Let’s celebrate the summer!

As the weather gets warmer and the drinks get colder, I’m confident that summer 2022 will be a great one. But while summer is often the season where all things are rosy, it’s also a time when we are most hard on ourselves. As women, we are taught to feel the pressure of conforming to the ideal ‘bikini body’. But this is your reminder that, in order to be ‘bikini body ready’, you simply need to have a body and wear a bikini! If you’re lucky enough to enjoy some time in the sunshine this summer, I urge you to love yourself just as you are.

In the winter months, it is all too easy to cover up under big baggy jumpers. Summer forces people to peel away the layers. I have found that putting outfits together for warmer weather can be stressful but, recently I have been actively avoiding negative body talk. Instead, I try to focus on what I appreciate about my body and what it has done for me, rather than how it looks.

Despite the challenges that come with summer, it has countless benefits for our wellbeing. Studies show that spending time outdoors in the sun can improve your mood and increase your vitamin D levels, which in turn increases energy levels. I always find that when the sun is shining, I’m far more inspired to get moving. Whether it’s a long walk or yoga in the garden, use those bursts of motivation to get out and reap the benefits!

especially when you are hidden behind the cloak of social media. But scientists say honesty is the best policy if you want to keep your reputation and your friends online and beyond. A study by the University of Houston has found that intellectually humble behaviour during a Facebook debate leads to better impression formation, just as in real life.

But it is especially vital because the disagreement may have hundreds of witnesses. ‘Wrongness admission serves as a cue of intellectual humility, communion and competence,’ says study author Adam Fetterman, an assistant professor of psychology.