Gaslighting Myself Into Liking Summer

I’ve never been a huge summer person. Oh don’t get me wrong, it was fun, growing up, to have unlimited access to the outdoors. To lose hours riding bikes and climbing trees. To forget what day of the week it was, playing Pokémon and watching Rocket Power. But at some point around middle school, I found the endless stretch of sweltering days drearier than the coldest winters. 

As I grew older, I became more and more defiant. I hated summer because I hated the heat. Even in the nine years since I moved to New York City, I’ve felt the months bake hotter and hotter. Last summer, 2024, felt particularly brutal. 

I remember walking home from the store on the phone with a hometown friend who now lives in the southwest, complaining about our temperatures in the 90s. It may have been 10 – 20 degrees hotter where she was but it’s a dry heat after all! 

In all seriousness, last summer majorly bummed me out. As someone who usually runs very early in the morning (to avoid the heat), I was frustrated at the fact that even those daybreak hours weren’t safe from the sun. As such, I stopped running as much. As such, I stayed inside more. As such, I was miserable. 

As the temperatures crept higher and higher last month, I had the sinking realization that this may well be the coolest summer for the rest of my life. And I could spend the rest of my days complaining. Or, I could accept the fact that some days you have to shower twice. 

It sounds so silly, but the second I told myself that it was going to be what it was going to be—concrete jungle and all—was the second it became a little more bearable. Before I walked out my door, I told myself that of course it would be hot and of course I’d probably show up sweaty. Just naming the experience gave me a kind of peace. Well, at least I know what I’m in for!

And so I’ve pulled my hair up and applied my sunscreen and I’ve set out into summer. And don’t get me wrong, I still complain about the heat sometimes. But it’s not stopping me from doing the things I want to do. I’m running more again. I’m going out with friends. I’m embracing the double shower days and the way absolutely every article of clothing must immediately hit the hamper after a day out.

And because I’ve made peace with the sticky parts of summer, I’ve been able to enjoy the good stuff. The way the sun rises over my neighborhood early and sets the latest it will set all year. How evenings cool down and a gentle breeze can feel life-altering. The energy of the park. The relief of a cold smoothie after a hot run. The way the moderate sun hugs bare legs in a sundress. 

You may be a temperate weather purist. You may have strong opinions about the seasons or otherwise. But does it serve you to write off 25% of a year? A quarter of your life? 

I can’t cool down New York City. But I can find ways to enjoy the sun. Not just by living into each day with purpose and intention but also by knowing that soon, this season too will pass.