Grace Notes

a blog about life’s everyday magic

September 14, 2016

25 Autumn Inspired Self-Care Possibilities

25 Autumn Self-Care Possibilities

Words: Tina Zarlenga
Photo credit: Johanna Love

 

Autumn has always been one of my favorite seasons. With the crisp scents and bright colors who wouldn’t fall in love? But the changing season delivers more than just those cooler temps, scarlet hues and shorter days. It inspires a bounty of my favorite traditions in self care.

Indulging in the spell of the season, a culmination of color blankets the landscape inviting us to participate. With outdoor fires, hearty dishes and the cozy garments to keep us warm, there are plenty of ways to enhance our romance with fall.

According to Chinese Medicine, autumn is a worthy time to concentrate on the internal, nurturing of our body and mind by becoming more reflective. Embracing a season of mindfulness, releasing the negative burdens we are holding onto and allowing space for new experiences, all, which can bolster growth and generate gratitude, as we breathe into the season.

Forging a mindful season includes indulging our senses, tending to our souls’ cravings and softening into the season upon us. While autumn’s appearance is often brief, I relish the space it provides while keenly aware of winter’s approaching gaze.

Each year in anticipation of fall I find myself befallen to many of my own seasonal habits. And on the days when I can savor them I dutifully follow this list …

  1. Awake before everyone and enjoy the peace-filled house in between the furnace creaks
  2. Drink a warm glass of lemon water to feel refreshed
  3. Journal a list of aspirations for the season
    • Hay rides
    • Campfires
    • Dates with the outdoors
    • Wine tasting
    • Races
  4. Sit outdoors to capture the first glimpse of morning
  5. Fuzzy slippers (a must)
  6. Cozy blankets rolled nearby in a basket
  7. A daily dose of SAVOR by Shauna Niequist
  8. Pumpkin spice coffee at the ready
  9. Fireplace lit for warmth and ambiance
  10. Carmel scented candles illuminating my space
  11. Pumpkin spice pedicures with girlfriends
  12. Seasonal scarves (you can’t have too many)
  13. Fall foliage tours to drink in the season
  14. Apple picking at a local farm
  15. Gatherings that include a bonfire (and marshmallows of course)
  16. Pumpkin Spice lattes
  17. Pay it forward’s
  18. Camping out
  19. Indulging with warm Chai tea
  20. Brisk walks in the woods
  21. Crock pot meals
  22. Warm apple cider
  23. Wine tastings that compliment the season
  24. Outdoor photo shoots
  25. Participating in local 5k races (The great pumpkin and turkey trot)

And just like summer, fall too will slip away quickly into winter’s grasp. But before surrendering to its departure, I will discover delight in the moments that fall collects, raking them into lists and creating memories like the gathering leaves we accumulate, allowing them to linger into the cold of winter while I reminisce their warmth.

What are your fall favorites? Let us know in the comments below!

 

“Life is about unraveling, a continuous cycle of activity until you find yourself whole.” Tina Zarlenga loves to tell the stories life creates, those things that connect us. You can discover more of her inspirational musings about love, life, and loss on her beautiful website www.unravelingmyheartthewriteway.com.

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Comments ( 3 )

  1. Tisa

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    Savoring the sunshine– a rare thing in Seattle after fall really gets rolling!

  2. Charlotte Janzen

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    I was born for autumn…the first crisp breath of air gives me an energy that has waited since the first heat wave of the summer.

    I will stand another foot taller, take a deep breath amd embrace the spectacular season

  3. Melody

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    i love long walks in the woods, my jean jacket and favourite boots, curling up with a good book, artist dates with my camera — to capture fall’s magic, the sights and sounds of geese flying so close overhead, quiet mornings lit by crimson sunrise colours, the heightened sense of closeness with my family when we are together around the table….autumn whispers to my soul. I love this season!!!

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