Check Out This Extraordinary Guide to Autumn Self-Care
I made a series of posts I plan to share on social media about Autumn Self-care. I think it is crucial to take time out of this busy time of year and take care of yourself! You matter! You are a fantastic person and need a lot of fuel to do everything you want to do around the holidays!
These tips aren’t really in any order of importance. Pick and choose things that you like or enjoy them ALL!
#1 – Have a warm drink! Enjoy some hot tea, hot chocolate, coffee, cafe mocha, or warm apple cider! These are incredibly wonderful if enjoyed with friends!
#2 – Baking, Ahhhhh, the smell of fresh banana bread fills your home and warms it up on a chilly day! I am not a very good baker myself, but I sure try! If my cakes are lopsided, it’s ok! It means they have to get eaten up right away!
#3 – Light Candles – This could be an entire blog post for me! I am Ms. Yankee Candle! I am not a candle snob, though. I LOVE all candles equally! Lighting candles put off a warm glow to your home. It makes you feel calm and relaxed too. Some people use candles for meditation.
#4 – Sitting at a fire will soothe your soul. Especially if you are enjoying it with friends or family, I remember sitting out with friends at backyard fire pits. Laughing and talking until late into the night and then sitting quietly watching the flames in the night air. I live in an apartment now, so we have no fire pits! I do miss that!
#5 – Enjoy Fall Colors – Go outside! Marvel at the beauty that God has left for us! I live in Michigan, USA, so we have fantastic fall colors here that last a long time before the leaves start to fall. The trees are so beautiful, especially in Northern Michigan. I love being the passenger on a long car ride in the country, just looking at trees and enjoying the cold wind blowing in the windows.
#6 – Plan an Outing – This can be something big or small and inexpensive—plan to pick fresh apples at an orchard or pick pumpkins at a patch. You don’t have to go to the NFL if you like football. High School or College football is exciting too! There are so many activities that are Fall related to attending with family. It is always my favorite time to visit the zoo because it is not so hot or crowded. We also have the Henry Ford Museum and Estate here in Michigan. The outdoor area is just gigantic! You can walk into all sorts of historic buildings and exhibits. The grounds are marvelously decorated also. Look in your area and find some fun places to visit!
#7 – Socialize. Socializing with your support people will do so much good for you! Your friends and family love you. Let them help you! I have a difficult time taking this advice, to be honest. I tend to stay inside and shy away from a lot of people. I am a people person and think of myself as friendly, but when I have mental issues, I just want to be alone, which is the worst thing you can do!
#8 – Gratitude Journal – Having a Gratitude Journal is one of my favorite tips. Did you know it is hard to be grumpy when seeing all the blessings you have?? Think about it, would you be in a bad mood if you thought about how much you love your family? Or how you have a beautiful warm place to live? How you eat whatever your tastebuds are craving? So many people do not have these things. I am thankful for my life. I tried to throw it away a few times, so I am grateful I stopped!
# 9 – Giving to Others – Did you know Churches and Food Kitchens make Thanksgiving dinners for the homeless? My Church does, and it is the day they have a lot of volunteers, and they are ALL needed to pull off that huge meal. My Pastors plan that day for months ahead of time. The Elderly that are in nursing homes is extra lonely for the holidays. It is a sad time for them to think of a family that is gone before them or a family that they have that is too busy to come to see them. Visit a nursing home around Thanksgiving! It will make all the world to them! Some other places and organizations need help in the Fall. Helping others is also helping yourself. It feels good to give. What is your favorite pie on Thanksgiving? Mine is pumpkin! (with TONS of cool whip)
# 10 – Do Fall Crafts! OH yeah!!!! Now we are talking!!! My favorite coping hobby for my mental health is crochet. There is something magical about crochet in the Fall. I see myself snuggled under a half-finished blanket, quiet music playing and a candle sitting on my end table. I concentrate on how to hold the yarn and the tension, so my stitches are perfect. Crochet is not the only fall craft. If you have littles, you can have some fun making construction paper cut-out pumpkins and leaves for decorations. Cross Stitching has beautiful patterns. Painting and drawing are some other craft ideas for Fall. When you are being creative, it does your soul good!
#11 – Time for yourself. Ok, listen! It is NOT selfish to take time for yourself. You need to, especially around the holidays. If you are a Momma like me, you are planning dinners, buying gifts, shopping, coordinating with friends and family, and trying to clean and decorate your house. Holidays are supposed to be a time for rejoicing, but the world has made it a vast JOB! Too much is expected of you! Take a bubble bath after being in the grocery store all day. Sit with a book under a fluffy blanket (even if you just hold it…you can be quiet, and no one will ask you questions for 5 minutes). Do what you enjoy, even if it is just for a short time. It will refuel you. For me, I read something in the Bible. I need my Jesus to pick me up!
# 12th – Keep Yourself Healthy! It’s cold and Flu season! I don’t want to worry anyone, but people are not as clean as they should be!!! You need to take your vitamins and eat healthy to keep your immune system up and ready to fight those germs. Washing your hands the correct way is also a must!
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this is the proper way to wash your hands (I copied and pasted it right from the site to make sure it is correct)
Follow these five steps every time.
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
# 13 – Exercise – LEAST FAVORITE Advise! Exercise! This is the one that I need to listen to the very most! As I was writing my material for this post, James said, you should practice what you write! I need to exercise for my back problems. Anyways, if you get into an exercise plan for the Fall and winter, you may be able to avoid packing on extra pounds from all that yummy food that is all over this time of year! If you keep it up after the holidays, you may also lose some before next Summer! Exercise is always a great way to stay healthy. It’s not all about weight loss! It is good for your muscles and your mind!
# 14 – Comfy Clothing! This is more my speed. A giant hoodie with front pockets! And a pair of sweats, my fall and winter wardrobe. Something makes this fashion extra special if you swipe your boyfriend or husband’s hoodie. Yes, that’s the way to do it. You are wrapped in love! I love comfy clothing! I occasionally like to get fancy, but I am always in something comfortable.
# 15th – Read a Book. Reading is an excellent way to escape and also exercises your mind! Getting lost in a great book can be a relaxing self-care time. What is your favorite sort of book? Mine is crime fiction. Do you have a favorite author?
Please remember to take care of yourself this time and all year! You are important! Love yourself! The holidays are not meant to be stressful, but for some people, they are. Be gentle to yourself and others. When you are out shopping, remember that the people around you might be having a hard time too. If we all were kinder to people, the world would be a much better place. If you are a Christian, remember to let people see Jesus in you! Your attitude says a lot about being saved!
If you would like some more information about Journals, I have another post that might interest you. It is DIY Daily Christian Prayer Journal For Women
18 Responses
I love self-care. So many ideas here that I haven’t thought about. Thanks for the ideas.
Thank you!!! I love self-care too! I need these reminders for myself as well! I get really into projects and forget to stop and take care!
This looks so clean. A really inspiring post. I should get out more and enjoy the colors while they last.
Thank you for the comments on my post! I recently changed my page so your feedback means more to me than you know! I have a very deep purple background with light purple letters. I think it looked pretty but I had a comment it was hard on someone’s eyes. I looked on Google and it said light on dark causes eye fatigue! So I definitely wanted to change that! Thank you!!!
Great ideas, I’m going to keep these in mind to do them. I love the idea of candles in autumn. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! I sure love the candles and have brought my fall and winter ones out already! They make the house warm and cozy!
Baking during autumn time is a must in my opinion 🙂 Great post!
I love baking too!!! Isn’t it a shame that a lot of baking that smells so good is fattening? I swear in the winter I gain at least 10 pounds from my baking!
Reading always soothes my soul! This is a fantastic round-up of autumn tips. I so appreciate you for sharing them.
Hi Aubrey! Thank you!!! What do you like to read?? I LOVE reading too!!! I am doing a blog hop that is featured on Long and Short Reviews every Wednesday, most of those posts are about books! They are so fun to do! I hope you can come back and check them out!
Love these steps! Thanks for sharing. I will definitely try some of them.
Hi! Thank you!!! I hope you have the best fall season ever!
I love candles too! Never tried journaling but a gratitude journal does seem beneficial!
Hi Liv! Thank you! I had a beautiful gratitude journal that was very small when it ran out I just use a notepad now! Works just as good and is so much cheaper
Ahhh love this post!! I love fall and am into making the most of the fall season, so this is a great post! I am excited about the fall colors too, and yes more comfy clothes!
Hi Nia! I am so happy we are in Autumn now!!! It is my favorite season!
YES!! I am so ready to follow this from step 1-15. It’s amazing how much these little things help and with busy lives we forget to take care of ourselves (I’m so guilty of this!) Even as simple as a hot beverage enjoying a moment in the crisp air can change your whole day! I’m ready to slow down and enjoy this autumn!
Hi Sienna!!! When I was making my outline I thought several times “I’m gonna do this!” or “I can’t wait to do this!” I LOVE Fall!