Fall is officially here, meaning it’s time to trade in flip flops for boots and iced teas for Pumpkin Spice Lattes (but please, not from Starbucks!!! Try this recipe instead). Instead of triggering a case of the October blues, try making few positive changes in your life to boost happiness.
Keep spending time outdoors (just dress properly!) and with your friends, take extra days off from work (if possible), attend interesting classes, learn something new (how about that Indian cooking class?) and commit to a regular workout routine (even if it’s just one yoga class a week or a 15 min walk a day).
You don’t have to lose your summer glow as the seasons shift.
5 ways to enjoy the change of season:
1. Plan a few mini-vacations
Make time for at least one or two short, affordable weekend trips during the fall, like driving to a nearby city or the countryside for the weekend. It does wonders for your health, well-being, and productivity. Personally I love the quietness of the countryside and when living in Northeast we often found ourselves in the peace of small towns of Pennsylvania. I haven’t explored Northern California much, but looking forward to starting now that I finally have weekends off!
The mere anticipation of a vacation can boost happiness for up to eight weeks before you leave! Do you notice how your energy is different when you have something to look forward to. I sure do!
2. Get outside
Yes, it’s not that warm anymore (except if you happen to in SF Bay Area currently!), but you can still enjoy the benefits of nature throughout the fall season. The crisp, cool autumn air can make for a refreshing walk as long as you’re appropriately dressed for the weather. Make time to enjoy an early-morning stroll, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Walking through green spaces has been shown to reduce stress and put the brain into a state of meditation. Try doing deep-breathing exercises while walking and notice the benefits. Just simply take deep breaths in and out, counting slowly to 4 with each breath.
3. Prioritize friends-and-family time
When the weather is nice and everyone is out and about, we tend to naturally gravitate towards spending more time with our friends and family. Once the temps drop, it’s easy to stay hibernating indoors.
Unfortunately that’s exactly what I tend to do. But no matter the season, making as much time as possible for your tribe will benefit not only your mood, but your health.
Strong social ties have been associated with lower stress levels, increased longevity and improved mental health. If you feel lonely, just create your own circle of sisters! There’s nothing stopping you. Gather your girls and go apple picking, visit animal sanctuary or take a culinary road trip.
4. Enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables
Find few good recipes and cook a meal using nutrient-rich autumn produce such as butternut and kabocha squash, grapes, brussels sprouts, apples, pears, beets, fennel, sweet potatoes or pumpkin. Get creative and add your own personal touch. For example I almost always add cinnamon to anything I’m roasting in the oven. It’s my favorite and makes the house smell like heaven.
Cooking can be a great de-stressor if you don’t rush it and make it a chore. Put on some music and enjoy the process. It’s a sensory experience with aroma, taste, touch and visual delight.
5. Unplug and recharge
This has been a real issue for me and so far the most helpful thing I’ve done is scheduling my internet time. My goal is to spend 10 minutes three times a day to check social media and answer people (morning, afternoon, evening) and one hour to get tasks such as writing blog posts, paying bills, doing research etc.
Too much screen time has been linked with stress and depression. Have you also noticed when you go on a vacation somewhere without WiFi how great you feel not checking your email and social media notifications every hour?
I fully agree with the unplug and recharge notion. Very hard to do but in the end, there are very few things that can't wait for an hour or an evening, or (gasp!) a weekend… However, regarding the little trips – I find that for me, scheduling vacations is actually more stressful than staying home. Finding places big enough for a family of 5, and then packing for the kids, aaaargh, just the thought gets me stressed out. Daytrips is just about what I can handle at this point. Or then the vacation has to be at least 10 days in location, to make it worth the planning and packing. But I'm sure this will change too when my life situation changes as the kids grow up. I wish I could offload the kids for the grandparents for a weekend and get away on my own..
You have made some excellent points. I totally agree with you about unplugging and not being connected to our devices 24×7.
I also totally agree with the unplugging and recharging. It never used to be a problem for me but now that I work online I spent too much time online – the lines between life and work are very blurred! I love heading to National Parks or wilderness areas for a couple of days where there is no service – that way I can’t get online even if I want to
Hi there, just wanted to inform you that we had a great vacation at Marina de Bolnuevo in June of this year. We flew into San Javier and hired a car from the airport for the short drive to Bolnuevo. The beaches are fantastic, most of them awarded the Blue Flag. The cafes were great, with paella on the beach a must and managed a trip to the nudist beach there. Very liberating. We also visited the Big Guns, The Roman Mines and the Sand sculptures. Will be returning there again next year. Thanks for reading Alicia.
Great ideas. I like The scheduling 10 min a day 3 times a day. I spent too much time on social media.
I love fall, the days are still warm but not too hot. A great time to enjoy the outdoors. Wonderful ideas!
Ah, I LOVE fall! I’m in need of a recharge soon.