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What Hot Girl Summer Used to Look Like
Before I had kids, Hot Girl Summer meant endless travel, sunsets with margaritas, and countless restaurants and lounges that had me feeling like the world was my playground.
Girls trips were a regular thing. My husband and I were exploring somewhere new practically every weekend. No agenda. No schedule. Just us, good food, good vibes, and wherever the weekend took us.
Those were the days. And I mean that with my whole chest. And then I became a mom. And everything changed, in the best and hardest way.
And can I be honest with you for a second? It is okay to mourn that version of your life. You don’t have to pretend you don’t miss it sometimes. That feeling is real and it deserves space.
But here’s what nobody tells you about becoming a mom, you don’t lose that woman. She’s still in there. She just had to learn a new rhythm.
And mourning her doesn’t mean she’s gone forever. It means you loved her and now it’s time to be intentional about creating that life again, just with your children alongside you for the ride.
Because now I’m still outside. Just at playgrounds and museums with two minis who are equally obsessed with adventure. Hot Girl Summer didn’t disappear when I became a mom. It got a glow up. 🤎
What Hot Girl Summer Actually Looks Like Now
Let me be clear, I am still very much that girl. Just intentional about it now.
This summer I’m still planning travel. A family vacation the kids will absolutely lose their minds over AND a trip just for me and my husband where we remember what it felt like to just be us. Both are on the calendar. Both are non-negotiable.
In between I’m constantly researching new playgrounds, parks, museums and indoor play centers to keep my minis busy and exploring all summer long. Because an adventurous mama raises adventurous kids and honestly finding new spots for them fills me up too.
Date nights are penciled in. Friend time is penciled in. Not as an afterthought, as a requirement. Because every now and then I need that feeling of nostalgia. A great restaurant, good conversation, and a reminder that she’s still here. That’s good for the soul.
I’m still working out. Still doing things that bring me joy. Still a busy body who always has something in the works. My kids already know, there is usually something fun in store. And mama always makes sure she gets a cut of that too.
Because Hot Girl Summer at this season of life isn’t about being everywhere at once. It’s about being intentional about everywhere you choose to be.
Why Mom Guilt Is Lying to You
To the mom who feels guilty for wanting her own Hot Girl Summer, I need you to hear this.
Your kids will love you MORE for showing up for yourself. Not less. More.
Every time you lace up your sneakers and work out when you don’t feel like it, every date night you pencil in, every brunch you actually show up to, you are teaching your children something they will carry into adulthood. You are giving them a visual of what a woman who takes care of herself looks like. And one day they will thank you for it.
Show up for yourself on the hard days. You will be glad you did.
Because here’s what I know to be true, kids feel everything. They feel your tension. They feel your exhaustion. But they also feel your joy. Deep down, dig for that joy and let it spill over into them. Let them catch it. Let it become theirs too. That is one of the greatest gifts you will ever give your children, a happy mama.
And mama, life is too short to be anything but happy.
So no more guilt. No more waiting until everything is perfect or everyone is taken care of before you take care of yourself. You are not selfish for wanting a summer that fills you up. You are intentional. You are wise. And your children will grow up knowing exactly what that looks like because they watched you live it.
That’s not just a Hot Girl Summer. That’s a legacy. 🤎
How to Build YOUR Hot Girl Summer Plan
Okay mama, here’s where we get practical. Because feeling inspired is one thing, actually executing is another. So here’s exactly where I’d tell you to start.
Step 1 — Write the list. Grab a journal and write down everything you would want to do, experience, and accomplish if you weren’t a mom. Don’t filter it. Don’t edit it. Just write. Dream on paper first.
Step 2 — Pray over it. God said write the vision and make it plain. So write it, pray over it, and believe that every single thing on that list is still available to you. Motherhood didn’t disqualify you from your desires. It just changed the timeline.
Step 3 — Prioritize and pick one thing. Look at your list and identify the one thing that’s pulling at you the most. Not five things. One. Start there. Go after that one thing with your whole intention and let it build your confidence for everything else on the list.
Step 4 — Schedule a rest day first. Before you execute anything pencil in a full day to just sleep and rest. Because most of us are too tired and too exhausted to think through good execution. Rest is not laziness — it’s strategy. You cannot pour from an empty cup and you cannot plan from a depleted mind.
Step 5 — Execute slowly and intentionally. Once you’re rested start moving. Slowly. Intentionally. One thing at a time. This is not a race. This is your life and you get to set the pace.
And remember this; this will not be your only Hot Girl Summer. You have a whole life ahead of you to conquer. You have YOU. And that is more than enough. 🤎
Hot Girl Summer Is Still Yours Mama
Hot Girl Summer didn’t end when you became a mom.
It evolved. It deepened. It got more intentional and honestly, more meaningful.
Because now when you show up for yourself it’s not just for you. It’s for the two little people watching your every move. It’s for the marriage you’re nurturing. It’s for the woman God called you to be before anyone ever called you mama.
So yes, plan the trip. Book the brunch. Schedule the girls night. Lace up the sneakers. Feed your mind. Rest when you need to. And go after every single thing on that list without apology.
You are still her. She never left. She just needed a new rhythm.
And this summer? Give her everything she deserves.
Ready to build a life that works for ALL of you, not just the mom parts? Grab the free Thrive Five Weekly Reset Guide and start creating your most intentional season yet.
I love this! Momming is so hard sometimes, thanks for sharing this
Thank you!
I love this!! Can I be a hot mama gardener chef too?;)
Absolutely 🙂
This is such a refreshing reminder that moms deserve to enjoy summer too, not just survive it. I love how you highlight balance, self-care, and making time for yourself even with a busy schedule. A hot girl summer can absolutely look different for every woman, and this was beautifully said. Love it!
Thank you! Its hard but gotta make it work!
I love this so much. Being a working mom, this is a refreshing reminder that moms can still have their moment too 💛✨
Absolutely!
Such a great reminder to all moms to continue to plan a fun summer for yourself and your partner, even if it’s just a date night here and there.
Love these suggestions! I need to do a better job of reminding myself this. Thank you!
I really enjoyed this. As a mom and now a grandmother, I can relate to how much life changes through different seasons. I especially liked the reminder that it’s okay to miss parts of your life before children while still loving your role as a parent. Too often people act like it has to be one or the other, but both feelings can exist at the same time.
Absolutely and a breath of fresh air when they co exhist. Thank you!