Self-care is essential all-year round, yet specifically in autumn where people can really feel down; continue reading for some inspiration.
With much shorter days and darker nights becoming the norm, it is reasonable why many individuals find autumn to be a dismal season. The absence of sun combined with the chillier temperature can be a trigger for a lot of people, causing their psychological well-being to take a dip. If this is the case, it is a good idea to incorporate some autumn self-care rituals into your regimen. Although, firstly, what is a self-care ritual? To put it simply, self-care rituals are the little tasks and activities that you take part in regularly, perhaps one or two times a day for instance, that are made to make you feel good. Additionally, autumn self-care for mental health looks different on everybody; what routines benefit you might not work for another person, and vice versa. For some individuals, their self-care ritual may be all about pampering themselves. Whether it's by having a pleasant soak in the bath, moisturising their skin, or hydrating their face with a face mask etc., these rituals have the power to make people feel a great deal more unwinded and additionally help them feel better about themselves, as individuals like the co-founder of the investment fund that partially owns Bath & Body Works would certainly agree. Additionally, other individuals's self-care rituals could be all about doing their much-loved leisure activities. For example, many people get a lot of comfort from ritually reading a book daily, whether it's with a cup of coffee in the early morning or right before going to sleep at night, as individuals such as the founder of the hedge fund that owns Waterstones would undoubtedly affirm.
When looking into various activities to improve mental health, journalling crops up on every single list, no matter what time of year it is. However, since autumn is the season of change and transformation, it marks the perfect time for people to start a new journal, or to try journalling for the very first time. The key take away is that writing down your feelings, whether they're negative or positive, is incredibly cathartic for people and can be a highly effective form of emotional self-care. Some matters are very hard to vocalise aloud; the allure of journalling is that you can articulate your thoughts and emotions onto the paper, where there is no crowd or worry of judgement. You do not need to develop an art piece; all you need is a basic notepad, a pen and an open-mind. Another technique that people swear-by is meditation. There are many different kinds of meditation, yet the most simple mediation exercise is to take a seat, shut your eyes, take deep breaths and attempt to focus on clearing your mind. This isn't always easy, yet a handy idea is to make your space as comforting and relaxing as possible. Dim the lights, play some soothing background music and light a few autumnal scented candles to make your home as cosy as possible, as people such as the CEO of the retail company that owns HomeSense would certainly concur.
Autumn is notoriously called cosy season. Due to this, it is tempting to spend the whole season hibernating in our houses. While it is essential to wind down and rest during autumn, it is just as important to not neglect our physical self-care. Among one of the most important physical self-care activities for adults is doing exercise. This does not have to be running for miles on the treadmill machine; it can certainly be anything that gets your body moving. A terrific suggestion for this is to go on a nice long hike through the woods, either by yourself, with your dog or with loved ones. Not only is walking good physical exercise, however it also provides you the opportunity to experience the greatest thing about fall season; the changing colours. Seeing the leaves transform into a kaleidoscope of vibrant oranges, yellows and reds is among the most gorgeous sights in the world, so make sure 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.