Nitika Chopra
Jul 27, 2017 · 5 min read

3 Ways to Love Yourself Through Summer Social Anxiety

The summer is a time for fun in the sun, late nights on the beach, and s’mores by a bonfire. It’s a time to feel carefree and just embrace the longer days and warmer weather. But for many people, myself included, the summer can be a time to face parts of ourselves that feel challenging. While others might love wearing their short shorts and cute bikini’s, I have dreaded this change in wardrobe since I was ten years old.

When I was ten, I was diagnosed with a skin condition called psoriasis, and my whole life as I knew it completely changed. While having psoriasis has shaped me in countless ways, today I want to share how you can support yourself with summer insecurities, no matter what the cause.

In teaching people about self-love, I have so many women come to me expressing that they want to feel as beautiful and comfortable in their own skin as they have been told that they “should,” but they have no clue how to get there. Loving their bodies, their skin, their flaws and all, just seems like a crazy pipe dream and something that people talk about in magazines that isn’t actually a real thing.

Well, my love, I am here to tell you that self-love is a REAL thing. Something that can actually be completely tangible and you can access it at any moment. The trick? It’s not something that you choose once and then you’re done. Not a chance! My definition of self-love is being more committed to your happiness than your suffering, in every moment. Catch my drift?

It’s something you are going to need to connect to, cultivate, work at, and continue to choose for a lifetime. Don’t worry though! It’s not as scary or overwhelming as that might sound. It can actually be fun, easy, and become a muscle that gets stronger over time. Promise!

So as we settle into the second half of summer, I wanted to give you a few ways to access tangible self-love no matter how anxious you’re feeling about that upcoming barbecue with your ex or that visit to the beach house all your friends decided to get. Trust me, I have SO been there and these are the action steps that have helped me.

3 Ways to Love Yourself Through Summer Social Anxiety

Carve Out Me Time. Sure, we all try to get in that amazing yoga class or schedule our mani-pedi in order to have a little self-care, and that’s great! But this is a bit different than that. I want you to consciously carve out time to get centered before you leave for a social event. That can look however you want it to, but the main thing is for you to be conscious about it. So don’t wake up late, rush rush rush, forget half your sunscreen and sunglasses, and then feel anxious or panicked all day. No bueno! I want you to carve out time to feel your best. I like to give myself an extra hour to get ready in times like these. Not so much to get dressed or pull myself together, but to ensure I am centered.

I apply some soothing essential oils like lavender, rose, or sandalwood. This blend from Nautorpathica is one of my favorites and promotes self-confidence. I also sit on my couch and listen to a beautiful song that makes me feel more calm. Sometimes I even call a friend to get out of my anxious head space and into my heart. Find what feels best for you and start by adding at least one thing into your day before you leave the house.

Pick a Place That’s Easy. We can all define what feels easy to us in different ways, but I think one thing we can probably all agree on is the less stress the better, especially when it comes to the environment you’re staying for a summer getaway. You know when you show up somewhere and there is just a lot of fuss about everything? It’s over-crowded or too loud, or the food choices are sub par — all of that can really kill the vibe and as a result it tends to create more anxiety. I have found in working with my clients (as well as in my own life) that if I am mindful about where I am going on a pretty detailed level, it makes all of the difference!

That often means that I am splurging on where I am staying so that I don’t have to regret the entire trip later. For example, I recently visited The Ritz Carlton in Naples, Florida and the experience was what I like to call “effortless relaxation.” When you’re staying at a place like The Ritz you know the exact type of service you’re going to be getting. Which is great! So choose your getaways and girls trips wisely. Don’t stay just anywhere, stay where you will feel the most taken care of.

Snack Attack. Planning my meals and bringing snacks has been a TOTAL game-changer for me in regards to the amount of stress and anxiety that I feel when in social settings. Let’s face it, everyone has different needs and that’s super obvious when you’re in a big group trying to navigate a long weekend together. I need to eat every few hours and I know that my body needs to have a good amount of protein in order to feel nourished and not go into the hangry zone. But not everyone you travel with is going to have the same needs as you! So it’s on you to be prepared and let me tell you, it is so worth the ten extra minutes it’s going to take for you to make sure you are. I like to pack a variety of healthy options from fresh berries which are perfect for breakfast in the car to some low-sugar chocolate for when I am craving some comfort to my recent favorite, Biena Chickpea snacks for an easy-access protein boost.

So no matter where you’re going this summer, just know that you have three simple strategies to help you feel your best the whole way through. Yes, it takes a bit of effort and commitment. But as far as I am concerned, you’re so beyond worth it. Enjoy the second half of summer, sweet thing!

Nitika Chopra

Talk Show Host + Blogger getting to the truth about self-love.

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