Our favorite ways to spend fall

When fall comes, do you love it or loathe it? That's the question I've been asking myself in my seasonal living workshops over the last few weeks. For some of us, the colder days and longer nights can leave us in a bad mood and longing for the brighter summer months. For others, fall brings an audible sigh of relief, a signal to slow down, ushering in the season that reminds us to reconnect with our roots after a busy year so far.

However you feel about fall, I hope this post will help you find ways to find joy in this season, celebrate the unique beauty that nature brings us, and be inspired to create your own rituals and traditions that you can return to year after year. I've compiled some of the most popular answers I hear when I ask:“What do you love about fall?”with the intention that we can all use them as a guide for the season. From cooking to crafting, switch up your yoga practice and make the most of nature, choose your favorites and start putting them into practice.

Q: What do you love about fall?

A:“The comfort”

Cozy evenings on the sofa or by the fire are the most popular reason people tell me they love fall, and it's one of the things that makes this time of year so special. A bright, hot (or if this year is anything to go by: humid!) evening isn't exactly conducive to pulling on your soft hand-knitted socks and sinking deep into the sofa, and while warm summer evenings are meant to be celebrated, they don't give us the much-needed sense of comfort and calm that our bodies and minds so desperately need.

In his bookThe 4-season solution,Author Dallas Hartwig explains how many of us live in “summer mode.” That is, being stuck in the habit of working too much, exercising too much, saying “yes” to every request that comes our way, socializing even when we feel the need to be alone, and not getting enough sleep – does this sound familiar? It's common to get stuck in summer mode, but it can easily lead to burnout and fatigue, which is why learning to lean into the cozy, slow evenings of fall can help bring a lot more balance to life. To connect with the feeling of “coziness” that so many people enjoy in the fall, treat yourself to comfy and cozy loungewear like thisYogamatters Hand Knitted Organic Socks,(link removed),and the (link removed) all completely organic, cotton and breathable. A cozy evening indoors isn't complete without a few games, so make sure you have thoseSelf Care Truth or Dare Gamealso on hand.

Q: What do you love about fall?

A:“Preparing warm, hearty meals”

With seasonal foods like carrots, potatoes, squash, cabbage, apples, pears, late berries, figs, and soon parsnips and turnips, fall calls on us to nourish our bodies with grounding, hearty meals. When we eat seasonally, we give our bodies the right nutrients at the right time. While the bitter greens and cleansing herbs that grow in spring are perfect for helping us cleanse and detoxify, the earthy root vegetables and sweet fruits of fall give us calming, soothing, and even sleep-inducing vitamins and minerals, not to mention they also protect the immune system.

If you're still stuck on cold smoothies and raw salads, it's time to switch to warming meals like soups, porridge, stews and casseroles. Think warm oatmeal with nuts and berries for breakfast, soup and sourdough for lunch (make it easier to bring the soup to lunch by putting it in the (link removed) and a casserole for dinner. When we choose local, seasonal and preferably organic ingredients, we also support local farmers and help shorten the miles our food has to travel to get to our plates. Let yourself inspired by (link removed) full of 100 easy and delicious vegetarian recipes and (link removed)where you'll find dishes on a tray like baked dahl with tamarind-glazed sweet potatoes, one-pot soups and stews, or quick meals like tahini broccoli on toast.

Q: What do you love about fall?

A:“The Colors”

As a poem by Robert FrostNothing gold can saygoes;"Nature's first green is gold, her hardest hue to maintain. Her early leaf is a flower; But only for an hour" -The colors of fall are beautiful but fleeting, which is why many of us may look forward to the golds, reds, oranges and mustard yellows that fill the branches and soon fall to the earth. Only in autumn do we see the cycle of ends and beginnings of life so clearly before us. As the leaves fall to the ground, they create the nutrients and goodness that will grow spring plants and flowers again in a few months.

The warming colors of fall naturally balance and uplift our spirits even on those more dull and gray days, and embracing these colors throughout the fall and winter, rather than opting for black, gray or white, can really help us feel more alive and cheerful. Red is stimulating and energizing, and you can use this (link removed) to fire up your core and mood at the same time. Orange is also energizing and is said to be one of the most powerful colors for improving mood and lifting us from fatigue, so swap your yoga mat for the one (link removed) to bring more joy into your practice. Yellow relates to self-esteem, gives energy and can increase happiness - use this (link removed) to fill your meditation sessions with more happiness and self-love.

Q: What do you love about fall?

A:“The reminder to slow down”

As we've discussed before, so many of us are chronically stuck in summer mode that the idea of ​​"slowing down" can seem almost foreign to us. However, slowing down doesn't have to mean we get less done or become less productive, it just means we can find ways to help our minds and nervous systems relax and find calm so that we feel like we're slowing down, even when life gets busy. We can do this by shifting our yoga practice to yin, or restorative yoga, which gives the mind space and time to regain balance and helps the body shift into the parasympathetic state, or “rest and digest,” where healing and rejuvenation take place. If you're going to a studio class, use the (link removed) so you can bring props like your organic cotton blanket, hemp yoga belt, and cork block. Better yet, equip yourselfUltimate Luxury Restoration Yoga Kitwith everything you need to deeply relax and unwind, especially when practicing at home this fall.

What to doSheLove for autumn? Whether it's the colors, the coziness, or the excuse to spend lazy afternoons creating seasonal dishes, I hope you can incorporate this inspiration into your own life to make fall a season you look forward to every year.