During the fall season everything starts to change. The world as you know it starts to prepare itself to sleep. The leaves turn colors and fall from the trees, our season of fun and taking it easy comes to an end, the days get shorter, and the temperature outside drops and animals go into hibernation. Fall and winter are a time of “death” to prepare for outstanding “re-birth” in the spring.

What does this mean for you?

You are also part of nature, and it’s normal for you to experience physical, mental and emotional changes too. Like other animals, your body goes into “hibernation mode”. You may feel more tired and hungry than usual.  It’s also natural to feel a little sad or cranky. Some people want to nest. Nesting is when a person instinctually wants to clean out their physical spaces or other areas of life. Many people go through a very slight summer “mourning” process. It’s almost as if you are breaking up with summer. If this is not enough, fall is a naturally busier time as well, since the kids are back to school and we often get busier at work. So just as we reach a time of lower energy, we are expected to step it up, right?

Here’s the good news. Just because your body naturally goes through these changes, that doesn’t mean it has to be a bad thing. Help yourself fall in love with fall! You are aware of what is happening to you during the fall, so you have an opportunity to use your natural rhythms to accomplish great things! Here are a few great things you can do to embrace and enjoy this transitional time.

Clear out the Clutter. Clean out your closets and other areas of your home or office that are cluttered. If you didn’t get around to this over the summer because you were out enjoying your life, now is a great time to take action and clear things out before winter comes. Because it’s not as warm outside, it’s a great time to have a yard sale or tackle an outside project.

Release What’s Not Serving You. Maybe you need to clear out old relationships that are no longer serving you well. In Tyler Perry’s play, Medea goes to Jail, Medea (the main character) talks about seasonal people versus those people in our lives who are “roots”. She suggests that, when people make us unhappy, they are supposed to be “seasonal” and fall out of our lives like the leaves in the fall. This beautiful analogy can also be applied to work, stagnant goals, and many other parts of life. Set some quiet time aside to assess your life and create a plan to say goodbye to people, things or goals that aren’t working out in your life In article I read recently in O Magazine, Elizabeth Gilbert talks about how we need to reach “catharsis”. Catharsis is defined as, “the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.” According to Gilbert and her friend Jim MacLaren, you cannot reach full catharsis until you totally let go of what’s bugging you. You can’t stay half in and half out and feel total relief. So, let it go!

Have Fun and Find Ways to Keep Your Blues at Bay. There are tons of ways to have fun during the fall even when it’s cold and rainy. On nice days, go outside and rake the leaves, take a walk or ride a bike. Soak up the sun whenever you get the chance. Visit a pumpkin patch if one is close by or go to a local zoo. Let yourself take a nap and leave the window open, so you can enjoy the weather. Even a short 20-minute nap can make a huge difference in the way you feel. On the rainy days, enjoy a cup of your favorite tea, diffuse some essential oils, or do an art project and find your creative sweet spot.

Whatever your fall rhythm is, embrace it and live it up!