“Fall” Back In Love With Yourself
Autumn has officially arrived here in Akron, Ohio, and today we’re talking about how to use this rhythm of seasonal changes to “fall” back in love with yourself. The landscape around us is transforming. There is a coolness in the evening air, the weather has become unpredictable, and leaves are falling all around. As we observe these changes that are occurring in the world around us—we may begin to observe and experience changes in our desires, emotions, and energy levels too. Embrace it and take these signals as a cue to take more time to slow down and nurture ourselves in preparation for winter. After the hustle and bustle of summer, what can you do to care for your mental health?
Resetting Self-Care
Summer is often all about fun. We have barbeques, bonfires, take vacations, and often let go of our routines and schedules. As fall arrives and the school year begins again, it’s a perfect time to rededicate ourselves to the habits and routines that serve us well.
Self-care is something we should all practice all year round, although some routines may need to adapt as the seasons change. Of course, in cooler weather, those warm-season favorites might not be feasible. Adding a few seasonal self-care rituals to our schedules can bring some much-needed variation and enable us to access new interests, emotions, and energies.
Anything healthy we do to take care of our bodily, emotional, and spiritual needs is self-care. With the start of fall, ask yourself, "what can I do to support a better sense of balance in my life as the weather cools down?" "How can I establish a routine that will keep me uplifted during the upcoming winter months," and "where are there opportunities to reconnect with myself as fall begins?"
These questions are important to ask ourselves, as winter can be hard on our mental health. The days are darker, the holidays have us running around the clock, and we are shut up inside from the cold. The earlier start we have in developing a routine specific to caring for our mental health, the more nourished we'll feel when we need it most.
How to Care for Your Mental Health This Fall
Asking yourself these questions will help you decide on a self-care activity:
How am I currently feeling?
What would make me feel better—more wholesome, joyful, rejuvenated, and energized?
For example, if you realize you're fatigued, you probably need to get some rest; likewise, if you're lonely, you probably need some company.
Depending on your interests and circumstances, you can find different solutions to satisfy those needs. For instance, spending some quiet time alone could be a good self-care activity if you're feeling stressed. However, for someone else, hanging out with friends or attending an exercise class might be the best way to care for your mental health.
Cooler Weather Self-Care Practices
Be intentional about your routines
When your life corresponds to the rhythm of the school year, fall is the perfect time to get back into the habits that you know work for you. Taking a walk every morning? Check. Being intentional with what food you’re using to fuel your body? Check. Setting aside Thursday for date night, where you make something new together? Double check. Being intentional about how you set up your days and your weeks is an important part of the recommitment to health and to yourself that you can make this fall.
Set limitations.
Setting boundaries is another important self-care skill that we often forget about. This practice isn't meant to try to control or influence other people, rather, establishing and upholding limits for your health and welfare is an essential act of caring for your mental health. Boundaries enable you to set priorities for yourself and avoid overcommitting or enrolling in activities you cannot or do not wish to keep on the schedule.
Fall marks the start of the holiday season, which is frequently the year's busiest period. We have many responsibilities, invitations, customs, and expectations. Boundaries begin when you realize that you can't accomplish everything. Taking care of your mental well-being by saying "no" to people and situations that drain your energy and make you unhappy is crucial.
Take HIV and other STI tests.
This is a much less fun self-care idea than taking a bubble bath, but taking charge of your sexual health is important. If you engage in sexual activity, you risk contracting sexually transmitted diseases like HIV (STIs). You should be tested if you're at elevated risk because STIs don't necessarily exhibit symptoms.
If you engage in unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal intercourse, you may be at risk for STIs or HIV. Sharing needles or syringes also puts you at risk for HIV. You can only determine if you have a sexually transmitted infection by getting tested.
Discuss safe sex with your partner.
You've had your STI testing and know how condoms can reduce your risk of contracting HIV and other STIs. What about your partner, though? It's time for "the chat" if you're considering starting a sexual relationship.
You and your partner need to have the same ideals regarding safe sex. The only way to ensure this is to talk about it. You might want to discuss the following topics with your partner:
How to reduce your risk of STIs and impromptu pregnancies
Choices for birth control (if needed) for both partners
If and when you decide to have children
How many (if any) kids would each person like
Practice Asking For Help.
Without taking proper care of our mental health, we leave ourselves vulnerable to experiencing fatigue, frustration, and resentment. Many of us avoid asking for support because we fear what might come up. We’ve learned that avoidance allows us to side-step these unpleasant feelings, even if we do know that it’s not what’s best for us.
Asking for help—whether it’s from someone at home or our individual therapist—might make us feel vulnerable, especially if we have unrealistically high standards for ourselves to be able to handle it all on our own. Naturally, we don't want to demand things from or burden others. But more often than not, this is only an assumption driven by our anxieties. Most people are eager to contribute and offer assistance when they can.
Whether the help you need in this fall season is a mix of dealing with grief, overwhelm, burnout, or wanting to break free from the past, our individual therapy services at Resilience Counseling in Akron can aid you in the journey to “Fall” back in love with yourself.
