The Summer Slowdown: Why Rest is Resistance
Written by: Courtney Johnston | Solcity Therapy and Wellness
This month, I want to talk about something we don’t always have the words for: The Summer Slowdown.
In some way, we all feel it. The heat builds, our energy peaks—and then it dips. The sun can fuel us, but it can also wear us down. We find ourselves overstimulated, overtired, and wondering why our motivation has melted along with the ice in our drinks. For many of us, our appetite shifts, our sleep changes, and we find ourselves needing to do less, not more. (If you’re on antidepressants and feeling the heat more intensely than usual—I see you. PMID: 17513091.)
Summer invites us into presence. To reconnect with the natural world, with each other, and with ourselves. But for all its beauty, this season can also bring loneliness, over stimulation, burnout, and pressure to make the most of it.
Lately, I’ve noticed a flurry of posts online reminding us that we’re “halfway through the year.”
Many of them shout things like:
“You’ve still got time to crush your goals!”
“Don’t waste the rest of the year!”
“Push harder—finish strong!”
Honestly?
GAWD. How dreadful.
There’s something unsettling about tying our worth to productivity. About life feeling like a race with no finish line. About expectations that don’t even belong to us dictating how we feel, what we do, and who we think we should be.
So here’s a gentle question for you:
What if the expectations you’re carrying don’t belong to you at all?
What if they’re someone else’s rules, someone else’s fear, someone else’s baggage?
What if you paused, checked in, and asked:
Does this timeline fit with my needs right now?
Is this goal aligned with my values?
What am I sacrificing to meet an expectation I never agreed to?
These are the kinds of questions I hold with my clients in individual therapy sessions and trauma-informed psychotherapy.
We slow down to explore:
What are your values, thoughts, and needs?
Are you safe in the decisions you’re making—or just trying to avoid discomfort?
Are you living for yourself, or for someone else’s approval?
Many people believe that if they just keep pushing—follow the latest trend, ignore their inner voice, or stay busy—they’ll eventually figure it all out. But more often than not, this leads to burnout, anxiety, resentment, and a deep sense of disconnection.
There is no universal life strategy that works for everyone.
But there is one approach that comes pretty damn close:
Yours.
Sometimes, we need to:
Get messy
Make mistakes
Take the long way
Stop and smell the damn roses
Trust that we’re allowed to change our minds, our direction, and our speed
“People do not decide their futures; they decide their habits—and their habits decide their futures.” —F. Matthias Alexander
Just like we don’t all respond the same to every medication, we don’t all respond to the same pace or life path. You are allowed to customize your healing, your growth, your life.
Here’s what I want you to remember:
You don’t have to subscribe to hustle culture or external timelines.
Slowing down is not failure—it’s wisdom.
Therapy can help you reconnect with your own values and rhythm.
Summer is an opportunity to reset, reflect, and soften—not sprint.
You’re allowed to build a life that fits you, not one that performs for others.
So let this season be what it needs to be for you.
Maybe that’s soaking up the sun, reading a book in the grass, getting your hands dirty in the garden, or finally giving yourself permission to do less. Maybe it’s a 50-minute walk-and-talk therapy session to soothe your nervous system and shift out of that panicked, activated state into something quieter, calmer, and more you (PMID: 36059042).
Maybe this slow, sticky, salty season is the perfect time to ask:
What’s actually mine to carry—and what can I leave behind?
You’ve gotten through every other season of your life—your way.
So what makes this one any different?
🧡 Need support in your slowdown?
I have a passion for working with women, students, and trauma survivors who are tired of survival mode and ready to build something softer, slower, and more sustainable. Your voice matters and it’s ready to finally be heard rather than silenced. If that speaks to you, you’re welcome to book a free consultation.
