8 Self-Care Ideas for Fall
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Happy fall, everyone! Every year the transition from summer to fall always feels like it comes way too quickly, but I’ve really learned to embrace and truly celebrate the change in season over the last couple of years. (Living in LA knowing that there is no true winter coming after fall has really helped!)
To me, fall represents a return to home and a return to ourselves. It’s a time for us to reconnect, to start anew, to create, and to let go. As we start to slow down after the summer months, self-care is something that can help us to truly tune in with our needs, our creativity, and our deepest desires.
Here are 8 ways to celebrate the fall season while giving yourself the TLC you deserve in the process:
1) Slow down. After the busyness of the summer months, fall brings us a renewed sense of calm. The changing of the seasons invites us to take a step back from the go-go-go of summer and truly start to relax. Start by spending more time at home, opting for more relaxing activities, or just keeping your weekends open with no plans so you can go with the flow and do what feels best in the moment.
2) Create space for rest. Going hand-in-hand with item 1, creating space for more rest in our lives is the ultimate fall self-care. With the days getting shorter, our bodies are naturally going to want to rest more. For me personally, getting up super early for a workout or to do my morning routine always gets more difficult in the fall because my body just doesn’t want to get out from under the covers and get going when it’s still dark outside… and that’s okay! Allow yourself the space to rest more - sleep in, go to bed earlier, maybe do your workouts midday instead of in the morning… whatever you need to give your body the rest it’s going to be naturally craving.
3) Cook & bake seasonal foods. This is probably my favorite form of fall self-care. I love cooking and baking as it is, but there is just something about all of the seasonal foods that come with fall that make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Last year, a few of my favorite fall recipes were these pumpkin coffee cake muffins, this creamy pumpkin pasta, and this moroccan lentil soup. This year, I plan on making lots of soups/stews and an apple pie.
4) Spend time outside. Even in southern California, there is just something in the air during the fall. I love being outside in general, but a long walk on a fall day just hits different. Take a long walk, go to the park to read, anything you can do to soak up the crisp, fall air.
5) Revamp your house/apartment with cozy blankets & pillows. What says “fall” more than cozy-ing up on the couch after a long day with a blanket, a book, and a cup of tea? Nothing. So what better excuse than fall to give your apartment a cozy upgrade? Buy some new throw pillows and blankets to give your space a fresh feel while celebrating the season.
6) Get creative. Taking time to be creative for no reason can be one of the most fun and rewarding ways to take care of yourself. Paint/carve pumpkins, color in a coloring book, write, make a vision board, there are so many possibilities! Whatever creative outlet you choose, let it be about having fun and the creative process without worrying what the end result looks like.
7) Write down what you want to let go of. For me, fall always serves as a reminder to let go. The leaves change, they fall to the ground, and everything grows back in the spring. We should be no different and we could all learn to let go a little more… not only of what no longer serves us, but of the need to control everything, as well. When we let go, we create space for more possibilities and manifestations beyond our wildest dreams.
8) Go inward. Last, but certainly not least, fall is the perfect time to go inward. To explore our minds and our hearts and discover more of who we are at our core. Luckily, all of the activities listed above give you the time and the space to do just that. To tune out the world a little bit and take care of yourself. To show yourself the same level of attention and love that you give to others.
Above all else, remember that the seasons are here to support us in our lives… and we should embrace the changes that they bring us, even if the changes feel “scary”. May this season bring you peace, inner calm, and a renewed sense of self.
xo,
Kelsey