3 Tips for a More Vibrant Fall
I love fall. The crisp air, the colorful leaves, and comforting fall foods make my heart smile. Even though we don’t quite have that crisp air yet here in Knoxville, I can definitely sense the shift in energy that comes with this vibrant season.
This year, I’m taking a cue from the trees—I’m letting my true colors show and shedding what’s not serving me at this time. I’ve been busy living vibrantly through teaching empowering workshops and volunteering in my community.
I’m so happy that Beardsley Farms is giving me the opportunity to offer wellness workshops for underserved kids. Beardsley provides the produce and cooking classes while I lead the children in wellness games, meditation, and other fun activities. This month at CLO Youth Programs, we worked with 30 middle school kids! Volunteering in this way makes me feel vibrant and fills my life with beauty and color.
I’m also teaching two courses at Pellissippi State Community College, one on creating long-lasting and sustainable healthy eating habits and another called Functional Foods and Clean Eating. I love teaching these workshops because they allow me to help my students ‘shed’ or let go of food and lifestyle choices that aren’t serving them, in favor of healthier options that make them feel more vibrant.
That’s not always how it goes though, is it? Sometimes fall is a season of busyness—but not necessarily the kind of busyness that lights us up and fuels our inner fire. It could be a season full of obligations that stretch us too thin. It happens to all of us!
No matter how your fall is shaping up this year, you can rely on the season changes to remind you to re-calibrate your self-care. Here’s three ways I invite this transition into my life and my home:
Tweak social media time.
Fall can be a time for going inward so taking a break from the mindless scrolling on social media can create the space to incubate new ideas and intentions. If unplugging completely won’t work for you, try focusing on content that uplifts you and provides you with healthy, relevant information.
Purge!
Just as the trees are purging their leaves, we can purge our closets, our inboxes, and even our pantries. Getting rid of what we don’t want or need clears physical (and mental) space to welcome the fruits of our new ideas and intentions.
Get outside.
Sometimes Fall makes us want to slow down in ways that are unhelpful. Whether or not you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, getting as much natural sunlight as possible can help improve your mood. There’s also nothing more satisfying than stepping on a crunchy leaf!
When I see the Earth changing around me, I know I need to take the time to check in with myself and make sure I’m making choices that align with my values. This year, I can definitely say I’m on the right track!
How is you’re Fall shaping up so far? What kinds of activities do you like to do to mark this season change?
Always growing,
Wanda