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The Last 7 Weeks of Summer
Why intentional planning beats doing it all, how seasonal rhythms support mental health, and simple steps to savor summer before it slips away.
Summer Plans Matter for Mental Health
Summer gives us a mental health advantage:
✅ Longer days that boost serotonin.
✅ Weather that takes us outside (nature = stress relief).
✅ Connection and play, two pillars of well-being.
Only 7 Weekends Remain…
There’s a date looming on the calendar you might not be aware of:
Monday, September 22
That’s the official end of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
Between now and then? There are exactly seven weekends.
Seven weekends to fit in every summer-related activity you imagined back in May.
Totally doable… right?
The Seven-Weekend Reality Check
Last weekend, I sat down with my partner to plan the end of summer, something we started doing last year after realizing that winging it usually leaves us frazzled and sunburned.
One hour of mid-summer planning made a huge difference for our last summer-to-fall transition, so here we are again.
Our goal? Figure out when we could realistically “go outside” without stressing about work, pets, family, and everything else life piles on.
So, we did the math and set a simple rule: seven weekends = six planned activities. One weekend stays wide open for rest or overflow.
And then, right on schedule, that familiar wave of FOMO hit; the kind most of us feel at some point every summer. The sinking realization that this wonderful season will end, and there’s just too much we’d like to do with the people we love, in the time and with the resources we have.
We learned, the hard way, that you have to mourn the plans that don’t make the cut (lakeside yoga retreat)—but hey, that’s life.
Summer will be back around, on schedule, you can count on it.
So will your deepest summer desires.
Our new formula for a good summer is to pick a few things that matter most, plan them, prepare for them, and enjoy them without guilt.
Then, let the rest go….
I’ll check back to let you know how it all worked out this fall.
Your Summer Script…
The trick is to keep it simple.
Choose a few things you love, with people you love, and make them happen, without overcomplicating it or turning joy into a to-do list.
Summer isn’t a one-shot deal.
It’s part of a rhythm, the slow inhale and exhale of the year.
Youll’ have 80 of them or so, give or take.
🧠 Why This Mindset Works (Science Agrees)
🌤 Your Mood Loves Sunlight
Longer daylight hours and warm weather boost serotonin and energy. Shorter days? Higher risk of low mood.
👉 Read the research summary
⏰ Your Internal Clock Matters
Your circadian rhythm sets the tone for sleep, mood, and stress. When it drifts out of sync with seasonal light changes, anxiety and fatigue follow.
👉 Nature: Seasonal Brain Health
🌳 Nature Is Free Therapy
Time near trees, rivers, or parks reduces stress and improves mood. Even small doses count.
👉 Nature exposure improves mood – Scientific Reports
✅ Quick Seasonal Reset
Write down six summer moments you really want (not thirty).
Put them on your calendar.
Let the rest go.
🍂 Then Start To Build Your Fall Moodboard
Get ahead of the cozy curve—here’s your to-plan list:
🔥 Pick a weekend for the first bonfire
🍵 Add a new tea to your online cart
📚 Start a shared notes doc for your fall reading list
🎃 Text the group to start costume brainstorming
📚 Recommended Reads
The Joy of Missing Out by Tonya Dalton — a permission slip to let go of the noise and do less with intention
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman — a reminder that we get about 80 summers, 80 falls, 80 winters in a lifetime—give or take. Time isn’t a problem to solve. It’s a season to savor.