would you speak to a friend that way? Practice kindness toward yourself.

15. Build a Ritual You Love

Morning playlist, evening tea, or a weekly check-in with yourself—small rituals add grounding to your week.

16. Make Space for Peace

This might look like cleaning your room or saying no to draining plans. Choose calm when you can.

17. Volunteer in a Way That Fits

Find a way to give back that aligns with your interests. Kindness isn’t just a gift—it’s growth.

18. Revisit an Old Passion

Pick up something you used to love—writing, art, piano—and give it fresh energy.

19. Surround Yourself with People Who See You

Spend time with those who reflect your potential, not your doubts.

20. Celebrate Your Small Wins

From getting out of bed to speaking up for yourself—celebrate all progress, big or small.

🌸 Final Thought

Growth doesn’t have to be dramatic to be meaningful. Sometimes, it's just a series of tiny choices that bring you closer to who you’re becoming.

This summer, give yourself permission to grow at your own pace—with compassion, joy, and intention.

💛 Looking for support on your self-growth journey?

If you’re a young woman navigating anxiety, self-esteem, life transitions, or stress, therapy can be a powerful place to reconnect with your voice and values. Contact me today to learn how we can work together.

Written by Rebecca Muyres, LPC, CPCS, RPT-S, CCTP, CATP