Every season brings new emotions, sensations and reactions. Each individual body and mind responds to these shifts differently. This explains why some people experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a mood disorder that comes into play when we transition from summer into winter. Yet, understanding the season’s influence on your well-being can pave the way for a smoother, more mindful transition. Take a moment to witness the fall foliage and breathe in the cool, crisp air. Embracing the darker months will remind us that change is a natural part of existence, and challenging moments will inevitably lead to brighter days.
TRANSITION TO FALL WITH MINDFULNESS PRACTICES
While embracing the essence of fall, you can make your transition to fall poetic and practical. This will require you to have an awareness of your everyday mindfulness practices.
- Setting goals for the season
Set plans for the upcoming season and approach them with mindful determination. You can plan for personal growth, learn new skills, or nurture your relationships. However, don’t aim at achieving them at once, instead, believe in taking actionable steps.
The energy of fall also teaches us about change and balance. It is the time to take a moment and slow down and further reflect, re-evaluate and nurture ourselves. We begin to take our biggest lesson from the season of fall, which is “letting go”.
- Create a gratitude journal
As summer passes, create a gratitude journal to note down the essence of the past season. Transitioning into a new season with gratitude fills you with positivity and acceptance. Some basic steps to start a gratitude journal are:
- Choose and create a cover page which can depict your positive thoughts.
- Be consistent with writing in your journal preferably at the same time of the day.
- Write at least three to five things a day. This will make you aware of all the things in life to be grateful for.
- Try to be more specific and focus exactly on why you are grateful for something.
- Try to find the positive side of negative situations. It may be a failed relationship, financial hardships or a health problem.
- Mindful eating
Whether it is cooking or baking, it is an excellent way of taking some time for yourself along with fulfilling your family’s needs. This autumn, have fun while finding new recipes to try the upcoming seasonal fruits and vegetables. This will spark a change in your eating habits and satisfy your taste buds with the delightful flavors. Nutrient-rich foods can yield a positive influence on your mood, too. During the fall season, enjoy foods like pumpkin, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, turnips, beets, apples, pears, cranberries, and dates.
- Having a mindful bedtime
As the weather cools, your body needs more energy to keep you warm. You also have the added pressure of accomplishing tasks in our shorter daylight hours. Therefore, increasing your sleeping hours even slightly benefits your body and proves to be one of the best mindfulness practices.
- Mindfulness Meditation
Practice restorative exercises, which are essential to aid your mental, physical and emotional being. These include yoga, pilates, tai chi, and barre. These activities will not only relax the body but will also balance the nervous system and keep your muscles stretched and supple. You will be able to pay attention to your thoughts more clearly, which will keep your mind from wandering.
- Take care of your skin
Exfoliate to get rid of the dry and dead skin cells which emerge during winters. Drink more water than usual, as our bodies have to work harder to keep us warm and cleanse away toxins. You will also need heavy moisturizers to soothe and nourish your extra dry skin. Remember to add vitamin C to retain a fresh glow.
- Spend time in nature
Regular nature walks are a simple and very effective way to take care of your mental well-being. The shifting foliage, crisp autumn air and leaves crunching beneath your steps are rejuvenating. It is the ideal time to be outdoors, absorb the sunlight and boost your vitamin D levels. Engage in mindfulness with the sights, sounds and scents of your natural surroundings and embrace the fall season. Sit in a quiet place and just focus on your breath with each inhale and exhale. Inhale the energy of the past season and exhale the anxiety related to fall.
- Refresh your mind by reorganizing your home
The need to stay cozy against the chill outside leads to creating warm indoor spaces filled with soft blankets, warm beverages and a crackling fireplace. Engage in creative pursuits by drawing inspiration from the enchanting autumn scenery. For this, you must choose gorgeous, warm autumnal hues from the color pallet.
The fall weather wants you to swap out your summer attire and choose your fall wardrobe carefully. Choose clothing that makes you feel comfortable and warm. Also, you can donate items that no longer serve you and create space for new articles of cozy clothing.
- Create meaningful rituals
Align some activities with the changing weather, such as reading a book, lighting up a scented candle or having a reflective conversation with a friend. This will help you anchor yourself in the present moment and stay connected with the people you care about. This is the best way you can take care of yourself and your emotional health.
CONCLUSION
Fall has arrived at your doorstep. This is the time to discover empowering strategies and mindfulness practices to manage life’s challenges. From stress to strength, unlock your true potential and make this transition to fall easy and refreshing.
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