SUMMER BLUES

With peonies, beach days and (vegan) ice cream galore, I welcome the excitement of summer and a new season with open arms. But after a little while, the sweltering humid days, sleepless nights and constant hayfever gets a bit too much for me, especially when my flat refuses to cool down, sticking firmly at 29 degrees. It gets to the point where I long for autumn and it's crisp days, changing leaves and the chance to layer up. I can't wait for berry tones, scarves and to watch A/W fashion and festive things start to trickle into the stores.

To combat these summer blues, I thought I would make a little note to remind me of ways to stay happy in summer. Plus, if anyone else suffers in the summer like me, hopefully it can help too. Here's a few things that have helped to pick me up and out of this slump:

Revisit your New Year goals

Having been 7 months since new years, it's the perfect time to reflect back over the year and revisit your new years resolutions and yearly goals. Remind yourself of the drive that you had at the beginning of the year to achieve and experience new things this year. I took a look at how many goals I had achieved so far and picked up a few new goals too here. 

Immerse yourself in something

Get lost in your favourite book, re-read the Harry Potter series or start a new TV series. I'm loving Merlin, it's lighthearted, easy watching and effortlessly humorous. It gives me something to look forward to watching and fills my evenings with something light and positive.

Eat well

Summer is great for feasting on fruits, salads, ice cold smoothies or quick noodles dishes topped with seasonal vegetables. On cooler summer days, homemade soups, new potatoes tossed with garlic and lemon thyme or nourishment bowls filled with quinoa, roast vegetables and halloumi drizzled with tahini dressing. Fuelling your body with healthy and nutritious foods can help to keep your energy levels and spirits high.

Plan something

Whether it's planning a wedding, a wintry break away to visit Christmas markets or future purchases, I've found that having something to look forward to can help to keep your mind on the positives and boost your mood.
Here's a few things that I've been planning:

- Owning my own home one day, with an Aga so that I can eat roasted rosemary butternut squash

  every single day.
- A quick break away to visit christmas markets with stalls full of handmade ornaments, roasted
  chestnuts, mulled wine and festive trinkets.

- Compiling a huge A/W wishlist. #Christmasinjuly, #whitechristmas and #PrimarkAW have
  wonderful snippets of The White Company, Cath Kidston, Primark and Space NK's A/W
  collections, I've screenshotted a few of my favourite pieces to keep an eye out for in store!