Fall has always been my season. I’ve never been a summer girl (I hate being hot) so cooler temps feel like a relief to me. The back-to-school vibe coupled with the renewal that takes place over the Jewish High Holidays are an invitation to reboot (which this Life Coach loves). And fall foods are my jam! Bring on the winter squashes, the root veggies, the stews and the soups. I’m here for all of it.

But after the last 18 months, this fall feels tempered somehow.

Some days I can easily tap into the joy of it all, but more days than I’d like to admit, the shadows creep in. I’m an optimist by nature and professionally adept at flipping things to a positive perspective, but pandemic fatigue, the reality and grief of climate change, the enormous and increasingly dangerous political divides, the incredible BULLSH*T going on with women’s reproductive rights and the “normal” BS of being a woman alive in the world  today — all of it — has manifested into a mental tug-of war in my head. So yeah, there are shadows.

What’s a girl to do?

As silly as it may sound, the simple act of putting my hand on my heart and returning to my breath is usually the best place to start. Remembering that I can’t fix things that are so much bigger than me also helps. A huge one is getting as clear as possible on exactly what it is that I’m feeling. The more I hone in on it (and sometimes a thesaurus can be helpful here), the easier it is to actually manage it. Turns out that letting myself feel what wants to be felt is much more effective than arguing with reality or with myself about things I “should” be feeling or doing instead. When I acknowledge the feeling, sit with it a minute, and drop my stories around it, I can move forward more quickly. It’s simple - but not always easy. And that’s OK. Other things that have helped include limiting my social media, re-anchoring my morning and evening routines (no screens for at least 30 minutes when I wake up and before bed!), more journaling and less overall “should-ing.”

These are some pretty freaking weird times (are we sick of the word “unprecedented” yet?) but we are alive, we are loved, we love others and there’s always beauty to be found. There are hugs to give and receive, funny TV shows to watch, walks to take, butternut squashes to cook and fall leaves to delight in. Soooo, all of this to say Happy Fall, and that like so many of you, I’m figuring it out as I go along.

Keep the faith. 

xo,

Lisa

PS For more fall vibes and musings, check out 5 Easy Ways to Get Ready for Fall as well as my Ode to Fall last year around this time. And for fall recipes ideas, check out my Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup, Pumpkin Spiced Overnight Oats, and Roasted Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili.