Lana Del Rey wasn’t alone in feeling summertime sadness, scroll any feed in July and you’ll see why. The moment June hits, FOMO culture goes into overdrive. Social media feeds are flooded with reels from Capri, iced cocktails at beach clubs, and someone’s headscarf gliding along the French Riviera. That comparison loop makes a stay-home season feel like failure. Even if you had no plans to leave, you start to feel left behind. The dreaded FOMO, or fear of missing out, starts to kick in, and it can be brutal. But a quiet summer can be the best mental reset you’ll get all year: fewer social pulls, more sleep, and a sharp drop in burnout once the pressure to keep up disappears.
This is the paradox of the “perfect summer.” It promises ease but often delivers pressure. Pressure to escape, to post, to perform, really. You’re not on break even when you are on break.
But how about a slow summer. One that doesn’t need to be aesthetically photographed or performed for the algo. One that’s about doing less, feeling more, and reconnecting with your actual self?
One that’s about restoring. About slowing down.
You don’t need to jet off to St. Tropez to feel worthy. Sleep in. Read a book. Make lunch from scratch with a friend. Watch the sun set from the window of your bedroom while jazz plays in the background. Join a creative workshop, or host your own!
Think of this time as fertile ground for rediscovery. Whether it’s picking up an old hobby, learning a new skill online, or finally launching that blog, zine, or side hustle you’ve been dreaming about for years.
Take a few moments to jot down what genuinely brings you joy: late-night walks, iced coffee rituals, gardening, film photography, baking, long baths, old vinyls. Use your joy list as a summer guidebook.
It doesn’t have to be about escape. It can be about presence instead.
I can’t remember who wrote it, but the line really struck a chord: “Don’t sulk through this summer—use it to build the summer of your dreams next year.” And honestly, it rings true.
PS, here’s a playlist to cheer you up:
