Pleasures of Fall

I'll admit - as the days get shorter and it gets darker earlier, my mood starts to take a little dip. No, I don't have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD - read more about it here), but the shorter days makes me feel tired faster. It makes me feel that there is less time to do what I want to in the day. Not to mention that the arrival of falls means colder temperatures..BRRRR!

It is normal to feel that our moods change along with seasonal changes. Darker days and shorter hours of light is hard for many of us. But, there are a lot of pleasures of autumn. Like the beautiful scenes of Mother Nature as the leaves fall down. Or the lovely views of the orange sunset painting the sky. And while I don't enjoy pumpkin-flavoured foods and drinks, there is something comforting about seeing the advertisements for all these items! 

A new season means change. It means that a time in our lives has passed, and a new one awaits. It means grieving over what we have lost, and looking forward to what is to come. A new season means that there is something unknown ahead.

This year is no different. With the pandemic - heading into year 2 of it! - many of us are beyond tired. It has been a challenging two years, and sadly, the pandemic is not done yet. But, there are reasons to be hopeful. We are getting more people vaccinated. There is an increased awareness of the importance of practicing social distancing and caring for one another. 

And perhaps the most comforting thing about fall approaching is that it marks the start of a new period in our lives. No, this doesn't mean that you need a new fall wardrobe, that you need to start a new diet, pick up a new habit, get a big promotion, etc. But it does invite an opportunity to take a step back and reflect. What did the summer season mean to you? What was the highlight of these past few months? What was challenging?

What are you looking forward to in the fall? What are you hoping to achieve? What are your fears about fall, and how can you embrace the unknowns?

There are always things we love - and dislike - about change. Change is never easy. But as the quote goes, the only known thing is that there are always things that will be unknown. So, let us know that we cannot know all that is unknown. 

Read that over a few times...and be content with this. Accept that change will occur. Fall is here - and before you know it, winter will be too! I'm learning to enjoy whatever season of life I am in. I may not be able to control the fact that the hours of light are shorter - but this is an excuse to light my scented candles. I may not be able to control the colder temperatures, but that is a reason to pull out my comfy sweaters. 





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