Here we are in the middle of September…
It's hard to believe summer is steadily waning. We see it in the shifting light, we feel it on our skin, we know it in our hearts. Take a moment to pause and breathe deeply a few times, feel September as it is, right in this very moment.
How has the passage of time been feeling for you?
Fall, like Spring, is a time of deep transition. This is this case for every living being on the planet - the plants, the animals, and for human-kind too. As we make our way into cooler weather, we can gently start to create small changes in our day-to-day lives that can lead to a beneficial momentum as winter comes forth.
Below are a few practices that have been useful to my patients and to me too - maybe you'd like to give one (or all!) a try?
Small + Simple but Big-Impact Practices
Gratitude Practice:
Upon waking in the morning, instead of looking at your phone or jumping out of bed right away, take a few moments to say out loud or in your mind 3 - 5 gratitudes for today. Anything from “I am grateful for a new day” to “thank you for this warm cozy bed.” Keep it simple! Try this gratitude practice for a week, keep going if it feels right. Take notice if your days feel like they start with a different tone. Scientific evidence shows us that gratitude practices can help to positively rewire our brains and may even increase certain “feel good” brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.
Breath Practice:
Upon waking or right before bed (or both!) take a moment to allow your body to settle and relax as fully as it can. Then, simply take 5 slow, deep, conscious breaths. Keep your mind on how each breath feels in your body. Slowing down your breathing will invoke the body's innate relaxation response (via the parasympathetic nervous system) helping to ease stress, anxiety, and the like. Enjoyed how this practice feels? Keep going each day!
Add Just One:
Try eating just one extra serving of veggies each day this week. Whether that means swapping in carrot sticks for chips with your hummus snack or adding an extra vegetable to your salad or dinnertime meal, make it just one more! As we know, veggies are potent anti-inflammatory foods and full of fiber, so more is actually better. Adding just one is also a great way to expand your usual choices. Maybe keep the practice alive if you found it useful?
“Enjoy the little things. For one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
– Robert Brault
Thanks for reading!
Stay safe and be well.
And don't forget, we're all in this together.