Fall is usually a time of renewal and hitting refresh – at least that’s how that fresh autumn air always makes me feel. We tend to start eating healthier, stepping up our workout routines- you name it!
Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.
J. Scott Fitzgerald
After the hot days of summer, and the busyness of children being out of school, vacations, and excursions, fall is a time to come back to self; regroup, renew and ground yourself again.
1. Refresh Your Habits
Fall is a great time to eliminate the habits that aren’t serving you.
I like to start with a quick evaluation and determine if I have to take something unhealthy away.
Maybe in the summer you slipped into some habits that weren’t so good for you. Even those of us who are focused living a healthy life have room for improvement. We all have habits that could use some healthier tweaks.
You may be at a point where your health routines are in of a refresh, update or even a complete overhaul. It doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it can be quite simple.
What’s something reasonable that you can discard?
• Have you been neglecting your health or self-care over the summer?
• Have you been hitting the drive-thru more often than you’d like?
• Are you behind on some tasks that have left you feeling overwhelmed and stressed?
What habit could use a refresh?
2. Refresh Your Plate
The next step is to see what you can add to the mix. This change of season is a great time to refresh your diet. This could mean something as simple as drinking more water and eating more greens for you.
Sometimes, making lasting changes can be as simple as adding some healthier items to your plate.
Consider what you can add to your regular weekly menu that can catch on as a healthy habit? Maybe try some new recipes or make a conscious effort to broaden your vegetable choices or trying your regular ones in different ways. Seasonings can go a long way to making regular dishes taste new and different.
Now that autumn is here, there are some wonderful options. For example, instead of rice or mashed potatoes, try cauliflower rice or mashed sweet potatoes.
If you focus on just adding one new healthy item to the mix every week, you’ll have your whole plate for the week looking delicious and nourishing ahead of the holiday season.
You may even want to take it a step further and detox yourself of sugar and junk food.
3. Renew Your Mind
Do you struggle with relaxing your mind?
Even when you try, it can be quite tricky to truly quiet your mind. If you’re anything like me, your mind is a crowded place full of to-do lists.
With so much constantly swirling in your mind, it can be challenging to truly relax. It may take effort, but finding calm and mental clarity is a goal well worth pursuing.
Try downloading an app such as Headspace and start with a few minutes a day. You can work your way up from there, when you begin to get the hang of it. These mental breaks are essential, so start with 5-8 minutes a day and work your way up to 15-20 over the next month.
Pro Tip: If you’re not sure how to focus and quiet your mind, and find that mind~body~soul connection, here’s what I like to do:
Focus on allowing your mind to be surrounded by nature’s beauty.
In the moment when you’re sitting outside hearing the birds chirping and feeling the sun flooding Vitamin D into the cells of your body, simply sit there and be still in the natural sounds of nature.
When you allow yourself to experience the nature, you’ll begin to feel the benefits of fresh air, of being still, of practicing being calm, of stopping that fast-moving clock called life, and that racing mind. This is an awesome emotional healing process that also renews your mind and supports the mind~body~soul connection.
Taking the time to be still and experience life is extremely important. We often forget that our minds need nourishing too.
4. Refresh Your Sleep
I know you get sleep every night, but do you feel rested when you rise in the morning?
One of the biggest challenges in modern culture is the epidemic of sleep deprivation, combined with the struggle to unwind in healthy, restorative ways.
Those who guzzle coffee or energy drinks throughout the day to keep going, often crash by mid-afternoon, need a pick-up caffeine boost and end up not achieve a restful, restorative sleep each night. When morning comes, it’s not surprising that they’re still tired.
The unhealthy cycle continues again.
Maybe it’s time to make some adjustments to your sleep habits to see how they work for you. See if adding some of these new strategies will make a difference:
- A gentle yoga sequence before bed, or some simple stretching
- Stop watching TV or being on your computer or phone at least an hour before bed,
- Try hopping into bed with a book instead and read something light or entertaining for 30 minutes or more
- Uplevel your bedding – make sure you’ve found the right pillows, a comfortable, supportive mattress, sheets and blankets you love
- Adjust the temperature in your room
- Use black-out blinds or maybe a sleep mask if you can’t get your room dark enough
- Aromatherapy can make a difference too – calming scents may help you slip off to dreamland
Sleep hygiene is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle and making improvements in this one area will make a massive difference for you in a short amount of time.
5. Relax and Reflect
Relaxation and introspection will likely mean something different for everyone but I do recommend taking some time to just breathe.
We’re always on the go…the busyness of life has the effect of making us feel rushed and stressed. Just taking a few moments to slow down and breathe deeply with the intention of reconnecting with our spirit, can make a huge difference in how you feel.
That could mean yoga, meditation, visualization, breath-work for calmness or even talking about what’s bothering you with a friend or even a professional if necessary.
The summer season has just ended so take a moment for reflection.
Some simple ideas for you to try:
- Write down your thoughts in your diary or journal,
- Start a gratitude journal or a gratitude jar and reflect on what you’re grateful for,
- Create a fun fall life list – things you’d like to do or try this season – what would light you up?
- Simply allow yourself to feel the great grounding and renewal you can experience in the autumn and by being in nature.
6. Rejuvenate Your Goals
With all the fun of summer, maybe you’ve fallen off a bit when it comes to achieving your goals. Autumn is the perfect time to renew your commitment to your health and self-care and your personal or professional goals.
- Take a minute to sit down and reassess what’s important to you.
- What do you want to accomplish before the end of 2024?
- Write down all your goals and check in each month to see where you’re at.
7. Renew and Refresh Your Life
Fall can be an exciting time to “renew and refresh.”
When it comes to renewal, take it one step little baby step at a time. You can try one of these things each week or so. Take it at your pace to be more successful.
For a bit of fun, consider renewing or updating your wardrobe if your budget will allow it. Maybe it doesn’t mean a whole new wardrobe, maybe a pair of cute new boots, a new sweater or a dress that makes you feel beautiful. Maybe just some new accessories or jewelry that sparkles.
You’ll feel inspired and confident with small changes.
And don’t forget to enjoy all the yummy fall foods and all this season has to offer!
If you’d like some help finding ways to renew, recharge, and refresh this fall that’s right for you or that will support your healthy lifestyle, I’d love to chat.
Schedule your FREE Renew & Recharge Breakthrough Clarity Call.
By the end of the call, you’ll have:
- A customized Action Plan;
- Simple steps to move forward confidently, with a better understanding of what’s right for your body; plus
- Some free resources to help.
Click this link to schedule your free call.
