7 Ways to Practice Seasonal Living in Autumn

Do you ever wonder why everyone seems to go crazy with fall vibes? People love decorating for fall. People love sharing videos on social media that try to capture the look and feel of fall.

In this post, we'll begin to uncover the answer to this very question.

1. Notice What is Happening in Nature

It’s been beginning to feel like fall here in Kentucky. And it’s had me thinking lately, that there is so much more to fall than the trees changing colors and losing their leaves. In recent years, as I’ve been paying closer attention, I’m noticing the host of other changes that are taking place as well. 

Last night when I pulled up the driveway to my house, I really noticed the smell of fall in the air. I didn’t know until a couple of years ago that there is a good explanation for this. I learned that there are certain microbes that live in the soil that give off an earthy smell - especially after a rain. Also, as the leaves on trees begin to break down they release organic compounds that have the aroma that we typically associate with autumn. 

Already I'm seeing quite a few fallen leaves on the ground. We usually notice this as one of the first signs of autumn, yet beyond the trees, you can notice a lot of plants beginning to die off  as well. As I was on a walk the other day, I noticed an old log covered with moss and thought to myself of how in our society we have a tendency to think older things as beginning to fall apart and losing their beauty.

Yet if you set aside this cultural shared belief and look with really curious eyes, you may often find that many things become more interesting—like the moss covered log I noticed on my walk. The weathered look becomes beautiful in its own way–more complex, more nuanced and perhaps, even while the life is fading, in some ways more alive. It’s only a belief that aging things lose their beauty and often this belief is simply untrue.

 2. Take an Inventory of your Beliefs

Thinking about this reminds me that now is a good time of year to take stock of your current belief system - a seasonal check-in, if you will. I think it is really wise to do this from time to time, as our beliefs are the lens through which we view our lives. If those beliefs are positive and encouraging, we are more likely to be happier and feeling like we are making progress in our lives. 

As an example, when I thought about this, I asked myself, what are my beliefs about money? The first thing that popped into my mind is “It’s hard to get.” That is a belief that I currently am holding that can’t be serving me well. I know there are many people that think money is easy to come by and those are the people for which money is flowing easily into their lives. 

If taking stock of your current beliefs and finding limiting ones is an exercise you would like to go through at this time, you may want to watch this video where I talk about a few ways you can do this, give you some journal prompts to assist with the process and also share how you can get rid of the beliefs that are holding you back. You can also find a free guide for getting rid of limiting beliefs in the description for the video.

3. Physically Slow Down

Circling back to noticing what is happening in nature, I also love to hear how the sound of the crickets always start to slow this time of year. I often wonder, how do they know to do this. To me, it is one of the signs that nature is slowing down and it is time for me to think about slowing down as well. 

What can you do to encourage yourself to enjoying slowing down in the home? Maybe it’s bringing out the warm cozy things in the house so that you can savor the cool mornings and evenings that are coming. I like to light candles more often this time of year. 

4. Fall Cleaning

I mentioned a moment ago about how plants are beginning to shut down for winter - this is nature’s process of cleansing and renewal. It can be a reminder for us to spend time doing this as well. This might look like cleaning up the gardens and putting them to rest for winter. I like to take time to consider what no longer serves me inside my home as well- clear clutter, make space, make the home a place that feels good to relax and linger. 

I always find that after getting rid of things that no longer serve a purpose, the energy of the space feels so good. We did this in the laundry room last weekend, and every time I walk in there now it’s like I take a deep breath and I smile because the space just feels good. 

I know that decluttering is something that many people struggle with. If you can relate to this, start with a small space like a closet or even a drawer.

5. Let Go 

Fall is a time I like to think about what I could be letting go of - not only physical things like we just talked about, but emotionally as well. Or even projects that I’ve been working on that I may no longer have the same drive passion or reason for doing. Sometimes we just keep doing things because we get used to doing the things. I think we can use the fall season as a time to reassess what we really WANT to be doing in our lives. What do we value most? What makes us feel happy and alive. Both of these would be good journal prompts for this time of year.

6. Reflect on What you Harvested This Year

Fall is the harvest time of year, so it’s also a great time of year to take stock of what you have harvested this year as well. I like to reflect on what I’ve learned, the progress I’ve made and then use this as a reset for considering what’s next. Where do I need to improve? Who do I want to become? What opportunities should I seek out that will help me grow in this way? Again, these are some good journal prompts to help you re-set this time of year.

7. Shift What You Eat

The last thing that I’ll mention that I like to do as the season changes is to begin to shift what I am eating - I’ve been noticing some winter squash pop up at the farmers markets, but I’ve held off on buying any, because I like to enjoy the last of the foods I associate with summer while the weather is warm - melons, green beans, summer squash. This week though, I think I’ll go ahead and get some of the winter squash.

I like to think of moving toward warmer, denser, foods in the fall–contrast a summer squash with a winter one. The winter squash inside is more dense. Eating one of these is likely to feel more filling.

I kind of like soups year round, but this time of year, I like them to begin to be a littler heartier. Roasted root vegetables or baked sweet potatoes are other things I begin to really crave this time of year. 

While People Love Autumn so Much

Everything we talked about here in this post feels nurturing, warming from the inside out, and I think that perhaps this is the reason why so many people go crazy with the fall vibes. We spend way too much time being busy and doing things. I think we can use a lot more slowing down and nurturing in our lives. 

I hope after reading this, you take some extra time for slowing down and reflecting this year.