šSummertime and the living is easyā¦right? š
Well not always. Even as many of us enjoy our favorite season of the year, weāre stressed by whatās going on in the world. Those Nerdy Girls often chat amongst themselves about ways to (try to!) stay calm and grounded in stressful times.
We thought weād share some of whatās helpful to us. And we invite you to do the same. Please tell us about your own stress-busters in the comments below.
šŗ Nerdy Girl Grayson – Summer is full of great trashy TV. I also love to read really dramatic books so that my life seems less dramatic in comparison!
šļø Nerdy Girl Kenzie – For me, I love being able to take my indoor activities outdoors.
Reading my favorite fantasy novels on a park bench or hammock; journaling (or doing dissertation work, letās be so real) at a nearby cafe instead of on my couch; going for a swim in the outdoor pool at the local Y instead of the indoor one; yoga on the grass instead of on the hardwood floor of a studio; picnics as alternatives to restaurant hangouts.
Even little things like going into the grocery store rather than buying my groceries online provides small-scale opportunities to socialize that help my mental health!
3ļøā£ Nerdy Girl Daphne – Stressed? Absolutely. But Iāve discovered that I can find calm and actually hold onto it long enough to reground myself. When problems feel big and everything seems complicated, I look for small, simple things to enjoy. The trick is, these things canāt take much planning or thought, and they canāt cost a lotābecause that just adds more stress. To help me focus, I like themes and the power of three. Here are my familyās three summer staples: finding hilly trails to hike, savoring locally-made frozen treats, and exploring old places filled with lots and LOTS of books. All three are easy to find in almost any direction from our Wisconsin home. Even our reluctant teens end up having fun!
š¤øāāļø Nerdy Girl Liz – Getting outside and moving my body is my favorite stress buster. Whether itās running solo or hiking with my family ā fresh air and physical activity help me reset. I also love escaping into books because disappearing into another world helps me quiet my own mind. And as part of my long-term stress management, I keep regular therapy appointments to stay grounded, no matter what life throws my way.
šļø Nerdy Girl Irini – As someone who suffers from anxiety, long walks are my go-to. I also enjoy being by the beach, having meals outdoors with family and friends, and making fun and quick salads with summer fruits (peaches, grapes or watermelon ), vegetables and halloumi cheese.
š² Nerdy Girl Aja – I find Iām able to relax if I address the excess energy Iām expending on feeling worried, and so relaxation comes from engaging with activities that keep me occupied and are āme timeā. Iām big on long walks, running, and Iām even getting into lifting, but if the time isnāt right for those, I really like burning off nervous energy by keeping my mind and hands busy with things that are good for me! I cook meals where there are a lot of steps (lots of chopping? great! lots of small side dishes? awesome!), and like to āknit up a stormā as my family likes to say.
š¶ Nerd MK – Fresh air, tuning in to the bird song in my backyard, listening to music, connecting with loved ones, and the occasional virtual cocktail hour with the worldās best health and science comms content manager. š
š¦® Nerdy Girl Sandy – Walking my two dogs in the woods near my house, running with a friend (well, sometimes we canāt be bothered and just walk!). Oh, and watching way too much trashy TV.
Stay well. Stay safe. And bust that stress!
Love,
Those Nerdy Girls
