25 Ideas to Add Romance to Your Life This Summer

      Like many children, I eagerly counted the days until summer arrived. With a free calendar, I could spend my time reading for hours, biking until dusk, and spontaneously jumping into the water whenever I wanted to cool off. However, as an adult, my excitement for the June to August freedom of summer has transformed into worries about the sweltering heat and wearing swimsuits in public. I believe summer is both an easy and challenging time of year to romanticize life. With blooming flowers, the joys of picnics, and nap dresses replacing warmer layers, it can feel like a scene from a Jane Austen novel—especially if there are a couple of weddings thrown in. Yet, summer can also be daunting due to the intensely hot days that surprise us in July, overbooked social calendars that induce stress, or the anxiety of putting on a swimsuit.

      Romanticizing your everyday life involves finding beauty in moments that bring both ease and challenge. While aesthetics matter, creating and embracing this magic is a gift to oneself—an act of self-love. It's true that we can go through our days bound by routine, but adding a touch of whimsy offers a remedy for living on autopilot. Here are 25 ways to celebrate your summer persona and romanticize your life this season.

      “Embracing this magic is a gift to yourself—an act of self-love.”

      25 Ways to Romanticize Your Life This Summer

      1. Try vibrant smoothies. Summer cuisine is colorful. Mix beetroot powder into your strawberry drink, add matcha to a classic green beverage, or use spirulina to enhance a simple vanilla smoothie.

      2. Enhance your supplement routine (colostrum, perhaps?). If you struggle to remember your morning vitamins, create a supplement station. Find an appealing tray, add a bud vase, and maybe include a couple of crystals for ambiance—you’ll consistently remember your supplements.

      3. Become a farmers market enthusiast. You know the type—the ones who rise before 9 a.m. on Sundays, stroll to the market (woven basket in hand), and grab the freshest seasonal produce. This summer, you are that person.

      4. Adjust your work schedule for summer. Sunny skies can make sending emails feel even more tedious. Head to a café, work alongside a friend, or tackle your to-do list on a sunlit patio. Embrace that vitamin D!

      5. Plan walking dates with friends. Meet a neighbor or establish a routine of regular walks with a friend. It's the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors, socialize, and soak up that vitamin D.

      6. Experience forest bathing through camping or hiking. If you haven’t explored the outdoors yet, summer is the perfect time to start. Gather friends or go with your partner: pack a tent, camp in your car, or find a charming cabin nearby. It's the ultimate reset.

      7. Redesign your nightstand. If your nightstand has turned into a cluttered mess, Marie Kondo it and keep only the essentials. Your journal, a book you're currently reading, a glass of water, and perhaps a small lamp (notice that I didn't mention your phone? That's part of the nightstand detox as well).

      8. Enjoy summer baking or tackle all the no-bake recipes you can find. Lemon poppyseed muffins, strawberry shortcakes, icebox cakes... the options are limitless.

      9. Revamp your summer lunch. While I appreciate my meal prep routine, my midday bowls need a refresh. Incorporate seasonal veggies, an assortment of fresh herbs, and a couple of sauces to keep things flavorful.

      10. Organize your fridge—it's about time. Store leafy herbs in glass jars filled with cold water, treat yourself to a charming egg tray, and grab a set of those trendy pastel crates for added seasonal color. Remember: opening your fridge should be a delight.

      11. Swap in summer candles. Save your white cypress and fir for later—now is the season for floral, citrus, and linen scents to shine.

      12. Move everything outdoors. Whether it's a meal, reading time, or journaling—during summer, take everything you can outside.

      13. Discover creative ways to stay hydrated. Fancy water? Absolutely. Electrolyte powders? For sure. Floral ice cubes? Definitely. Your version of the trending Stanley tumbler or favorite bottle? Always within reach.

      14. Grow your own herbs or veggies. You don't need a backyard for a garden. Plant herbs on your windowsill, patio, or balcony, or participate in a community garden plot within your neighborhood.

      15. Refresh your bed linens. Make washing them a weekly routine and switch to cooler sheets for warm summer nights.

      16. Purchase flowers weekly. Trader Joe’s exists for this reason—and it’s not just for the snacks.

      17. Don’t hesitate to judge a book by its cover. Go ahead—it’s not taboo, as many of the best recent reads are also the most Instagram-worthy.

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