Not to burst our collective bubble, but fall is still 8 weeks away. In previous years, I've spent the limbo between August and late September in denial that summer was still happening around me. I put out fall decorations early and sweat my ass off in clothes that were too hot. This year, I'm determined to live in the moment and honor the summer that I waited all winter for.
There are 8 weekends left in summer, so let's make the most of them together!
I'm a huge supporter of dating yourself. Your responsibility to learn to love yourself doesn't end when you find the love of your life. Or when you find the group of friends that love you unconditionally. So even if you have the opportunity to spend every weekend with other people, I encourage you to do something fun outside of the house by yourself. You'll get to know yourself better and build confidence.
Below are 8 summery ideas for a solo date. I've added specific locations for Indiana readers, but these ideas apply to you no matter where you are!
Read outside somewhere beautiful. If there's somewhere I want to check out but I'm having some social anxiety about going alone, bringing a book is the perfect cover. In August, I plan on visiting Lake Max in Culver, IN and bringing a blanket, lunch, and book for a perfect beach day.
Rent a kayak for the day. Spend a quiet day in nature by yourself, it's good for the soul. My favorite place kayak in late summer is Chain-O-Lakes State Park. Shady water channels keep you out of the sun, and it's one of the prettiest places to kayak in Indiana.
Take a day trip by yourself. Grab some iced coffee, turn the music up loud, and drive somewhere by yourself. You don't need anyone to come with you to explore downtown Nashville, Indiana or an artsy town in your state!
Visit an arts and culture festival. Summer is the time for festivals of all kinds. Do a quick google search for cultural festivals coming up in your area! Coming up in Indiana we have the Andersontown Powwow, celebrating Native Culture and Heritage, and the Garfield Park Art & Music Festival!
Go to a concert by yourself. When I was single, I went to see State Champs by myself! It was pretty nerve-wracking at first, but when I realized no one was there to stare at me and wonder why I'm there alone, I gained so much confidence and had an amazing time.
Paint outside. Painting outside is something that's definitely on my summer bucket list every year now. Take a picnic blanket, snacks, paint, and paper to a park or other pretty spot and spend the afternoon relaxing! I plan on doing this with these Japanese watercolors I found.
Visit a botanical garden and (optional) have a little photo shoot. If you work from home like I do, there aren't a ton of reasons to put on a sundress and a full face of makeup. Giving yourself a photo shoot in a beautiful place is a big confidence boost! If that's not your style, visiting a botanical garden like Garfield Park Conservatory in Indianapolis or Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in Fort Wayne is a great solo date itself.
Sign up for a guided full moon hike! The Indiana DNR occasionally hosts guided late-night hikes during a full moon, and I'm sure other states do as well. This idea applies to guided tours of all kinds where you live, whether it's bird-watching, spooky, historical, or a hike!
If you try any of these solo date ideas, let me know how it goes by commenting on this post! Let's make the most of summer this year.