The summer reset that nobody talks about

Hey there!

I've been watching so many creators and entrepreneurs push through this summer like it's just another quarter to optimize. Launching courses, scaling content, chasing the next milestone—basically treating July like it's March with better weather.

And I get it. I really do. When you're building something from scratch (like I have been this past 6 months), the temptation to keep your foot on the gas pedal is real.

The hustle culture messaging is loud, and when you're finally seeing momentum, slowing down feels counterintuitive.

But here's what I've learned after starting entirely from scratch 6 months ago and hitting 1,300 YouTube subscribers, building a membership community and multiple income streams: the most sustainable growth happens when you honor your natural rhythms, not fight against them.

Here's something that might sound counterintuitive: my best-performing content comes from the times when I step away from my computer.

We've been so conditioned to believe that pushing through equals results. But what if the opposite is true? What if the breakthrough you're looking for is waiting on the other side of rest?

It's not about not working hard for the sake of it. It's about working differently. It's about connecting with yourself instead of following whatever the online business coaches are telling you to do this week.

When you're rested and aligned, that energy translates to everything you create. People can feel authenticity through a screen.

There's something deeply misaligned about forcing productivity when nature itself is asking us to slow down. Summer isn't just a season—it's an invitation to nourish, reset, and approach our work from a place of abundance rather than scarcity.

So instead of another productivity hack or growth strategy, I want to offer you something different: three transformational prompts that helped me navigate this mid-year moment with intention rather than anxiety.

The Three-Part Summer Reset

I've been working with this incredible transformational coach who has literally helped me shed limiting beliefs like old clothes that no longer fit. You know that feeling when you've been carrying invisible weight for so long that you forget it's there? Then suddenly it's gone and you can breathe again? That's what working with her has been like.

I’ve created these prompts after our session and I'm sharing them because I believe everyone deserves access to this kind of transformational thinking.

Prompt #1: Your Mid-Year Check-In

This is a reminder to myself that sometimes I can be so focused on moving forward that I forget to actually acknowledge how far I've come. Sometimes we need to give ourselves an opportunity to pause and really see what's been working, what's been draining us, and what we're ready to release.

The prompt:

I'm at the halfway point of 2025 and want to do an honest mid-year reflection. Help me process this thoughtfully by asking me questions about:

What has felt most aligned and energizing in my work/life this year?

What patterns or habits have been holding me back without me fully realizing it?

What am I ready to let go of as I move into the second half of the year?

What would I regret NOT pursuing in the next 6 months?

Ask me one question at a time and help me dig deeper into my answers. I want to be honest about what's working and what isn't, so I can make intentional choices moving forward.

Prompt #2: Summer Intentions (Not Goals)

Summer isn't meant for grinding. It's meant for nourishing, exploring, and letting yourself be a little less structured. Instead of asking "What do I need to accomplish?" we asked "How do I want to feel? What wants to emerge?"

The Prompt:

I want to set intentions for this summer that honor both my need to recharge and my desire to stay connected to my work/creativity. Help me design a summer approach that feels nourishing rather than depleting.

Ask me about:

What would make this summer feel successful to me (beyond productivity metrics)?

How do I want to feel at the end of August?

What kind of work feels sustainable during slower months?

What would 'rest' look like for someone like me who finds energy in creating?

Help me create intentions that feel spacious but purposeful.

Prompt #3: Your Summer Revenue Level Up

Because I know many of you are wondering how to navigate the business side of slower summer months, this prompt is designed to find low-effort opportunities that still serve your business:

The prompt:

Summer is typically a slower period for my business, but I want to explore if there are any low-hanging fruit opportunities I might be missing.

My business context: [describe your services/products/audience] My current capacity this summer: [be honest about your energy/time] 
What I definitely DON'T want to do: [courses, launches, anything that feels heavy]

Help me identify:

Simple digital products I could create that would genuinely serve my audience
Ways to monetize content I've already created
Partnerships or collaborations that would feel energizing rather than draining
Any obvious opportunities I'm overlooking because I'm too close to my own business

Focus on ideas that align with a slower, more intentional pace rather than trying to maintain peak productivity.

How to Get the Most From These Prompts:

Copy and paste them directly into ChatGPT. If you have memory activated (you can turn it on/off in the ChatGPT settings) and you've been using ChatGPT for a while, ask it to reflect on patterns it's noticed in your conversations over the past months—this can surface incredible insights you might have missed.

If you're newer to ChatGPT or don't have memory turned on, don't just accept the first response. Ask it to keep asking you deeper questions until you feel like you've really tapped into something meaningful. The magic happens in the follow-up questions, not the surface-level answers.

Context is king. The more context the AI has about your specific situation, dreams, and challenges, the more personalized and transformational the guidance becomes.

What's On My Radar Right Now

I've been in a deep rabbit hole of AI agents lately.

After testing Perplexity Labs (Perplexity’s first AI Agent) this week in my most recent YouTube video, I wasn’t that impressed. Don't get me wrong— I see HUGE potential in AI Agents and I am betting on it big time.

OpenAI just launched their ChatGPT agent yesterday and I am excited to try it out and test some use-cases for my business, I will share it soon on my Youtube channel.

But here's the question I keep asking myself: Am I creating use cases because the tools exist, or because I actually need them? Am I adding complexity instead of simplifying things for myself?

I test A LOT of AI tools, and most of them are incredibly useful and game-changing for us solopreneurs. But there are plenty where I keep thinking: this is a solution looking for a problem.

So while I'm honoring my summer intentions, I'll also be experimenting with these new AI Agents from our summer place in northern Sweden.

Playing around with cutting-edge AI tools while literally touching grass.

I'm personally taking this whole intentional approach to heart. I'll be working at a much slower pace from my summer place, spending mornings with my kids and creating content when it feels natural.

I want you to know that taking intentional breaks isn't giving up on your dreams—it's investing in your ability to sustain them. Your business will benefit from you showing up rested and inspired rather than burned out and resentful.

Try one (or all) of these prompts and let me know what insights come up for you. Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is give ourselves permission to pause.

Until next time (probably from the woods somewhere in Sweden),

Your AI Solopreneur Bestie, Elena

P.S. If you're curious about the AI agent experiments I'll be running, make sure you're subscribed to the YouTube channel.