Fall for Joy
I have to admit, I used to love summer but now I love Fall. Especially this year, after being one of the hottest summers on record. For some reason, this fall, I can’t stop noticing the blue skies and bright yellow leaves. Every day it seems a new tree is changing color and getting brighter than the day before. The cool dry air is a refreshing change and it reminds me to slow down, take deep breaths, and notice all the beauty.
Fall is a season of many meanings. Not only does it mark the transition from summer to winter, but it is the time for going back to school, harvesting the crops, and preparing for colder months ahead. In many cultures, it is a time of transition, preparation, and reflection. It is the perfect time to slow down, reflect on what’s occurred so far this year, and express gratitude for it all.
Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall. - F. Scott Fitzgerald
I recently listened to a podcast about joy where they interviewed a mortician. As someone who works around death and dying each day, it seemed incomprehensible how they could experience a joyful life. As the interview progressed, the mortician expressed how they do get joy from their profession and how it stems from being present in each moment. Realizing you are helping others in a time of grief and knowing that you are bringing comfort to them during a challenging time. And the secret of maintaining that joy, even when working with death each day, is staying focused on what is happening right now by being mindful. This really drove home the importance of meditation and having a regular practice. If you want to check out the podcast, listen here.
In addition to a regular practice, here are some ways to add mindfulness into each day.
Look up! Try to spend some time without your phone. Look around and try to engage all of your senses. Notice the colors of the trees. Feel the outside air on your skin. How does it smell? Is it warm or cool? Grab some apples from an orchard and have an apple a day. Listen to the acorns drop in the forest. What else can you notice that you didn’t notice before? Each hour, spend at least a few minutes practicing this exercise.
Get grounded! Grounding techniques can vary but they ultimately bring you back to earth and into the moment. For me, it’s a vital mindfulness technique and can only take a few minutes during your day. This can range from walking barefoot outside in the grass. Literally feeling the ground beneath your feet. Research shows various benefits to walking barefoot and grounding including better sleep, reduced inflammation, stress reduction, and improved circulation.
Get grateful! Writing down just five things you are grateful for each day, can dramatically increase happiness and reduce stress. Have you noticed when you think back to a fond memory how you can immediately be transported to that moment? You can feel the same feelings experienced in the past just by thinking about it. This is the power of gratitude. It’s nearly impossible to feel bad when you are thinking of good things.
Get cozy! Hygge (hoo-guh) is a Danish concept that embodies coziness and comfort. Put on comfortable clothing, create a cozy space, light a candle, enjoy a warm beverage, and let yourself relax and take a moment to care for yourself. We rarely make time for ourselves to sit and reflect. Write in a journal or read a good book. Joy is in the simplicity of it.
Fall is the perfect time to practice letting go and being more mindful. It is a time to reflect and reset. As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in the Great Gatsby, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall”.
