Summer of Becoming the Healthiest & Happiest You! (Part 4)

Throughout this summer, this blog series of Summer of Becoming the Healthiest & Happiest you! Will go through how you can be the healthiest version of yourself. It is about learning how to change the way you eat, move, and feel by the end of the summer. If you have not yet checked out Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3 click to check them out! In part 4, we will go through ways to learn how to relax with a busy schedule and getting back to your hobbies that you maybe used to do and haven’t had the time lately. Getting back to hobbies or just finding peace and relaxation in an activity can be beneficial for your mental health. This blog will go over how you can get back to your roots and learn to take time for yourself! 

Each blog of the series contains a different healthy meal idea that you can make on your own, no equipment exercises that you can do outside or inside, and some things to keep you busy. If you are a college student like me, you know that the summers have less and less time for relaxation, friends, and family because you are likely working full time. Going through the motion of working everyday especially in the summer can be tough on your mental health where you don’t find times during the day to do something that you enjoy!

Figuring out time for your hobbies & relaxation:

1. Why should you make time for activities?
   1. Using your time to do an activity that you enjoy will improve your mental health and your overall wellbeing. Filling your time with a hobby will lead to less stress, higher moods, and lower depression. Hobbies that make you happy and feel more relaxed will increase your mood and energy! 
2. Relieves Stress
   1. Hobbies provide you free of work and responsibility in your free time. Learning the time to relax and enjoy an activity can give you a chance to recharge and enjoy yourself stress free. 
3. How to find your hobbies as an adult?
   1. Try thinking back to what you loved doing as a child and make your own “adult version” of it. So, if you liked climbing trees, maybe try taking up rock climbing.
   2. Pick something that will make you forget about the stress of your day. Make sure you find an activity that will take your mind away from your daily life and stressors. 
   3. Think back to old hobbies. Sometimes we start a hobby years back and realize you completely forgot about it but really enjoyed doing it. Take a moment to look around your house and find unfinished hobbies or things you did that you enjoyed. 
   4. Pick a hobby that will help you change yourself for the better. Figure out what you want to change or improve about yourself and through trial-and-error figure out what activity will help you grow!
   5. Figure out what you enjoy. Sometimes just taking the time to walk around a craft or home improvement store can spark your interest and get your hobby ideas flowing. 
   6. Here is a fun what hobby should you do next quiz. 

No Equipment Exercises (make them your own and what you feel comfortable doing!)

• FUN Dance Workouts 

(You only need one item of equipment for this and that is your phone or laptop. Exercise does not need to be boring, and you can still get a good workout dancing your butt off to your favorite songs!)

1. MAMMA MIA
2. SHREK
3. LEVITATING by Dua Lipa
4. PARTY 2000’S
5. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 1
6. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2

Hobbies to try and prevent boredom

1. Paddle board yoga
2. Start cooking or baking
3. Go fishing

Top 3 healthy BREAKFASTS of the week

1. Bagel Fruit Pizzas
2. Lemon Blueberry Overnight Oats
3. Summer Breakfast Tacos

I hope you follow along throughout the summer and use some of these tips to make you healthier and enjoy your summer to the fullest! 

Strive for progress not perfection!

Kayla Withrow