WELCOMING A NEW SEASON
Although fall began a couple of weeks ago, October 1st always feels like the true start of autumn. I’m a summer girl – I love warm, sunny days, beaches, and boating – but something about transitioning into a new season feels revitalizing to me, almost like a new chapter. As I watch the leaves change and feel the temperatures cool down, I think about all of the opportunities this next season holds.
The more I think about it, autumn really is fascinating. The older I get, the more I seem to embrace the beauty of the changing leaves; their bold colors and varying characteristics. It is wild to think that every single year these same trees change their colors, lose their leaves, and grow back into fresh, full-of-life beings. I like to think of us humans in this way. Ever-changing, unique, and resilient; able to take on the harshest of seasons and experiences, always coming back stronger and more beautiful than before. I mean just look at us – 2020 has been a whirlwind with immense ups and downs, yet here we are; growing, learning, and pushing through.
My hope for myself, and for you, too, is that we welcome this new season with the goal of contentment and happiness. That we choose ourselves first, nurture our souls, do what makes us happy, give each other grace, and love harder than we ever have before. Life is hard, and it can be messy, scary, and uncomfortable; but, when we focus on the moments that make our hearts flutter inside our chests, the moments where we smile so big our cheeks hurt, and the moments that we never want to end, we can make this life the most beautiful thing we’ve ever witnessed.
With that, I have came up with five ways that I am going to hold myself accountable for making this a transformational, beautiful season. Five ways that I will create contentment and happiness within my life. I encourage you to try these out, and maybe they’ll spark joy in your life, too!
1. Create Time For Yourself
Don’t get me wrong, I am pretty good at self-care. I exercise, I take a lot of baths, I do a lot of face masks, I read poetry, and I spend quite a bit of time doing what I want to do {which is usually watching Netflix or scrolling through TikTok on my phone}. In this new season, however, I am challenging myself to spend more time with myself doing things that will help me grow. I plan to wake up earlier, read more books, practice more yoga, and meditate every single day. These are all things that I tell myself I want to do, or should do, but then, before I know it, I’ve either slept in longer than I wanted to, or the day has passed me by. My hope for you is that you, too, can spend time with yourself doing whatever it is that helps you grow and find the love and power within you.
2. Get Outside, Every. Single. Day.
I can tell such a difference in my overall mental health and attitude if I spend time outside. Getting fresh air, especially the crisp, fall air that we have right now, is so crucial for me and my happiness. With that said, I am encouraging myself, AND YOU, to get outside every single day. Be active, even if it’s just a short walk. I would challenge you to go for some hikes, to go on bike rides, and to walk around a nearby lake. Also, get outside and breathe! Sit outside and read, start a campfire, go camping! Snow will be here before we know it, so let’s take this season to fully enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
3. Start a Passion Project
I talk to so many people who have goals and dreams to do something outside of their 9-5. Either they want to take up photography or open up a store or learn a new skill. I encourage you to take this time to do it! I, for one, am going to encourage myself to write more and post more here in The Hygge Journal. This is my personal passion project, and although I took a little time away while feeling discouraged about the world, I am designating this season to transformation, and that includes being more present right here.
4. Nourish Your Body
Seriously. Let’s do this together… I love the way I feel when I eat foods that make me feel good. I love learning new recipes and trying new foods that just so happen to be absolutely delicious (and healthy)! I encourage you to find new recipes, to make them, and to share them. What we put into our bodies is so important, and if we are focusing our ourselves this season, food is absolutely a key part of this! So please, share your recipes and your tips in the comments. Stay tuned for a post of some of my go-to recipes!
5. Create Your Dream Moments
I saved this for last because, of course, it ties into our magic word — HYGGE. My dream moments are when I am most at peace. When I am happy, when I am cozy, when I am surrounded by those I love doing the things that spark joy within me. I encourage you to take a moment to pause and think about what your dream moments consist of. Is it The Lumineers Pandora station, hot black coffee, pancakes, and candles on a chilly Sunday morning? Is it Oktoberfest out of a glass, sitting around a campfire, Love Your Melon beanie on, listening to some Neil Young – Harvest Moon with your friends? Maybe these are just two of my dream moments, but you get the point. My hope for myself, and my hope for you, too, is that we create more of these moments this season. Stop saying yes to things you don’t really want to do, and instead plan for the things that set your soul on fire. Sure, that may seem a little extreme for Sunday morning pancakes, but I’m serious! This life is too short. We get a limited amount of time to create the lives we dream of, so let’s start now. Right here. This season. Despite whatever else is going on in the world, we must create our own lives that we are excited to wake up to every single day.
There you have it, folks. My ideas of how we can best welcome a new season while focusing on ourselves. I appreciate you for being apart of this journey and reading what I have to say, and I hope I’ve encouraged you to do at least one thing for yourself this fall. Although I said I am a summer girl, I will admit fall is the most “hygge” season of them all, so I am here for it and ready to take it for all it has to offer! Cheers to this fresh chapter.