October is my favourite colour. Autumn is my favourite colour and yet, year after year I meet the season with anxiety. I decided to break away from that this year and putting new mindfulness skills to use, I followed the advice of Action for Happiness and declared September as “self-care September.”
Self-care September was life changing, in a good way that I am proud of. Over the summer, I made the loving decision to ask for help and at the end of September, my two-month program came to an end. I feel like a new person and I’m working on keeping it that way.
With these lessons in mind, I declare the whole season of autumn as a time for self-care. I find autumn as the breath of fresh air between the busy-ness of summer and winter and I want to enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer. I’ve actively chosen to spend more time outside, photographing the changing leaves, and disconnecting from devices to play outside. Autumn is the perfect time to go to the playground, jump in the leaves, and swing through the crisp air. I feel most connected to nature and I get lost in all the pretty colours.
As the year is rushing forward and will be ending in two months, I am reflecting as I continue to fill my Happiness Box. I can’t believe how quickly this year flew by and while I can’t slow down time, I can choose how I spend it. While autumn is my favourite colour, there is a hard anniversary mixed in. Putting that self-care to work, I decided to take that day off and declare it as a National Day for Jessica. I’m excited for the day, a re-frame of the dread that I used to feel. I also accepted that however I feel at the given moment, I will allow myself to feel it.
Autumn is Nature’s last hurrah before Her wintry death. Isn’t it fitting that I shape dreadful moments from the past as golden hurrahs and time of triumph, before the rebirth occurs? I find Mother Nature’s cycles to be like our humanly cycles. Our feelings are tied to the seasons around us and by paying attention to what surrounds us, we can adjust accordingly.
I can’t wait to report back in the winter to how this all went. How will you spend your self-care autumn?
The Happiness Box Project 
Happy Autumn! I am glad that you are feeling better and have decided to dedicate this beautiful season to self-care. I also struggle with seasonal depression this time of year and September was especially yucky. Thankfully I have been practicing mindfulness and I am feeling much better. Here’s to more self-care and enjoying these beautiful autumn months.
❤ Alana
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I’m an autumn and winter person; summer is usually the season that makes me depressed with longer days and decreased activity. I like shorter days for rest and hot weather I can’t tolerate, so I stay in. I usually do more outdoor activities in the autumn and winter – yes, I want to move to a colder climate! Haha. I have hypothyroidism and that is what contributes to the heat intolerance.
HOWEVER, six years ago I underwent a very traumatic experience and now I feel a dread in the autumn leading up to that anniversary. I spent some time in counseling and I’m getting better with it, but I am also allowing myself to feel. Feelings aren’t right or wrong, they just are. This is helpful too and I’ve slowly started to love autumn again.
❤ Jessica
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Hi, Jessica Marie!
You are fortunate to live in the north during October, experience the cool, crisp air and glorious sights of the changing season and do the outdoor activities you described. October in Florida is more of the same – a heat and humidity endurance test with little change in the colors of nature. For decades I have been advocating for Christmas spirit to be manifested, not only during December, but all year long. In the same way it makes sense for you to expand your self-care initiative and practice it every day of the year. I appreciate your idea to turn “Day of the Dread” (my play on words) into National Day for Jessica. Every year when that hard anniversary rolls around you have the opportunity to exercise your personal power by being the vigilant gatekeeper of your mind. Take control of the situation and bar sad thoughts from entering. Fill the day with pleasant activity and rejoice in the fact that you have proven yourself to be a resilient survivor. You have every right to feel proud.
Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend JM!
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