Reclaiming Summer Goodbye Negative Body Thoughts, Hello Summer: Shifting the Focus from Appearance to Joy.
- Danielle Widmann, LMHC
- May 20
- 4 min read
By Danielle Widmann, LMHC– Eating Disorder & Body Image Therapist
As the days get longer and the weather warms up, the arrival of summer often brings with it a tidal wave of messaging about “summer bodies,” diets, fitness plans, and transformation goals. For those working on reframing negative body thoughts, navigating eating disorder recovery or working on healing their relationship with their body, this time of year can feel especially overwhelming and less enjoyable.
But what if we reframed summer?
What if we peeled away the pressure to meet a certain body ideal and instead reconnected with what summer can truly offer—sunlight on our skin, moments with friends and family, laughter at picnics, the cool splash of water, and the deep exhale of simply enjoying the season?
Let’s talk about how to shift the narrative to reclaiming summer with shifting focus from appearance to experience, and how you can approach summer in a way that nourishes your mind, body, and spirit.
Notice and Name the Pressures
First, it’s important to name what’s happening. We live in a culture that places a huge emphasis on how we look in the summer—what we wear, how our bodies appear in swimsuits, and how closely we match these unrealistic beauty standards.
These pressures can show up in:
Social media feeds full of “beach body” tips
Ads encouraging fad diets or workouts
Comments from others about weight, clothing, or food choices
Fear of judgement from others
Becoming aware of this cultural noise allows us to challenge it. These messages are not truths—they’re marketing for these diet & fitness companies. And they do not define your worth, your health, or your summer.
Reframe: From Appearance to Experience
Here’s a gentle truth: your body is not your summer’s main event. Your life is.
Let’s shift the question from “How do I look?” to “How do I want to feel?”
Instead of focusing on shaping your body for summer, focus on shaping your summer around what brings you joy, meaning, and connection. Letting go of negative body thoughts and shifting the focus might look like:
Sitting outside and soaking in some vitamin D (with sunscreen, of course)
Saying yes to a weekend at the lake with friends, not because your body is “ready & worthy,” but because you are
Eating a popsicle in the sun without guilt
Taking walks, reading on the beach, going to a farmers’ market, or hanging at a backyard BBQ
I am telling you now, these are the moments you’ll remember—not how your body looked, but how you lived in it.
Honor What Your Body Allows You to Do
Your body can do truly amazing things– think about it. It allows you to move, connect, breathe, laugh, and be here.
Summer is a beautiful time to appreciate your body for what it does rather than how it appears. Whether you’re sitting in the grass with loved ones, climbing a mountain on a hike, or simply hugging a friend, take a moment to thank your body for carrying you through life.
Even on hard days, when negative body image thoughts feel especially loud, remember this: you don’t need to love how your body looks to treat it with kindness and care.
Let Comfort Guide You
Choose clothes that feel good on your body, not ones that fit an ideal. Wear the shorts if you want to wear them. Put on the bathing suit if you want to swim– no one singular body type belongs in any certain kind of bathing suit. Let go of the rules that say certain bodies “shouldn’t” wear certain things. Those rules are rooted in diet culture, shame, and societal expectations, not truth.
Your own physical and emotional comfort is more valuable than conformity so what society deems “normal or ideal”.
Create Your Own Summer Traditions
Rather than avoiding the summer season, what if you built a summer that supports your values and your recovery? Introducing new things that take your focus off appearance and changing your body. To challenge negative body thoughts--
This summer consider:
Creating a summer joy list: simple things you look forward to
Dedicating time for meet-ups with friends who support your healing
Exploring nature as a way to connect with your body in a neutral, grounding way- not a punishment/ forceful way
Unfollowing social media accounts that don’t align with your values
Starting a new self-care ritual, like reading in the sun or journaling on the porch
You deserve a summer that reflects who you are—not who society says you should be.
Give Yourself Permission
You don’t have to earn summer. You don’t have to change your body to enjoy it. You don’t need to hide, shrink, or wait for a “better” version of yourself.
You are allowed to exist as you are, right now, in this season.
If summer has historically been a hard time, know that you are not alone—and it’s never too late to create a new experience of it. Start now, start today, reframe summer for YOU!
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