Why Summer Feels Anything But Restful — And How to Change That

Every June, I tell myself this is going to be the summer we slow down.

Mornings will be slower. A few day trips here and there. I’ll finally get lost in a good stack of books.

I imagine presence. Connection. A little magic.

But somehow… by mid-August I’m exhausted.

And I know I’m not alone.

Why does summer - a season that should feel spacious, so often feel like a fast track to burnout?

It’s not just you. So many women step into summer hoping for rest and connection… only to find themselves stretched even thinner than usual.

Here’s why:

• The kids are home, which often means your days are no longer your own.

• Routines fly out the window, leaving your nervous system craving stability.

• You say yes to every BBQ, visit, and getaway - even when your body is screaming for stillness.

• You’re trying to make it magical for everyone else, and end up at the bottom of your own list.

The result? You enter September feeling more disconnected, more depleted, and more over it than ever. This is normally me every year. 

But what if summer didn’t have to feel that way?

What if rest didn’t require a two-week vacation or a cleared schedule? What if restoration could live in the small spaces in between?

The Secret Isn’t Doing Less — It’s Pausing With Intention

If you're craving something different this summer, the first step isn't overhauling your life.It's practicing what I call the power of pause.

Pauses that help regulate your nervous system.Pauses that bring you back into your body. Pauses that remind you, you matter too.

Here are a few simple ways to begin:

• Micro-moments of stillness.One full breath before you reach for your phone. Two minutes of silence before getting out of bed. A slow exhale in the car before walking back into the house.

• Set “presence anchors” for your day.Choose 1–2 touchpoints that bring you back to yourself: lighting a candle with your coffee, stepping outside at noon, putting your hand on your heart before you speak.

• Soften your “shoulds.”That Pinterest-perfect summer you envisioned? It’s okay to let it go.Replace it with one thing that brings you peace — a walk, music, a boundary you’re finally ready to set.

• Tend to your nervous system.Try legs up the wall for five minutes. Splash cool water on your face. Sit with your bare feet in the grass. It doesn’t have to be fancy to be powerful.

I’m also sharing my own journey with this over on Instagram.

All summer long, I’m doing a weekly series called The Power of Pause, where every Monday I’ll post some real moments of pause from my previous week - nothing curated or perfect, just honest glimpses of what slowing down looks like in real life. If you ever need a gentle reminder to come back to yourself, I’d love to have you there. @melaniegrimerhn

You Deserve Support Too

So many of us are holding so much and doing it quietly.

If you're feeling frayed around the edges this summer, I want to invite you into something gentle, grounding, and real.

Burnout to Balance is a 4-part Soul Circle series designed to help you reconnect with your needs, regulate your nervous system, and build emotional resilience - one pause

at a time.

It’s not a “fix” or a hustle.It’s a soft space to exhale, feel seen, and remember who you are beneath the burnout.

We begin September 2. You can join us in-person or online.

Learn more here

This summer, let your healing be quiet.

Let your rest be messy and real.

Let the pauses be enough.

You’re allowed to make this season about you, too.

Mel x