As the weather changes along with the seasons, it can be a great time to introduce new ideas to your self-care arsenal. Whether we like to believe it or not, the cooler temperatures and lack of light can have a huge impact on our mood. Embracing the season with these self-care ideas can be helpful in finding a little more comfort in this season.
Crunch Through the Leaves
Take advantage of all those pretty leaves and enjoy them while they're still around! If you'd like, make it a mindful activity by really paying attention to the noises and the feeling of the leaves underneath your shoes, as well as the crisp fall smells. If you're feeling adventures, rake them into a pile and go leaf jumping!
Buy Your Favourite Halloween Candy
If seeing your favourite Halloween candy in store excites you, embrace it and buy yourself a little treat. Enjoy it before Halloween (we won't tell!), or embrace the after-Halloween sales and create your own Trick-or-Treat stash for November.
Do a Fall Craft
Take advantage of the extra time you're spending indoors by embracing your creative side. Pick up a cozy project you've been waiting to do, like knitting a scarf or quilting a blanket. Try one of these DIY Fall-Themed projects . Or, bring the outdoors in by heading out for a walk and collecting some pinecones to make this pinecone framed flower display or collect leaves to make a clay leaf dish.
Watch Your Favourite Seasonal Movie
Curl up on the couch or snuggle down in bed and watch your favourite seasonal movie, or check out a new flick. Turn on a movie set in autumn like When Harry Met Sally or Garden State to enjoy the autumn scenes. If you're into something a little more festive but not scary, check out Halloweentown or Hocus Pocus.
Add Fall Decor to Spaces You Spend the Most Time
A little seasonal decor is a great way to add a little pick-me-up to your space. Make sure that you add these little touches to spaces that you spend the most time in - even if you're lounging on the couch or in bed, you can still enjoy a little seasonal decor. It doesn't have to be expensive or lavish - use what you already have, check out the dollar store for fake pumpkins and faux leaves, or bring in some flowers from the garden or collect a few pinecones to stick in a vase.
Cozy Up With Your Favourite Book and Re-Read It
When you're searching for comfort, curling up with a well-loved book fits the bill. If you don't have the energy to take on a novel, grab a magazine you love (bonus points if it's a fall edition!) or even check out your favourite Halloween story from when you were a kid from the library.
Enjoy an Autumn Scent
Scents can have such a great impact on our mood, and can be a great way to practice a little self-care, no matter what you may be doing. If you're an essential oil user, bring out oils that are reminiscent of the season, like clove, ginger, or sweet orange. If you have a favourite seasonal bath or body product, pick it up while it's still limited edition. For something a little more convenient, make one of these autumn simmer pots and use what you have on-hand to make your home smell delicious.
Visit a Pumpkin Patch or Farmer's Market
As the temperature starts to dip, it's natural to spend more time inside. Help yourself to get a little more fresh air by making a point to enjoy an outside autumn activity like visiting a pumpkin patch or heading to a local farmer's market.
Enjoy Seasonal Foods
Switching up your typical meals and enjoying something seasonal can be a wonderful act of self-care. Turn to nature and pick up some autumn produce like pumpkin, apples, squash, pears, and cranberries. Pick up those limited edition pumpkin spice goodies or grab a caramel apple at a local chocolate shop. If you've got a little more energy, bake up a nourishing tray of seasonal roasted veggies or cook a warming soup.
Give Back
While it's important to ensure that you're taken care of, giving back can be a wonderful part of a self-care practice if you're able. It can be something as simple as donating some extra canned food to your local food bank, reaching out to a friend or family member you haven't heard from in awhile, raking a neighbor's leaves, or doubling your recipe the next time you bake muffins or cookies and sharing the extras at work.
Turn on Your Fireplace or Light Candles
That warm glow is such a great way to enjoy a little ambiance. Make sure to remember to turn your fireplace on, light your candles (bonus points if they're autumn scented) or pick up some battery operated candles if you don't want to worry about a real flame. To up the coziness even more, turn on a fall playlist like Autumn Acoustic or Autumn Sounds.
Stock Up on Your Favourite Cozy Warm Drinks
Whether your thing is pumpkin coffee, hot chocolate, apple cider, or chai tea, ensure you're stocked up for whenever you'd like a mug of something warm.
Practice Gratitude
With Thanksgiving, autumn is a natural time to up your gratitude practice. Use your current journal to write down a few things you are grateful for everyday or download an app like Mojo for a digital way to keep track of the things you are thankful for.