Every year it happens, and every year it seems to take me by surprise: the toll of summer extroversion. As someone who identifies as an introvert, I generally feel most comfortable in low-key settings with fewer people (which is why festivals have never really been my thing, as much as I’ve tried to adjust and experiment with it). But being an introvert doesn’t mean I want to hide under a rock all the time! I still want to engage with life and enjoy all of the fruits summer has to offer and that includes connection and a feeling of expansion and vitality.
So how do we find balance as introverts when the temperature hots up? How can we resist the constant pressure of “doing” and “going” and instead make space for “being” too?
Summer is often described as a season of expansion... long evenings, spontaneous plans and social energy spilling out in all directions. For lots of people, it’s a time of brightness and movement and the days stretch out in this way. A kind of do more, see more, be more energy. And yet, not everyone moves at that pace (🙋♀️)
If you’re someone who is sensitive to noise, stimulation or just more introverted by nature, summer can feel disorientating and overwhelming. Instead of feeling drawn to the fun, shiny things, you might crave shade instead of sunshine, seeking a slower rhythm that doesn’t quite match summer's tempo.
And this can feel at odds because everyone around you seems to be expanding and glowing while you’re quietly hoping for a rainy afternoon, just to reset your nervous system and hear yourself think again!
We had some rainy days down here in Cornwall last week and while everyone seemed disappointed after all the sun we’d been having, I was secretly relieved to have a couple of days to recalibrate and come down from a busy week of socialising. I spent them catching up on life admin, pottering around the house, meditating without feeling guilty for being indoors, cooking nice meals and sorting my cupboards! All things that get sidelined when it's "too nice to be indoors".
In mindfulness, we often speak about seasons not just as weather patterns but as inner landscapes and summer carries a strong “yang” energy. This is active, expressive, outward-facing energy and is associated with the masculine. But we need to balance that "yang" with some "yin" (the feminine energy) because we are cyclical beings. We need contrast to find harmony which is why we move between expansion and contraction.
Feeling overstimulated in summer is normal and doesn’t mean something is off. It is a sign from your system that balance needs to be restored and so rather than trying to mirror the yang constantly, give yourself a chance to come back to centre. Find a quiet spot under a tree to do some journalling, sit on your meditation cushion and take a pause there or just go for a gentle 'just because' stroll in nature with no agenda.
Giving ourselves permission to slow down when everything is speeding up is the ultimate act of self-care and autonomy. We are giving ourselves permission to choose stillness even when life feels like it’s asking for movement - and permission to be quiet without needing to match the season’s energy. It's such a relief to know that we have access to this inner refuge every day of the year, no matter what the season.
For me, it’s helpful to think in terms of looking after my future self too. Instead of pushing through and eventually reaching social or physical burnout - and feeling the fallout of that, which for me can mean needing a few hours of daytime sleep to recover - I try to slow down to protect that future version of myself. So my decision to press pause, even at the risk of feeling FOMO from saying no to socialising, comes from a place of compassion. That and the awareness of anicca (impermanence) which reminds us that everything is in a constant state of change and flux. Any FOMO will pass and the sense of restored balance in body and mind becomes a positive byproduct of that choice, creating a kind of feedback loop that supports continuing to care for myself.
So get your dose of vitamin D, enjoy connecting with your loved ones and feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin and then come back to yourself, finding your own way of balancing the doing with the being 😊
Images Alexandra House Studio
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