10 Tips and Techniques for Self-Care This Autumn

These paste few years have seen truly epic changes for the world, with increased stress, confusion, fear, necessary lifestyle changes, and sheltering from environmental dangers.  Self Care is more important than ever — especially on the cusp of a seasonal shift.

Now that Summer is winding down, the anticipation of Autumn is front and center.  Thee cooler weather makes it easier to enjoy time outside the home, experiment with new recipes, and invest in yourself.

Some of you have already made plans for self-care this Autumn.  Others may be concerned you won’t have the time with household schedules run amok, or won’t get or stay motivated with our gyms and fitness solutions neither safe nor available to us.

Let’s strive to start simple.  Self-care can come in many different forms, so bear in mind that what might work for someone else doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best option for you.  Instead of attempting to revamp your entire lifestyle to make room for self-care, try choosing one (or a few) ideas from the list below and experiment with what works for you.  

These self-care tips this Autumn can help you adapt and reset your lifestyle during a new, busy and uncertain season.

Developing a morning ritual which allows you to center yourself before your day is the perfect way to prioritize your needs. Many individuals have transitioned to remote work, making it hard to find a balance between personal and professional life. If this has been the case for you, try establishing a routine in the morning that is similar to what you did when you were commuting to the office. Take the proper steps to do things you know will lift your spirits later on in the day, whether this be committing to make your bed each morning, journaling your intent for the day, starting a new skin care routine, or returning the one you used to love.

Autumn is the perfect time to incorporate physical activity into your day, as the temperature is often the perfect balance between warm and cold.  Still, many people avoid movement and exercise as a form of self-care because they haven’t found a workout method that they actually enjoy.  Some have limited mobility or health issues, and for others, heading out for that daily jog just isn’t appealing.   No problem — the endorphins you gain from a short walk or a twenty-minute yoga session may be the same as those others gain from running.  Do some research on unique exercise methods (there are many for those new to or returning to fitness, or those with limited mobility). Or, if you’re a dog owner, map a new or longer walking route with increased steps. Commit to trying a new movement or fitness routine just once or twice a week. Monitor how each activity makes you feel, and don’t feel bad about quitting something if you aren’t getting anything out of it.   Any kind of sustained movement, rigorous or not, is known to boost your mood and lessen anxiety, making it a beneficial method of self-care.

Deciding on and developing a new habit can feel like a daunting task at first, however, depending on what you want to incorporate into your routine, it can end up being quite simple. Some people are very disciplined, ritual and habit-driven, and others are free styling, rolling with the daily flow or easily distracted.   If you fall into the undisciplined category, break desired new habits into short or simple modules instead of a full-blown and abrupt change.  Simple self-care habits you can start working on today include:  drinking more water, making instead of buying snacks, blocking off five daily minutes for deep breathing or meditation, or shutting off the television and telephone and getting into bed a half hour earlier each evening. Identify a habit you’ve been wanting to eliminate or adopt — one which falls into the category of self-care — and commit yourself to starting it within a week.   Don’t give up easily if you miss a target day. It takes on average about 2 months for a new routine to become a habit. Make sure you give yourself a grace period. 

Another self-care habit that is easy enough to put into practice is a personal rewards system. You may find yourself feeling as though there is no time for self-care in the coming months, and if this is the case, try not to overthink things. Start the process of rewarding yourself by setting achievable goals once a week or biweekly. Whenever you hit a personal or professional milestone, whether it be big or small, have a reward planned.  From something simple like treating yourself to your favorite coffee or a massage, a quiet breathing session in a Salt Room Spa, up to a full spa day following a significant accomplishment — personal rewards can help achieve motivation for self-care.

Incorporating reflection time into your day as a form of self-care has been proven to work for many individuals seeking to better understand themselves. A great time to do this is either first thing in the morning (make it an introduction to your morning ritual), or right before bed. Use your reflection time to journal about your day and reflect on your goals, or use it for reading a daily meditation book. Even if you dedicating just ten minutes of your day to personal reflection it will help you to center yourself.

Embracing Fall Fashion is a fun way to get into the seasonal spirit, and to invest in yourself. If you have yet to clean out your closet for the upcoming cooler months, spend a Saturday doing so. Refreshing your wardrobe will allow you to let go of items that have been weighing you down, and focusing your energy on the essentials is a great place to start. These parts of your closet that are essential include undergarments and shoes. While it’s tempting to splurge on seasonal favorites, a more useful tactic is ensuring you have reliable staple pieces. When was the last time you invested in comfort-forward underwear? Simple necessities like these tend to get overlooked but make all the difference in feeling and looking your best in whatever clothes you layer and pair over them. You’d be surprised at how good it feels to clean out old styles and upgrade your wardrobe from the inside out.

The environment you live in has a profound effect on your mood each day. After you have curated your closet, move on to another room.   sometimes decluttering or rearranging or making simple upgrades to your favorite or most-used room is just what you need to energize yourself for a new season.  Pick a day to play music and make it happen. Choose a project (maybe one of those projects you’ve had on your Pinterest Board for years) that excites you and fully immerse yourself in the process of restaging your living space.  Tie on a bow on it by adding seasonal decorations to celebrate a new time of year.  

Every new season brings with it an array of fresh fruit and vegetables unique to the time of year.  Cooking new recipes with Autumn’s seasonal ingredients a nourishing for the body and the spirit, plus a nice way mark the passing of time.  Cooking is both a creative and therapeutic process and can even be entertaining when involving families, friends, and guests.  Many spa resorts and health retreats share guest-favorite seasonal recipes showcasing root vegetables, savory herbs and lean ingredients for the perfect so-called “comfort food.”   Browse our collection of Spa Cuisine Recipes and try some of the best and healthiest soups, stews, salads, entrees, and light desserts.

While you’re in the kitchen trying new recipes to feed your body from within, don’t forget to feed your skin, on the outside, as well.   These tips are shared at a time when we are all sheltering in place and can’t visit our favorite salons, spas or skin-care experts.  Fortunately, there are many fruits, vegetables and herbs which, when combined in unique blends, are ideal for caring for our hair, skin, body and nails.  While waiting for your dinner to simmer on the stove, whip up a few ingredients for a DIY Self-Care Spa Treatment.

If you are among the many feeling socially isolated this season, it’s important to virtually with your community, friends and loved ones. Make a list of the community groups that have meaning for you, or people in your life that bring you joy, and try to schedule a time to meet online with one person or group each week.   If you are connecting with friends and family, try incorporating an activity into the virtual chat, so it isn’t quite so “sedentary.”   This can be a virtual cooking class with everyone making the same recipe, or carving pumpkins at the same time, or streaming the same movie, with intermissions for everyone. 

Finally, the easiest way take care of yourself might be to simply head outside.  There are many ways you can practice self-care indoors, but perhaps what you really need is a little time out of the house.   It can be so easy to become housebound, sedentary, and melancholy, and especially when we are advised to avoid group settings.  So, grab your favorite boots and jacket, and find a safe place to fill your lungs. You can be socially distant and enjoy nature at the same time — walk through a local cemetery, perhaps weeding and tidying a favorite memorial marker (with permission) or join a community litter challenge.    We love the community spirit when people head to a riverbank, park, or other public area, taking empty garbage bags, and disposing of full garbage bags.  Join a group if possible, like becoming a Nature Ambassador,  or if you head out on your own, wear your mask and gloves, use a refuse grabbing tool, and help reduce the carbon footprint of your little area in the world.