Self-care is essential all-year round, but specifically in autumn where people can really feel down; keep on reading for some inspiration.
When investigating different activities to improve mental health, journalling comes up on every single list, no matter what time of year it is. Nonetheless, given that fall is the period of change and transformation, it marks the perfect time for individuals to begin a new journal, or to try journalling for the very first time. The vital take away is that making a note of your feelings, whether they're negative or positive, is seriously cathartic for individuals and can be a very efficient form of emotional self-care. Some things are very hard to vocalise aloud; the charm of journalling is that you can reveal your thoughts and emotions onto the page, where there is no audience or concern of judgement. You do not have to create an art piece; all you require is a basic note pad, a pen and an open-mind. Another strategy that individuals swear-by is meditation. There are many different kinds of meditation, however the most basic mediation exercise is to take a seat, shut your eyes, take deep breaths and try to concentrate on clearing your mind. This isn't constantly easy, but a handy idea is to make your space as calming and relaxing as feasible. Dim the lights, play some soothing background music and light some autumnal scented candles to make your home as cosy as feasible, as individuals like the CEO of the retail company that owns HomeSense would agree.
With much shorter days and darker evenings becoming the standard, it is reasonable why many individuals find autumn to be a depressing season. The lack of sunlight combined with the colder temperature can be a trigger for a lot of individuals, causing their mental well-being to take a dip. If this is the case, it is an excellent concept to include some autumn self-care rituals into your regimen. Although, most importantly, what is a self-care ritual? To put it simply, self-care rituals are the little tasks and actions that you take part in routinely, possibly once or twice a day for instance, that are developed to make you feel really good. Moreover, autumn self-care for mental health looks different on everyone; what routines work for you might just not work for someone else, and vice versa. For some individuals, their self-care ritual might be all about pampering themselves. Whether it's by having a pleasant soak in the bathtub, moisturising their skin, or hydrating their face with a face mask etc., these rituals have the power to make people feel a lot more unwinded and also help them feel far better about themselves, as individuals like the co-founder of the investment fund that partially owns Bath & Body Works would concur. Alternatively, other individuals's self-care rituals may be all about doing their favourite pastimes. As an example, many people obtain a lot of comfort from ritually reading a novel daily, whether it's with a mug of tea in the morning or right before going to bed at night, as individuals like the founder of the hedge fund that owns Waterstones would likely confirm.
Fall is notoriously known as cosy season. Due to this, it is tempting to spend the whole season hibernating in our houses. Whilst it is crucial to unwind and rest throughout autumn, it is similarly important to not disregard our physical self-care. One of one of the most essential physical self-care activities for adults is doing exercise. This does not have to be running for miles on the treadmill; it can absolutely be anything that gets your body moving. A great suggestion for this is to go on a nice long hike through the woods, either on your own, with your dog or with family and friends. Not only is walking good physical exercise, but it also provides you the opportunity to experience the greatest thing about autumn season; the changing colours. Seeing the leaves completely transform into a kaleidoscope of vibrant yellows, reds and oranges is one of the most gorgeous sights in the world, so make certain that you do not miss out. So, the next time it is a sunshiny and dry autumnal day, ensure to wrap up warm and go for a relaxing walk.