Sometimes, doing nothing resets everything.
Summer is not just a few months on the calendar. Sometimes, it’s a kind of light. Sometimes, a slow flow of time… And sometimes, a quiet step the mind takes inward. The days grow longer, people stay up a little later, walks slow down, conversations become fewer. And in this shift of rhythm, a new space opens up within the mind. Whatever has been suppressed in the rush—thoughts, emotions, dreams—slowly begins to surface. The brain enters a kind of vacation mode. But this is not a passive halt; it is an inner reorganization.
Neuroscience has long recognized this! Studies show that when we move away from external stimuli, the brain doesn’t just go blank. On the contrary, a system called the default mode network is activated (Raichle et al., 2001). This network lights up during deep internal moments—when we daydream, recall the past, or plan for the future. So, while we seem to be “zoning out,” the mind is actually doing some of its most meaningful and creative work.
Summer is one of the seasons that best supports this inner flow. Because summer is a time when outer voices fade and the inner voice becomes clearer. Crowds disperse, schedules ease, days stretch out. And in that spaciousness, the mind’s tight corners begin to soften.
Mental Rest: The Silent Partner of Creativity
The ideas that suddenly come to us in summer, the problems that “solve themselves,” or the new passions that quietly arise—these are rarely coincidences. In psychology, this is called the incubation period: after intense mental effort, a relaxed state helps forge unseen bridges between thoughts (Sio & Ormerod, 2009). In other words, mental rest is actually a precursor to productivity. That’s why a summer walk, a simple day by the sea, or the quiet of gazing at the waves can be the setting for the brain’s deepest work.
Awe: The Quiet Emotion of Summer
Awe can sound like a grand word. Maybe it seems reserved for works of art, natural wonders, or extraordinary talents. But in truth, awe often lies in recognizing the extraordinary within the ordinary. The pattern on a tree trunk, a pause in a sentence, the meaning in a stranger’s eyes…
In a world where everything is rapidly consumed, to pause in awe of something… is a forgotten skill. Yet summer reminds us of it. Because summer is not only long days and warm weather. It’s also a time when the mind slows down and begins to truly see—more than just look.
During the summer, watching a child chase a butterfly or observing clouds slowly drift across the sky can stir a gentle feeling of awe within us. It’s hard to describe—not quite a feeling, not just a thought. But in that moment, we are not just watching. We are connecting.
Psychologist Dacher Keltner from Stanford University says that awe makes people more humble, less self-centered, and feel more connected. During such moments, the brain shifts away from “me”-focused thoughts to a more collective and inclusive perspective (Keltner & Haidt, 2003). And in that space, we don’t just feel like a part of something—we feel like we belong to it.
That’s why the lightness we feel in summer is not only physical, but also spiritual. It is a time when we stop fighting the world and begin to flow with it. Curiosity leads us through this flow; awe gives it depth.
The Greatest Gift of Summer: The Ability to Look with Wonder
Curiosity is not just about gaining knowledge. It’s about refusing to accept the limits of what already is and daring to step beyond. Like a child watching an ant for minutes… Or the small voice inside an adult still trying to understand why. In psychology, this is called intrinsic motivation—a desire to learn driven not by external rewards but by inner drive.
During summer, this internal motivation becomes more pronounced. Mental resources are no longer scattered—school, work, meetings fade into a more fluid rhythm. And that gives our thoughts room to wander and play. Curiosity is not just for knowing—it’s for surviving, finding meaning, and experiencing wonder.
That’s why a summer vacation is not just a physical break; it is a mental reorganization. Like an open window letting in light, air, and sound… a resting mind allows in new ideas, new feelings, new connections. This summer, maybe we’ll try to see a little more. Judge less. Wonder more. The details we overlook might carry meanings close to our hearts.
Because when the mind is open, the heart is too.
References
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Raichle, M. E., MacLeod, A. M., Snyder, A. Z., Powers, W. J., Gusnard, D. A., & Shulman, G. L. (2001). A default mode of brain function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98(2), 676–682.
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Sio, U. N., & Ormerod, T. C. (2009). Does incubation enhance problem solving? A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 135(1), 94–120.
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Keltner, D., & Haidt, J. (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17(2), 297–314.