It’s fall, ya’ll! 

Albeit, quite different from any fall I’ve ever experienced.  With that said, Daylight Savings has hit and the shorter days are upon us, which will speedily be followed by the colder nights.  I don’t know about you, but while fall is fabulous, it also represents the onset of a season that I often struggle with: winter.  I thought to myself in preparing this post, why not try my very best to translate 3 positive exercises (both physical and mental) to help us make this transition as smooth as possible.

 

1. Try not to set an alarm unless you really have to.  After all, when are we ever going to get the chance to slow down life like this again?  Waking naturally is one of the best things you can do for your mind and body.  We don’t always need the same amount of sleep every night.  Trust your body and give it the gift of time.
2. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.  Thanks grandma.  But seriously, stress can settle down and make itself mighty comfortable if given the chance.  There’s that email you don’t feel like sending at 9 pm, the Zoom wine night that you’re in charge of organizing this month, the school lunch prep (yes, we even have to deal with that from home), the extra load of laundry, or even changing the sheets on all of the beds in the house.  Often I have to remind myself that unloading the dishwasher actually only takes 5 minutes.  Once it’s done I feel inordinately better, and that helps to relieve and settle my overall stress load.  And when it feels too much, check out #3.
3. Ask for help, please.  It’s one of the hardest things to do, especially during this crazy and unprecedented time, but, it’s more important now than ever.  As a parent who “does it all” this has been one of my biggest struggles, but just like #2, it only takes a moment of self-reflection to know and understand what your needs are and how they can be met.  Send a quick text to a pod friend: “hey, I need to run to the store (alone), any chance you could come hang with my kids outside and just watch them while I tackle this task?  I’ll bring you back a special treat!”.  It doesn’t take much effort, but can help you transition through these life changes now and into the future in a more positive way.