~ By Rowan Schoales, MA, LPCC

As I’m writing this, I’m looking out my window at a stunning display of turning leaves. At the very top, they are a deep merlot and purple, trickling to a fiery orange, and a golden yellow. With the sun starting to set earlier these days, Fall serves as a beautiful reminder for the power of letting go.

Besides breaking out the winter jackets, when Fall and Winter comes, we are expected to carry on with our day to day. And while I know the world can’t stop because the sun sets earlier, I find it a little silly that everything in nature is expected to adapt to the change in season except for us. Of course moods shift, of course we are impacted by less daylight and cooler weather!

But what, you may ask, can we do about this? How can we best lean into this seasonal shift?

In practicing therapy through a mindfulness-based lens, one of the foundations of my therapeutic work is learning to embrace the small and the big life changes instead of fighting against them. To accept change though, is an intentional practice that we must learn and just that, practice.

1 - Building Awareness of the Change Itself

Whether that is a change in our environment, or a change in our body or mood, it is important to acknowledge what is happening.

Journaling can be a really helpful way to check in with ourselves during these shifts, and can be a helpful way to practice intentional awareness.
Meditation can be another way to practice an intentional pause to notice what might be shifting in your mind and body.
Perhaps you enjoy listening to music, or taking photographs, or walking through the local park!

These are all things you can do to help you connect with yourself and your environments around you, so long as you are present with what you are doing!

2 - Reframe

In doing these mindful observations of the “what,” it is important to reframe thoughts to a non-judgmental perspective. Because we intrinsically are threatened by what we don’t know or don’t like, we reactively buckle up for resistance (does fight/flight/freeze sound familiar?).

However, by minimizing judgment, we maximize the ability to accept (It is important to note that when I use the word “accept” I mean acceptance within the context of emotional and actionable control. I do not encourage acceptance of abuse, trauma, and oppression).

In practicing acceptance we can adapt, and therefore move with the changes around and within us, to better serve ourselves and those around us.

With this shift in weather, you may think for example, “I hate that I am so cold!” While this is a fair statement, it is pretty judgemental. To practice non-judgmental awareness, might you reframe this thought into “I notice the cold air on my feet,” by refraining from using “good” or “bad” language we are not judging what we think or feel, we are simply stating the “what”…it just is.

Check out Ignite’s free Mindfulness Guide!

So, I encourage you, reader, to notice the trees where you are, and take a moment to listen to your body just as the leaves listen to their tree. And once you are able to notice what you feel and sense, you may be able to better accept the changes that are coming.

You can then make choices for yourself and how you want to move into this seasonal change. How might this shift be an opportunity to reflect and observe, rather than muscle through?

If you are interested in engaging more in this work, and may need some additional support through therapy, I’d love to work with you! Schedule a free consultation with me to see if we may be a good fit to work together on your journey of change and growth!