When Summer feels like a Letdown: Dealing with Disappointment
- Ashley
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 31
Ever feel like summer is passing you by and you’re missing out? Watching TikToks of people traveling around the country or world? Better yet, have you had plans that you’ve made get cancelled at the last minute? If so, you may be feeling some disappointment about how your summer is turning out.
However, this is the reality for many young adults as they navigate their 20s. With post-secondary education, work, and paying rent, many people find their summers full of obligations with little time for excitement or travel. And when you find the time to make plans with the people you care about, it can be very difficult to find times when everyone is available to go on extended vacations or even weekend trips!
This doesn’t mean that your summer is a complete failure, you may just have to adjust your expectations. It’s easy to romanticize what others are doing when on social media, but this is not the full picture. Giving yourself grace and redefining what a “successful” summer looks like can bring a lot of peace, but sometimes it can be difficult to move from a state of disappointment to one of contentment.
If this is the case for you, know that you are not alone, and many people feel this kind of summer blues. When you’re feeling this way, give yourself time to be disappointed but try not to wallow. It is important to process your feelings to understand and label what you’re going through; however, it is important to not to let the initial emotions take hold, and here are some tips on how you can do that!
Practice self-care – When feeling down, this is a great first step to feeling better. Self-care can include going for walks, journaling, reading a book, dancing, and more which can reduce depression and anxiety, reduce stress, and increase happiness. Thus, practicing self-care can help you give yourself space for your feelings, as well as get on the path to acceptance and feeling better!
Manage your expectations – I think a lot of people in their 20s had really high expectations for what adulthood would bring us. With these high expectations, it’s important to recalibrate those expectations to reflect your current situation. Setting lower, more achievable expectations for the time means that you can hopefully achieve these goals and feel more empowered. This can also help you maintain your motivation for planning other summer activities.
Focus on the positive/enjoy what you can – speaking of other summer activities, planning smaller events is a great way to feel better! Some examples can be a lunch/dinner with a few friends who are available, going to a movie, or going to one of the many parks that Winnipeg has to offer. Engaging in simple activities and focusing on the positives can help improve your psychological and physical wellbeing, improve your coping skills, and reduce your risk for a number of illnesses and conditions.
Practice gratitude – focusing on the positive and enjoying what you will help you with this next tip – practicing gratitude. Whether it is something big (i.e., family or friends) or small (i.e., time to watch a movie or your favourite dessert), there is always something to be grateful for. Taking the time to make a list of what you can appreciate in your life can help shift your focus away from your disappointment.
Look for alternatives – alternatives are a great way to move forward passed your disappointment. These alternatives can be big or small, such as a day going to your favourite cafes or spots around the city, to plan a vacation in the future. Sometimes we become too focused on the idea of what summer should or must look like, but deviations from that can be just as meaningful and fun.
As difficult as it may seem after disappointment, planning a future event or vacation will help you move on. Looking up travel and accommodation prices, planning who to go with, and taking concrete steps to achieve your goals will help you feel as though you’re making progress towards the summer you deserve.
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About the Author
Ashley (she/her)
Hi! My name is Ashley, and I am the Student Wellness Program Assistant. I am newly graduated from the Honours Psychology Program with a minor in Anthropology. I am passionate about the health and wellness of my communities and learning about how to improve the system to better serve these communities. Outside of work I enjoy painting, reading, and spending time with my dog.
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