Thinking of fun summer activities? Depending on the type of personality, we can relate differently to the events taking place in the world, but the fact remains: 2020 did not make them nervous, except perhaps for the strongest and most stable. In today’s reality, which we still have to adapt to, a lot of new and interesting is waiting for us, but neither futurologists, nor analysts, nor fortunetellers will tell you the details. So the only right way will be to learn to be flexible and train the nervous system in order to experience less regular stress and anxiety.
To achieve the last point, we suggest that you review the list of your own hobbies and select those that help reduce nervous tension and improve mood. Here is a list of fun summer activities that will benefit your summer mental health.
Calligraphy or painting
Both of these artistic pursuits are now in vogue precisely because of their therapeutic properties. Carefully scribbling straight letters on beautiful paper soothes and trains patience, while brushing and paint exercises develop creative thinking and stimulate the production of pleasure hormones. For our brains, creating a picture is like giving ourselves encouragement. Use art for the benefit of your personal prosperity and don’t strive for perfection: start from scratch and enjoy the process itself.
Keeping a diary
The entries in the diary are not just forgotten teenage entertainment, but a kind of therapeutic practice. Describing the events that happened to you and your thoughts on this subject, you seem to observe yourself from the side and notice what your brain is concentrating on, what worries you, and what, on the contrary, brings joy. Leave a thank you line at the beginning or end of your day’s essay: what would you thank this day or the situation you are in?
We recommend that you give yourself a very special place to keep a diary for the summer, such as a nearby park or your own balcony. Buy a glass of your favorite coffee or make yourself tea in a beautiful mug and enjoy the moment of your literary improvisation.
Creativity with hands
Who doesn’t love beautiful tableware that immediately gives the impression of a festive dinner on the table? It turns out that pottery is also an anti-stress practice that helps fight emotional stress. Sounds great: you replenish your stock of original kitchen utensils and at the same time enhance your own quality of life by reducing stress.
It is better to start learning how to make dishes and pots with your own hands with a master class under the guidance of a professional in order to understand how the process works and what materials to choose.
Dancing and singing
Swedish scientists in one scientific experiment found that regular dance classes help women cope with anxiety and low self-esteem. Psychologists, in turn, argue that singing is a cleansing ritual for our emotions, which helps get rid of accumulated stress, scream, release all unnecessary from your body through loud sounds.
So, no, we will not advise you to enroll in a dance school – dance and sing at home when no one sees you, and to the strangest music. Do not follow the movements, do not try to be sexy, but simply succumb to the rhythm, as if it is a ritual dance, and then feel an incredible release.
Bouquets arrangement
After the quarantine, we all clearly felt the need to have more greenery and flowers in the apartment as pieces of wildlife that instantly cheer up. If you also can not imagine your workplace or kitchen table without a beautiful bouquet, then learn how to make flower arrangements yourself.
There are many training videos on the Internet that will tell you how to distinguish a classic French bouquet from an American one, how to maintain the harmony of shades and how to make a masterpiece even from wildflowers.
Photography classes
With the invention of gadgets, everyone was interested in photography, and by the way, this is not bad at all: the more beautiful and meaningful images we see in social media feeds, the better. You can turn a photo into a hobby that gives a lot of pleasure and develops creative qualities.
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To begin with, you can master the wisdom of working with light (the summer sun is your companion!) Building a composition – both topics are well enough covered in a variety of master classes on YouTube. Photography, as a contemplative practice, can help you slow down, capture the moment and see the beauty in the simplest things. For example, try houseplants or kitchen utensils.
Gardening
Scientists have found that people who practice gardening have lower levels of depression. This is probably due to work with the land and closeness to nature: even if you took up seedlings of dahlias or tomatoes on the balcony, flowering and fruiting plants and taking care of them seem to return each of us to our roots, when humanity has not yet moved to cities and was not so far from the lands and gardens. A useful hobby will pay dividends after a while – at least fresh greens for salad and flowering pots for the best sunset photos.
Bicycle rides
Of all the types of cardio loads, the bike is perhaps the most useful, because, in addition to the treadmill, it is also a practical means of transportation. Make cycling a part of your everyday life – for example, to buy fresh vegetables at the Sunday market or go shopping. Thus, your body will both train and relax at the same time. It has been proven that people who cycle regularly are more resistant to stress and the development of chronic diseases.
Featured image on unsplash.com
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