by Vickie Austin
Indulgence isn’t necessarily a sign of excess these days. The advent of summer is an invitation to plan for taking extra good care of yourself. Some say it’s all about intention, visualizing what you want, what could be and how you’ll achieve it.
Show down the clock
Time is on your side during the summer months. Hopefully you’ve carved out a block (or blocks) of time on your calendar to rest. This doesn’t mean full-on naps, although we enjoy those. We need to give ourselves permission to detach from our phones, to-do lists and productivity tools.
There’s a little bit of fear for some of us: who am I if I’m not producing? Monetizing? Getting those dopamine hits from checking off items on my task list? The University Health Center at University of Nebraska-Lincoln recommends staying grounded with a daily routine, limiting news and social media and reaching out for support when needed to give you the “permission” you may need from yourself to indulge.
CocoaLuxe, a bath and body company that also specializes in home fragrances, has made a business out of “luxury meets intention.” Their products are only part of what they offer, creating rituals for relaxing body and soul. Known throughout the Washington, D.C. area, the CocoaLuxe blog reads, “Renewal is practice. It’s intentional. It’s layered. And it’s deeply personal.”
Their March 2026 post emphasizes that renewal is often a function of the changing seasons, and there’s no better season than summer to take stock of what’s working and what’s not working in your wellness routine. Ask yourself:
- Are there habits I need to let go of that no longer support my growth?
- What self-care rituals do I need to establish to get through the hot summer months?
- Is there space in my home where I can relax and regenerate?
Seek the services of an esthetician if you need help with your skin. That’s not an indulgence — that’s just good self-care. If fragrances or diffusers help to renew your spirits, indulge in those. Just be sure that whoever shares your space doesn’t have allergies.
A breath of fresh air
The change of seasons also is a great time to review your space to make sure it reflects your lifestyle. Decluttering is No. 1 on everyone’s list of intentions but easier said than done. If you decide to take on a closet, or a room, find a faithful buddy who can walk with you through the process. That’s not an indulgence, that’s a necessity. They can help you make decisions about what to keep and what to recycle or toss with love and a firm hand.
The blog writer invites us to choose one small act of intentional self-care every day, then notice how it shapes your energy and your summer.
