Suddenly, it's dark before 5:00pm.
It's cold and blustery.
And there's that intensely felt mix of emotions being held in the body that this time of year has arrived.
For some, joy is the most prominent feeling.
For others, grief. Maybe isolation, or nostalgia.
But I'd guess that for most of us, it's a mixed bag of a lot of things...things that are hard to feel all at the same time.
As this season continues to unfold, I'll keep sharing my thoughts and guidance around navigating this particular part of the wheel of the year.
For now, though, I wanted to drop a few of my favorite things ( cue Julie Andrews ) that I'm leaning into lately to help ground me during this complex season.
*Warning*: I'm going to be honest with you, the length of this one got away from me.
Take your time with this, read bits and return to it later, or do a skim and see how it initially lands...or, make yourself a cup of tea and take a few quiet moments to really explore how you might care for yourself during this season
Morning Sun
I know, I know...all the IG "wellness" influencers can't stop talking about getting sun on your face in the morning.
And here I am, waxing poetic about it, too.
The thing is, sometimes what's "trending" started out being talked about for good reason: because it's generally supportive to wellness!
One of the issues that happens is that these things become (erroneously) talked about as universal cure-all habits, when in reality, they're simply a nice recommendation to add to your daily life, if and when that feels good to you.
Anyway, morning sun really can be very lovely—it can support a better balance of certain hormones and neurotransmitters, can improve overall mood and sleep, and helps ground the body in the current season of light and dark.
And especially as the darkness falls earlier and earlier, if it's possible to enjoy some sunlight in the morning, it can be really helpful (ideally, before staring at your phone, but I get how hard that can be...I've only very recently started actually following that advice ).
And also, if your schedule doesn't allow for that, don't listen to the influencers—you can still be well without it.
(Related aside, this is also why I'm actually a big supporter of keeping the time changes during the year—can you imagine a cold December morning where the sun doesn't rise till 8am?? )
Nighttime Rituals
I love a good nighttime ritual, and right now, it's peak coziness.
For me, I've been enjoying a nightly warm beverage with some herbs and adaptogens to support my sleep.
I've also been trying really hard to turn off screens an hour before bed (though lately, that's just meant my phone and not always the tv...you do what you can, you know?).
For you, it could be something totally different, or similar but with your own twist!
While the darkness arriving earlier can feel pretty daunting (especially if you tend toward a more depressive or anxious self), establishing some cozy nighttime rituals can help your body and mind lean into this time of year...a reminder that we are meant to have cycles and seasons that highlight different parts of living in these bodies.
This season, we go inward. We get quiet. And it's ok (and natural) for that to often feel equal parts scary and supportive.
We make the most of what we can, and allow room for all the feelings while we do it.
Speaking of going inward...
As we know, this season brings the darkness, the cold, the quiet.
What this time of year can offer us is the opportunity for inner exploration, perhaps in ways that can get glossed over during the lighter and brighter times of year.
Journaling, spending time in nature, meditating, listening to your favorite music, sharing deep conversations with loved ones, and so much more can all be part of this journey.
For me, I'm starting by trying to be more mindful of the time I spend on my phone. As a virtual business owner, this can feel hard, but when I'm really honest with myself, I know that I often use that as an excuse. It's absolutely doable to be present for my clients while not mindlessly doom-scrolling in my off time
Allow the darkness and cold to give you the space that perhaps you sometimes crave other parts of the year.
The space to dream, to think, to feel, to explore.
The space to learn more about yourself when there isn't so much noise stifling your unique magic.
Beware the Energy Vampires
I know, Halloween is over.
But this time of year is when the energy vampires are often out in full force, complete with some holly-jolly smiles to hide the fact that they're trying to suck the life out of you.
Ok, a bit dramatic. But. The darkness and cold mean that, in a lot of ways, we actually have less to give of ourselves than perhaps other times of year.
So why wouldn't this season include a bunch of expectations, outings, pressure, overspending, etc.??
Now, of course, hopefully some of the seasonal things that do involve us giving of some of our energy actually can regift us that energy right back.
But now is the time to be thinking: What is draining me of my energy, and is this actually a "have to," or have I just been perceiving it that way?
Boundaries are hard to set, and they especially get challenged this time of year.
Some people may not like it if you set boundaries to protect your energy.
And that is ok.
Remember Tamagotchis??
When I saw an ad for this app called Finch, it was described as something along the lines of "a self-care app with the nostalgia of Tamagotchi."
And of course I, an elder millennial, immediately had my interest peaked.
Cut to a few weeks later, and I'm actually writing about an app in my newsletter.
There is so much I could say about this app.
It's cute, it doesn't include any ads, the free version has a lot of options, and the app is transparent about what you'd get if you got the paid version.
It allows you to select daily goals that revolve around self-care habits, and the suggested tasks range from things like "get out of bed" to more intensive (but still generally doable) activities.
You can also create and add your own goals. I usually do a combo of their suggestions and my own creations.
They also offer regular mood check-ins whenever you open the app, and if your mood is low, they'll suggest some extra tender and grounding "first aid" coping strategies. I've used them, and they're great.
As you know if you've been around a bit, depression and anxiety are lifelong partners for me in this life, and this lovely little app has actually provided a surprising amount of grounding.
I'm only sharing a bit here (there is so much more I could say!), but I'm thinking a more extensive review is coming in a blog post, which I can link in a future newsletter.
(And to be clear, I get absolutely nothing from recommending this app...I just really, truly love it )
The app is available in the Apple app store and Google Play, you get a lot for the free version, and it has become a positively delightful part of my self-care strategy.
10/10 would recommend!