Let the sun stay a little longer
This past Memorial Day Weekend made me realize there’s a shift that happens when the days start stretching longer. You don’t just notice it on the clock, you feel it everywhere. The sunlight sticks around like it’s reluctant to say goodbye, bathing everything in that warm, easy glow that makes the world feel softer. The air starts to smell like SPF 30 and someone’s burning something on the grill (it’s okay, we’ve all been there).
And just like that, summer says: Relax. You’ve made it.
This season? She’s soft. She’s slow. And she’s reminding me what it means to feel good- not perform good, not “eat clean,” not hustle……just feel it. For real.
Summer Produce I’m Excited For (aka Nature’s Dopamine Boosters)
We’re officially in the golden months of food. The kind where you barely need to cook because everything already tastes good raw, juicy, or grilled. Just color, texture, and pure, juicy joy. Here’s what I’m most excited about filling my plate with this season:
Cherries I’ve accepted the fact that I cannot eat these without looking like a crime scene. Worth it.
Peaches
Fresh herbs (mint, dill, basil- tossed into literally everything)
Corn grilled until slightly charred
Tomatoes
Zucchini & eggplant
Watermelon so good you forget you don’t actually like getting your hands sticky.
The rule is: if it makes your taste buds happy and your nervous system soften a little, it belongs on your plate. Extra points if it drips.
If your body has been craving more brightness, more flavor, more hydration- this is your moment. The kind of eating that isn’t about rules, just about reconnecting.
Backyard Grills & Slow Evenings
Some of my favorite summer nights start with a group text:
“Bringing burgers- who’s got buns?”
And just like that, we’re pulling patio chairs into a circle, setting out a bowl of chips that magically refills, flipping things on the grill while telling stories from the week.
There’s something deeply healing about eating outside with people you love. About letting the evening unfold without checking the time. About allowing food to be simple, flavorful, and shared. No one’s measuring portions. No one’s giving side-eye over second servings. It’s just people and food and the kind of conversations that meander like fireflies.
Healing sometimes looks like that. Just showing up, feeding yourself, and laughing at absolutely nothing until your cheeks hurt.
It’s a different kind of nourishment. Not just calories- but community, light, and laughter.
Letting Your Body Rest in Summer
I was in Asheville this past weekend, and we went on a hike- a mellow trail winding through the woods. As we walked, you could hear everything: birds calling, leaves shifting, a stream off in the distance. That kind of quiet where nature actually gets a word in. Until Wally, my very determined (but very small) wiener dog, made it about halfway before deciding he was done. So we carried him the rest of the way like the royalty he is. It got me thinking about the kind of peaceful, no-pressure mornings that make summer feel like something to look forward to.
There’s something about summer that invites your body to exhale. To stop rushing. To sit still for a second and let the heat relax your nervous system. Whether you’re by a pool, up in the mountains, or just stretched out on your living room floor under a fan, this season makes space for softness.
You don’t need a vacation to let your body rest. You don’t need a plane ticket or a perfect itinerary. Sometimes, the most important trip is the one you take to your own backyard, or even just to a quiet corner of your day.
So if there are no big vacations planned, that’s okay. Give yourself permission to pause, to soak up the sun (or shade), and to take care of you.
Let This Be Your Feel-Good Summer
Here’s your gentle nudge: You don’t have to earn joy. Not with a “clean eating plan,” not by shrinking yourself, not by hustling through your weekends.
You are allowed to feel good now. To grill corn and call it self-care. To eat watermelon over the sink. To nap on the beach and forget your to-do list.
Eat the thing. Lay on the towel. Say yes to the BBQ invite. Let your nervous system have a vacation- even if your body stays home.
This season is yours. Enjoy it!
See ya next time! xoxo Kristin
P.S Stay tuned for some yummy summertime recipes coming!
