Summer Self-Care

It is hard to believe it is already June and summer is now upon us! This summer will more than likely look different than most have, as individuals are still practicing physical distancing and many big events (concerts, fairs, etc.) have been cancelled. Now more than ever, it is important that each and every person is taking care of their mental health during the next couple of months.

Here are a few tips to help your mental health during this summer:

• Get outside. Being outdoors has been proven to help benefit your mental health. It can improve your mood and decrease feelings of stress and anxiety.
• Exercise. Try and find some sort of exercise routine that you enjoy doing. Physical exercise helps both your physical and mental health.
• Reevaluate your new year’s goals. We are halfway through the year and it is a great time to check in on those goals and see if you are on track. What other goals could set you set for the rest of the year? Setting goals allows us something to look forward to and gives us a sense of accomplishment which can improve our mental health.

One final tip is do your best to have some sort of routine. During the summer, our routines tend to look a little bit different. But truthfully, for most of us our routines have been looking drastically different over the past few months due to COVID-19. A change of routine can affect your mental health, as I’m sure it has for many of you. So, make sure you are aware of that and do your best to implement some sort of routine in your life, even if it looks different than before. The past few months have brought about a lot of changes in our lives, as I’m sure these summer months will as well. Change can sometimes be incredibly difficult for individuals and it can also impact our mental health. The most important thing we can all do is be aware of the change that is occurring in our lives. Being aware of the change will allow us to do our best to be grateful for the things we still do have. We can also be grateful for the changes because those changes could bring about new opportunities and new ways to help our mental health.

https://www.thevillagefamily.org/content/6-things-do-improve-your-mental-health-summer

https://www.webmd.com/depression/summer-depression#1

Katie Zimmerman, Project Coordinator for The Kim Foundation

Katie Zimmerman joined The Kim Foundation in June 2019. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies and Sociology from Central College in Pella, Iowa. During her time in college, she volunteered at many non-profit organizations and took multiple sociology classes which focused on mental health. Katie’s role at The Kim Foundation includes running the social media accounts, assisting in the Youth Advisory Council, and providing mental health awareness and education to the community through A Voice for Hope and Healing presentations.