The nights are drawing in and the temperature is dropping, slowly the leaves are changing colour, Autumn is finally upon us.
Autumn is the season where the natural world around us starts to slow down and begin preparations for winter. A time for us to wind down, get cosy and make time for ourselves. A time where we are forced to take a slower pace on life. The hours of daylight become less, and we feel ourselves being drawn towards the warmth. What impact can Autumn have on our mental health? Can it really slow us down and give us a chance to reflect over the past year? I had the great privilege to interview Laura from Edinburgh Life with Kids to discuss the wonder that is the season of Autumn.
For many of us Autumn is a welcome time of year. A time for us to grab those scarves that have been hidden in the back of our wardrobes since spring, and a chance to get those Pumpkin Spice Lattes. When speaking to Laura, we both agreed that we aren’t disappointed when Autumn arrives. In fact, it feels like we greet the season like an old friend. As I sit here in my living room writing watching the leaves slowly dropping from the trees, it’s a reminder from the natural world that it’s time to slow down. Time to get cosy and prepare for the winter months ahead.
Spiritually and astrologically, Autumn is about having gratitude for the summer months and making way for a new beginning. A season where we are encouraged to look inwards and have some self-reflection. Reflect on things that have happened in our year. There are times during the season where we are forced to slow down and watch the world go by. As Laura says, the enforced halting when it is raining is often a welcome thing. Nature’s way of telling us to stop, and simply observe, and let’s face it, who doesn’t love an excuse to stop by your nearest Starbucks and get a Pumpkin Spice Latte? For me, I find great comfort in sitting with a cup of coffee and watching the world go by. I love people watching and just sitting watching things go by. It’s kind of therapeutic to just sit, relax and watch things going on around you. Whether that is simply sitting in your living room watching the leaves fall from the tree, or watching people bustle by whilst you take a moment to just stop.
For many of us, our day to day lives can at times become very busy and chaotic, so having time to just stop and let the world pass us by can sometimes be very refreshing. Having a moment to simply sit still and process the goings on within our mind. Not only does Autumn give us a time to relax, escape and process things that have happened, it also gives our imagination a chance to really go wild. Autumn is such a magical and colourful season that can help ignite our imagination and get those creative juices going. We spend the first half of the year surrounded by greens and yellows, but when Autumn arrives the natural world appears to simply explode in colour. Suddenly we are greeted with such an array of colours from red and browns to deep oranges. Something that can really get our mind going.
Many great authors have written about the wonders of Autumn, and one quote for me really stands out. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in The Great Gatsby “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall”. For me this really sums up what Autumn feels like, and I’m sure for many it feels the same. To me Autumn is like a second chance, a chance to start over again. Although, the season gives us time to slow down and rest, sometimes this is just what we need to do to restart. Just like restarting your laptop. We find ourselves in a time where the world around us hits restart and forces us to do the same. It is quite important for our own mental health that we take time to stop and hit restart. With our lives being very busy at times, it is important to take time to listen and hit refresh.
Even if our day to day lives aren’t busy, it can become quite chaotic in our mind and allowing ourselves this chance to relax, and reset is crucial for keeping positive. Making time to process anything that might be going on in our life. Whether it’s simply making time to sit with a cup of coffee or reading your favourite book, there are many ways in which we can make this time accessible. So, this Autumn make time during your week to simply sit, relax and reset. Allow yourself to time to watch the world go by and allow your mind to clear.