by Sabrina Espere Carrington
Summer is here and just like we experience “heat waves” weather-wise, the summer months always bring an unexpected “heat wave” in the areas of love and matters of the heart. Relationships will either be “on fire” or “set ablaze”, depending on how well you adjust to the overall climate change and how much you value your relationship. According to the dating app and blog, Coffee Meets Bagel,
“Summer is a time of the year where libidos are high. Sunlight increases the levels of serotonin and dopamine (mood and arousal regulators).”
This can either work in your favor or not, depending on the situation.
So, what do you do to keep your relationship sizzling hot, taking full advantage of the natural highs that come along with Summer?
Summertime screams outdoor fun in the sun, being free, and taking advantage of new adventures. Being out and about in the sun is necessary because the vitamin D not only helps with your personal emotional health but also the emotional health of your relationships. Taking advantage of the weather, getting out and trying new things helps keep the fire burning or may even ignite the fire if it is a little dim.
Picnics, cookouts, days and even nights at the beach feeling that nighttime “summer breeze” can help any relationship, on any level…from “the getting to know you” stage to the “I know everything about you” stage. But listen, whether you are single, dating, in a serious relationship or have been married for centuries, the very first relationship that you should be concerned about this summer is the relationship with “self”.
You must welcome the summer with open arms of change, be willing to try new things and do what’s best for you…first!
Introduce those bright colors into your wardrobe that will make you feel great and look great. Try a new, summery makeup palette, celebrating those gorgeous eyes. Make those beautiful lips summer succulent by trying a bold color or a nice SPF lip balm with a natural tone to enhance that natural beauty of yours! Set out in your mind to be a ball of fiery energy ready for anything!
Treat yourself to a new yellow dress or color-striped shirt for a day at the park or a pair of designer sandals to step into that music festival in style! How you feel about yourself will determine how well you enjoy your relationship in the heat of summer. By treating yourself well, you allow others to reach for you!
The wonderful thing about these essentials is that even if you are not in a relationship and want to simply invest in “you”, they will still work!
Get a Summer Photo Journal
Electronic or traditional, whatever works best. You could choose a free journaling app like Timebox, which works perfect for iPhones and iPads. This private journal of long-lasting daily photo stories automatically creates your journal from your thousands of photos & videos in your Photo Library or Camera Roll.
To get started, map out different places to go such as beaches, weekend or week-long cruises, day trip ideas, scheduled events such as festivals, mass picnics, restaurant openings, fairs, family events, and even events you may want to host at your home or at a fun location. Making room for photos will help you capture the moments and build memories so when the winter strikes again, you can nestle up against the love of your life and remember the summer “heat”.
Invest in Amusement Park Tickets
By paying for amusement park tickets for multiple days, weeks or months, taking advantage of summer deals, will always give you the option of doing something fun and exciting when your brain becomes fried from thinking of ideas of what to do next. Many times, with amusement park ticket packages, you will also get discounts and even freebies for food, specialty restaurants, drinks, themed events and even concerts. So, pay attention to those coupons and papers they give you along with your amusement park tickets!
Create a Summer Go-Bag
This bag contains a few must-have items if you and yours decide to just “Go!” This bag should include an outfit: something that doesn’t need to be ironed, preferably a cute ready-wear dress, a pair of sandals or flip flops that could be casual or dressy, your toiletries (but not the entire bathroom or dresser – preferably miniature items), a hair accessory, pair of earrings and a statement piece such as a big ring, bangle, or necklace, just in case.
Create an Oasis at Home
Whether you live together or not, create an environment at home that is comfortable, relaxing, colorful and most of all, cool! The worst days of summer where the heat is blazing hot can place a toll on your relationship if you can’t find refuge! Here are a few tips on how to create your oasis:
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- Stock up on cool, colorful glasses for ice-cold beverages. Make sure you have extra ice cube trays, bags of ice or always double-check your ice maker to make sure it is still working! Make juice cubes or cubes filled with mint leaves or fruit to be a little ‘extra’.
- Purchase a ton of juices that you can store away so you never run out. If you and yours are into indulging in alcoholic-beverages, don’t wait until you run out of your favorite choice of spirit, wine or even beer! Stock up so you can have it on deck along with all the trimmings! Lemons, limes, cherries, salt, sugar, chocolate sauce, whatever you two like!
- Buy some colorful, plush towels and fold them “resort style” along with spraying your room with a room or mood booster.
Be Willing to Compromise
Your level of compromise can and will be tested in the heat of Summer. Whether your love has plans with or without you, I am telling you to just be cool. Many couples will fuss and fight when the other is invited to family events, a friend’s cookout or even a company picnic, where the one that wasn’t invited is considered a “tag-along”. If your honey invites you, and they genuinely want you to join them, then just go!
Your summer can be as beautiful as you make it.
Know that sometimes with the summer heat, people can act a little crazy. Sometimes crazy-good and sometimes crazy-not-so-good. Whatever the case, be true to yourself and enjoy the season! Make time for yourself and ignite love and passion in your life by being mindful of these essentials of summer!