How Do You Want Autumn to Feel?

How Do You Want to Feel?

In the last post I shared that when I began asking myself how I wanted autumn to feel, the obvious answer was cozy, and that's true. But as I mentioned, it turns out I want more than that. 

​I wanted to feel more connected to myself and to the divine.

That led me to think about stillness, nature, tea + meditation, journaling and prayer. And I came up with this idea for myself that I'm calling coziness with stillness.

It felt important enough to make sure I didn't lose that thought that I stopped what I was doing, made myself a copy of the Planning for Autumn worksheet, and started writing my own answers on it.

So I am even more convinced that we shortchange ourselves when we only think of the typical comforts of autumn. If you take some time to think about how you want to feel, you may discover things that matter even more than the pumpkin latte you love.

(Not that there's anything wrong with those cozy fall drinks - like my apple cinnamon tea.)

Anyway, here are a couple of questions to ask yourself...

(1) How do I want to feel during the fall season this year?

(2) What moments in my life or things I usually do lead to feeling that way?

Don't Stop at the First Answer

​Cozy might be your first answer. And there's nothing wrong with that. But stay with the question for a little while.

What else would you love to feel this autumn?

Maybe you want more joy. More peace. More connection. Maybe you want to feel playful again. Or inspired. Or grounded. Or more present in your own life.

And once you find a feeling that matters to you, don't immediately turn it into another thing you have to accomplish.

​Instead, think about the times when that feeling already happens naturally.

When do I feel peaceful?
When do I feel connected?
When do I feel most like myself?
What makes me laugh?
What makes an ordinary day feel good to me?

​Those answers can tell you much more about the autumn you want than somebody else's list of 50 Things You Absolutely Must Do Before November!

The final step is to ask yourself ...What tends to create these feelings in me?
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And then make a little more room for that this autumn.

How Will it Feel to Be
You this Autumn?

​You may even find that the autumn you want lives somewhere between two feelings.

That's what happened to me. Coziness with stillness feels much more like the autumn I want than either word does by itself.

So try putting two of your words together. What would a peaceful + playful autumn look like? A cozy + connected one? A joyful + spacious one?

cozy + playful
peaceful + connected
joyful + nostalgic
spiritual + spacious
restful + creative

You don't have to come up with a clever name for it. You're just trying to get a clearer picture of what would feel good to you.

​We spend so much time thinking about what we want to do during a season.

But maybe there's another question worth asking first:
How do I want it to feel to be me this autumn?

Once you know that, you can begin choosing the little moments that make that version of autumn more likely to happen.

Not a perfect autumn. Not an autumn in which you successfully completed the Official Fall Activities Checklist. :)

Just one that, when you look back, turns into several memories you'll cherish.

See you next time!

Love, Jeanine
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