As we move from one season to another it's a good idea to take a mental inventory of what your are feeling, what your body needs and how you can support the natural transition.
As we move into Fall, I find myself needing to get more grounded and settled into a routine. I've always loved back to school for the routine it naturally creates. I will miss the easy, warm days of summer, but my favorite season is Fall. I love making soups, wearing cozy sweaters, burning candles and spending Sundays drinking cups of tea in my favorite reading chair.
A New Fall Routine for Grounding
I find that it helps my mind settle down if I create a new routine for myself as the seasons transition. One thing I did this year was to take a little get-away trip to the beach right before Labor Day. This was a nice way to prepare my mind for the new Fall routine as my daughter would return to school. I was able to shake off all of the summer energy and mentally prepare for the new changes ahead. I spent my morning doing yoga on the beach, went for bike rides with my family and let go of all the to-do lists and work related stress for a week swapping all that for board games, books and daily meditation sessions. As the trip came to an end I found myself thinking of ways I could bring the same relaxed feelings into my everyday life.
You don't have to go away to create this same vibe. Can you switch out your indoor workouts for walks in nature? Can you add a five minute meditation session in the morning or a yoga routine into your day, maybe after work/before dinner to create that line of demarcation in your day? I love to change up my fitness routine from time to time, and this is the perfect way to set a new routine. I like to practice yoga outside at least three times a week and this lets my body feel the changes in temperature and get some fresh air. In the summer and Winter months the temperatures can be too extreme to enjoy working out outside, so I'm enjoying this change while I still can.
Another way to mark a natural transition is to eat seasonally.
I enjoy gardening and growing most of our vegetables and leafy greens for about 6-months out of the year. When the weather starts to cool off a bit I love making soups, muffins and baking with seasonal items. I will add carrots, zucchini, potatoes and kale to a minestrone or lentil soup. I will swap out a salad for a butternut squash and curry soup. Or, I will add pumpkin or apples to a batch of muffins or bake a loaf of zucchini bread. Even my smoothies get an upgrade- have you ever tried adding cilantro or zucchini to a smoothie? Another simple swap is to sip on herbal tea, warm lemon water or matcha instead of ice water throughout the day.
Create a Fall vibe in your home, by changing out some of the decor.
One of the easiest and most fun ways to mark the seasonal transition is to swap out some of the decor in your home. I love seasonal candles and swapping out a few of my home decor items for pumpkins in bronze, gold and a warmer pallet. In summer I keep flowers in the house, fresh from the garden, but as the warm weather days fade away I love to use eucalyptus or dried branches and grasses to fill vases around the house. Do you have a center piece in the kitchen or on the dining room table? These can be filled with seasonal items like gourds, pumpkins or a string of oversized beads. This not only makes the home look beautiful and gives your space an immediate update- who doesn't love the glow of all those bronzy metals? It is also a signal to your brain that it is time to transition into a new season.
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