Let’s talk about some of the new self-care routines I’m working to adopt for fall this year. Many moons ago I created self-care guides that were based on the seasons. Physical, mental, emotional, and energetic properties of each season vary so widely that I thought my self-care should reflect those aspects. Addtionally, I struggled with the change of season, particularly summer in to autumn. I created the Fall Self-Care Guide mainly for myself so I didin’t feel so sad when saying goodbye to the long, warm summer days.
It was because of the new routines I created around each season that I had a newfound appreciation for the natural cycles. Now I look forward to the crip fall days becuase it feels like I get a reset button. You know that “new years day” feelng when everything feels fresh with promise. We can get that feeling all year when we use the seasons to help us create new routines. These don’t even have to be self-care routines; they can be related to your work, home, kids, hobbies, what you wear, watch, litsen to, wear..basically anything goes.
I wanted to share with you all what I’m doing differently this season to give myself a fresh start. I find this more important than ever during a pandemic becuase the days since March have started to feel like groundhod day, with little differentiating one day (or season) to the next. In times that are uncertain we need things that ground us in the present; and what is more present and grounding than the current season?
Listen to…
Music is a really strong way to being yourself into the present moment, and it’s also a way to take you back to good memories. I change up my music seasonally that way I don’t get sick of the same thing, and next year when the season rolls around again I can use the music to ground me into the knowing that it’s Fall, and all the feelings that go with it. Becuase Fall is a time of change, slowing down, letting go, comfort, and balance I like my music to evoke those same feelings in me. Here are a few things I listen to in the Fall to help me feel really grounded in the season:
This might sound weird but I have “fall shows” that I jump back into when the season changes. For me it’s Gilmore Girls. Who doesn’t want to be in Stars Hollow in autumn? The familiarity and cosines of this show gives me all the fall feels. This will be different for everybody given your taste, but a show that can make you feel happy and cozy is a great choice. Unless you’re in the mood for horror and suspense, then I’d go with Pretty Little Liars.
Meditate to…
My daily meditations fell off a cliff when the pandemic happened. In a time where meditaiton was most needed I was looking for comfort and grounding in other things like food and Netflix binges, but now that a new season is upon us it’s a perfect time to start a new daily meditation routine. I’ve found some great guided meditaitons to help you ease into the feelings of fall:
The mental gymnastics we’ve all been performing to compute everything that’s transpired in the last few days, months, heck…4 years, would earn all of us a gold medal. It’s taken a toll.*I say this as a white woman of privelage, acknowledging the fact that I’ve experienced very little of this trauma personally, as compared to people of color and other marginalized people.* Nonetheless, the events we are witness to are not normal, and processing these puts us in uncharted mental terriroty.
Especially for my fellow empaths and highly sensitive people- we need tools. I find myself doom scrolling and consuming waaayyyyy too much news during major newsworthy events. It’s draining. If you’re drained by it all, I feel you,
Now, I am not a mental health expert. But I am an expert in my experience, (as are you of yours) so I want to share what I’ve thought to do that might help fortify my mental wellbeing, in hopes that maybe it will also help you find some ease and softness in these prickly times.
First, a reminder (whether you need it or not), it’s ok to feel everything. Angry, sad, overwhelmed, anxious, nauseous, lost, helpless, hopeless. It’s possible to both be strong and cry your eyes out. You have permission to not know how you are feeling and feel all the things at once. I try to remind myself that it’s all part of this beautiful human experience we get to have right now.
6 Things I do to Feel Good During Tough Times
1) I Explore New (or old) Books That Bring Me Joy!
One of my favorite past times is milling about a book store, no plan or goal in mind, just explore topics and books. I let my curiosity lead me. I especially love books on art, cooking, gardening, crafts, spiritual growth, history, and really fluffy chick-lit. This has been more difficult during the pandemic, but luckily I can still do a version of that by browsing books online or on my own bookshelf at home. Here are a few that caught my attention recently, mixed in with some of my favorites I go back to again and again.
2. I do something creative with my hands
As a yoga teacher I love to talk about the mind body connection. When we sync up our physical movements and our mental awareness we take our minds out of a worry spiral and into the present moment. I find that it’s grounding and calming to focus my mind on the physical movements and feelings in my body. It’s also a soulsatisfying activity to create. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative person you can definitely find something that is a calming and creative activity. Here are a few ideas:
journal
color
paint
knit
decorate your home
watch a youtube tutorial on a hairstyle you’ve never tried before
collage
collect pretty things in nature
do a puzzle
arrange flowers
paint a room in your house
give your partner a massage, and ask for one in return.
3) I Turn to Music Therapy
Here are a few spotify playlists that are guarenteed to elevate your mood in no time.
Golden Hour
Nancy Meyers’ Kitchen
Feel Good Classics
A Perfect Day
If you’re looking for more calm, ambient listening check out these playlists.
Jazz in the Background
Calming Classical
Stress Relief
Acoustic Covers
4) I Plan a Mini Virtual Retreat With My Bestie
When my lifelong bestie and I were expressing our difficulty moving through tough times we had the idea to get together *virtually* for a retreat. We set aside a couple of hours on a Saturday and talked about how we are feeling (think of it as a free therapy session), did a guided meditation, journaled, watched a watercolor tutorial on youtube, and anything else that helped us feel calmer and stronger.
I have a ton of ideas for at home retreat activities in the Seasonal Self Care Guide.
It’s debated whether bingewatching is actually helpful, or merely a numbing tactic to avoid dealing with the realities of one’s life. I like to believe if it’s not harming you or others and it helps you feel better go feakin’ do it! Find what relaxes you; maybe it’s a comedy like New Girl, or The Golden Girls, or it could be a loveable drama like Gossip Girl, or Gilmore Girls (yes I realize all of my favorite shows are about “girls”).
Maybe you like old movies from the 40’s, or a classic disney cartoon. A cheezy rom-com or a British costume drama. Whatever your cup of tea, know it’s ok to have a marathon sesh of your favorite feel good show. I do it on the reg.
It’s no surprise that I love guided meditations. I find it so much easier to drop in and really relax, as opposed to sitting on total silence. If you find yout thoughts are often loud and disruoptive check out two of my favorites:
My daily meditations fell off a cliff when the pandemic happened. In a time where meditaiton was most needed I was looking for comfort and grounding in other things like food and Netflix binges, but now that a new season is upon us it’s a perfect time to start a new daily meditation routine.
I’ve found some great guided meditaitons to help you transition into fall. They are all taken from my favorite app Insight timer, but I’m hoping to create some Fall Meditations of my very own soon. Until then, these are worth checking out.
It’s common to cleanse and scrub the skin with a washcloth or loofah when you’re in the shower. But have you heard about dry brushing? In a nutshell, dry brushing involves brushing the skin with a dry brush before you shower to remove the layer of dead skin cells.
I like to dry brush for about a minute before I get into the shower. It doesn’t have to be a long drawn out process (unless you’ve got time) but short and frequent works best for most of us.
With anything that is considered “alternative” there is often a lack of scientific evidence to indicate its benefits (obviously something to consider) but, this isn’t science it’s exfoliation, people!
Exfoliation has been practiced for hundreds of centuries by different cultures including the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, East Indians, Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Russians, Turks, and Scandinavians. This was mainly done by similar mechanical exfoliation such as using corn cobs, crushed seashells, and sand. So you’re in good company.
What are the Benefits of Dry Brushing?
1. Detoxifying
The lymphatic system is where the body flushes out toxins and waste. The lymphatic system circulates through the body and carries white blood cells that fight infections. Dry brushing is long believed (like for centuries) to help stimulate the lymphatic system and enhance the detoxification process.
2. Exfoliation
Dry brushing really helps removing dead skin cells. Age, hormones, and environmental factors can affect the natural process of shedding dead skin cells, and can result in the build-up of dead cell layers. Exfoliation is vital at this stage to help eliminate the buildup of dead tissue.
Dry brushing is a gentler, easier and more affordable way to incorporate regular exfoliation into your daily routine. If the idea of using chemical peels is intimidating (and, like, why in the world would you put a chemical exfoliator all over your body anyway?) dry brushing can be a great alternative. It can be done anytime and anywhere, whether you’re at home or traveling. You really only need to invest in a dry brush once since it does not run out like chemical solutions.
3. Aids in circulation
Dry brushing is also great for the circulatory system, the body’s vital transport system for blood, oxygen, and nutrients. Dry brushing can help improve poor blood circulation by stimulating circulation which helps keep the blood flowing.
4. Cellulite
Some say dry brushing reduces the appearance of cellulite but I hesitate to claim that as a benefit here for two reasons. 1) There are no scientific studies to prove or refute this claim, and 2) Theres NOTHING wrong with having cellulite!*PSA: Do your part in crushing the patriarchal mindset by accepting and loving your cellulite and body exactly as it is. What a rebellious act that would be.
Other benefits of dry brushing include:
Opens the pores
Develops muscle tone
Relaxes muscle tension
Refreshes the nervous system
Helps in digestion
Relieves stress
Energizing
What about ionic dry brushes?
I wrote a whole post about my experience with ionic dry brushing, but basically hen you brush your skin with an ionic body brush, you create a natural friction between the ion-charged copper bristles and your skin.
That friction creates negative ions on the surface of your skin, which in turn provides your body with a multitude of ‘spare’ electrons which are ready to neutralize free radicals that come into contact with your body. I thought that was kinda cool. And apparently the health benefits of dry brushing are greatly enhanced through the use of an ionic body brush.
How to Dry Brush
It is suggested that you always brush towards the heart. Start at your feet and brush upwards towards the legs. Strokes ideally should be done 7 to 14 times on each portion of the skin.
Next, move on to your hands and make upward sweeping strokes to your arms.
Next target the neck area. Working on one side of the jawline, start from the earlobe and sweep all the way to the chin. Repeat on the opposite side.
From the base of the back of the neck, sweep all the way to the collarbone. Start with one side, and afterwards work on the other.
Targeting your breast area, brush with light strokes towards the heart starting from the collarbone. The pressure should be very light.
Move to your belly and brush up towards the heart.
Move on to your armpits and with your arm extended overhead, brush down and towards the chest.
Next, start from your hips and sweep upwards to your armpits. Start with one side and repeat on the other side afterwards.
Moving to your back, start from the tailbone sweeping up towards your head. Have someone help with the back for the places you can’t reach.
Like this? Share it on Pinterest! C’mon, you know you were gonna spend like two hours there anyway today 😉
I’m 50/50 when it comes to being a total believer or complete sceptic regarding the health claims of many products I try. I see this all over the wellness industry; products that make outrageous statements of the benefits making you feel like you have to buy it. That’s marketing 101. I get that. So While I am totally into it I also take everything with a grain of salt.
So, why did I give the ionic brush thing a try?
The health benefits of dry brushing (which I like to do on a fairly regular basis) are said to be enhanced through the use of an ionic dry brush, which has its origin in ancient Ayurvedic practices (another thing I am super into). So we got of to a good start.
The ion-charged copper bristles naturally create negative ions that supposedly protect your body from free radicals and have numerous other health benefits. The molecular composition of the bristles encourages the direct and immediate absorption of negative ions into your skin, or so they say, which increases the benefits of dry brushing. I figured why the heck not give it a go?
How Do Ionic Dry Brushes Work?
When you brush your skin with an ionic body brush, you create a natural friction between the ion-charged copper bristles and your skin. That friction creates negative ions on the surface of your skin.
Using an ionic body brush has the effect of providing your body with an excess of negative ions, which in turn provides your body with a multitude of ‘spare’ electrons which are ready to neutralize free radicals that come into contact with your body. In other words, regularly using an ionic body brush essentially creates a ‘protective ion shield’ around your body.
Now, my sceptic brain said “where’s the proof of that?” And I don’t have an answer. Maybe somewhere out there is a scientific study about this, but honestly y’all, it’s a dry brush not a cure for cancer. I can chill out on the “where’s the proof” talk for a bit.
Choosing the right brush
Here are the things I look for in a brush:
It’s made of natural natural bristles, such as plant fibers, animal hair, or copper (synthetic bristles such as plastic will be too stiff and harsh for your skin).
Ethical and sustainable sourcing (something I am keeping in mind for ALL things I buy nowadays).
The ionic dry brush I first tried is by Prana Brush, here’s what I like about it:
I like that Prana Brushes are handmade in California from sustainably-harvested beechwood. I am all about supporting small, local businesses, especially ones that have sustainability and ethical sourcing in mind. Also, all of their brushes features an outer ring of bristles made from ethically-sourced boar hair.
The ion-charged copper bristles in Prana brushes are made from an alloy of copper and zinc, both of which are very important trace minerals. Copper aids in the formation of collagen, facilitates the absorption of iron, and plays a central role in energy production. In addition, zinc is essential for healthy hormone production, maintaining energy levels, supporting immunity, and promoting good digestion.
The unique molecular structure of the copper bristles permits negative ions (created by the friction between the copper bristles and your skin) to be directly absorbed by your skin and into your body.
My thoughts after using the Prana brush
Ok, holy dead skin cells! oh. my. god. I can’t even tell you. The exfoliating factor is a 10 out of 10. While I was brushing I could see the dead skin cells come up like a puff of smoke with each brush stroke. Like imagine opening a new bottle of baby powder when you get that little “poof” of powder. It was that intense. But I can’t tell you how satisfying it was.
Now, because the bristles are copper it was a more intense sensation than my other much softer brush. So I would not recommend it if you have cuts or burns. The brushing almost hurt but like a good kind of hurt if that makes any sense. I got used to it after a few days but the first time I tried it I was like “ouch, that kinds hurts.”
I wasn’t able to see a visible difference in my skin but I did notice an energized feeling in my body after brushing. It’s like a quick jolt of coffee. Especially in the morning before a shower it definitely gave me a boost. My skin felt tingly and awake (if you can imagine what that feels like).
It’s a bit addicting. Anytime I felt sluggish or lazy I would find myself wanting to go and use the brush because I knew it would give me a much needed boost. I think this would be good for anyone to keep in their purse or at their desk and use during that afternoon slump at work if you have a space you can do it.
As for the whole “negative ion” thing I can’t really speak to it because I wasn’t sure what to look for. It’s not exactly like I know the feeling of having extra negative ions in my body or anything. So while it’s a cool notion it’s hard to quantify.
To sum it up:
Pros: Great exfoliator! Leaves you feeling energized.
Cons: Copper bristles are a bit tough and may be intense for sensitive people.
If you want to give it a try, the lovely people at Prana Brush gave me a discount code for my readers so you can try it out yourself! Use the code BLOOMANDSPARK15 for 15% off.
Think about it, each season has themes, energies, and rituals.Our bodies and minds need different things at different times of the year. Self care for fall can help us feel more aligned with the season, and help us make the transition out of summer, which can be a real bummer for us summer lovers out there.
Winter gives us room for quiet introspection, a time to recharge and prepare for what’s ahead. The days are short and dark. You might spend more time on your couch cuddling with some chai tea and rewatching Downton Abbey for the millionth time. Winter gives you time to reflect, rest, and be still.
Spring is all about setting intentions, birthing ideas, and plantings new seeds for what’s to come. This is reflected in the natural world, and also in our renewed energy for some spring cleaning or new projects at home.
Summer brings a time of outward expansion, positive changes, transformation, and growth. The energy of summer lends itself to celebration and the robust glory of feeling free and alive.
How Seasons Influence Self Care
Autumn carries two equal but opposing energies that we can learn to cultivate in multiple areas of our lives.
On one hand autumn is all about letting go of what we no longer need. Trees lose their leaves, and we too can release old beliefs, habits, and choices that no longer serve us. While on the other hand it’s also a time to gather and harvest what is essential.
One theme predominates this season, and that is beginning to wind down. We turn down the tempo from summer’s energy and high spirited fun, to ease up on the gas, and find routine and groundedness.
The Autumn Equinox also brings an equal amount of light and darkness, which echoes these opposing themes of gathering what nourishes us, and letting go of what doesn’t. I like to see autumn as a celebration of balanced forces at work in our lives.
Today, as a former “Fall-Hater” I’m sharing some of my favorite ways to practice self care for fall and enhance the mind-body connection through the lens of all things fall!
5 Practices To Align With Autumn
1. Alternate Nostril Breathing
Known in Sanskrit as nadi shodhana pranayama which translates as “subtle energy clearing breathing technique.” I did a whole video just on this topic, you can find it here.
And *fun fact* Hilary Clinton wrote in her book “What Happened” that she used alternate nostril breathing after her loss of the 2018 United States presidential election to manage stress and anxiety. Now that is definitely something I can relate to.
2. Try Some Grounding Yin Yoga
If you’ve never done Yin Yoga before check out my video explaining what it is and my article all about why you should totally give it a try. But in a nutshell Yin Yoga is an extremely gentle and slow yoga practice which uses poses that held for longer periods of time. It’s not your regular fast paced vinyasa flow.
Yin yoga is perfect for when you are feeling sick, run down, or over stimulated. It encourages circulation and energy flow to the joints and internal organs through passive poses that require little muscle engagement.
When held for several minutes the poses place pressure on energetic pathways called meridians (think acupressure points) activating energy flow along these pathways, so it’s actually doing a lot more than you think, pretty cool right? This helps to bring us into balance energetically and is perfect when we feel totally discombobulated (I really like using that word).
3. Enjoy Seasonal Fall Foods
No matter where you are in the world, you can focus on eating seasonal produce and other foods that align with the energetic properties of the season. During the autumn there is an abundance of produce, especially root vegetables.
I have lots of other suggestions for choosing the right foods to support your wellness in the autumn in this post on ayurveda for autumn.
4. Take Time To Reflect Through Journaling
While journaling this season, I encourage you to think about what goals you set out to complete at the beginning of the year and really look at what has helped you and what has held you back. While journaling, ask yourself these questions to help you guide your energy toward achieving these goals, and celebrating the fullness of your life. Some journal prompts to get you started are:
How have I grown personally and professionally this year?
What are my favorite ways to slow down, and reconnect with myself and my desires?
When I get really quiet with myself what does my inner guide/higher selftell me I need to do more or less of?
One OLD habit or belief I am committed to letting go of this season is…because…
One NEW habit or belief I am committed to letting go of this season is …because…
5. Do a DIY Autumn At-Home Retreat
I love anything DIY, and an at home retreat day is the ultimate cost effective indulgence. Plan for a day where you have nothing else going on (I know, like does that even exist anymore?) and follow my Autumn At-Home Retreat Day in the updated Autumn Self Care Guide because you’ve earned it girlfriend.
Hi, I’m Caroline! Welcome to Bloom & Spark, an intuition led, wellness based lifestyle blog. With a focus on mindfulness and sustainability this space is for creating authentic engagement in what it means to live well. Here you will find insights and lifestyle tips for yoga & meditation, simple recipes, purposeful living, and realistic sustainability. Manifesting Generator, Gemini,
