Helllooo, and welcome to the final post of September! It’s here already and I’m still thinking it’s August… As a summer girl through and through, the journey into fall with its descending temperatures, increasing layers and rapid death of everything growing outside, is one that I struggle with every year. Thankfully every year it gets a little easier than the year before, and maybe one of these times I won’t act like I completely forgot that I live in the Northern Eastern United States and winter is a thing… For anyone who’s ever shaken their fist at the weather man for an entire month, burned all their seasonal wardrobe only to have to go buy the same things again, or vowed not to leave their house for an entire season, here are my
Tips for Embracing* a Dreaded Change of Season
*Or at least not attempting to strangle, let’s not get carried away.
- Hold on to The Season You’re Leaving.
As you head into the new season, find a way to bring some of the goodness with you into the next. Summer lovers who spend all their time at the beach may find it almost as enjoyable in the fall or winter. If it’s the warmth you miss, find a way to sit near as many fire places as possible. Folks at home in the cozy chill of winter may enjoy skating rinks or a trip to The Ice Bar in the warmer months. You can capture the feeling of the new life and gentle rains of spring any time of the year with a water feature, sound effect videos and indoor plants.
- Identify and Alleviate.
Figure out the specific thing that you hate about whatever season it is and make a plan of action to address it. Your most hated time of year is coming soon and you’re dreading it. Just thinking about it makes you groan. But what is it about this part of life that you dislike? What’s the most challenging? Do you hate being hot? Can’t stand the tourists that flood your town? The idea of going back to school bum you out? Think through your feelings and narrow it down as much as possible. You may find that you don’t really hate summer, you hate everyone going on vacation while you work. It’s not that you can’t stand spring time, your allergies act up and you feel gross most of the days. Some of these things you can’t fix, sorry. In those cases you have to cram in as much goodness as possible to outweigh the challenges. But some things, you can change. What can you do?
- Find Gratitude.
You’ve read it over and over on this page and it’s because it’s true; when you exchange expectation for gratitude your life will change. If you want to change your attitude about the time of year you’re currently in, there’s no better way than to become grateful for it. Grateful for the season you have just experienced, the joy of your favorite time of year. Thankful for a change in situation for the people struggling with drought or flooding or magpies (Sorry Aus). Grateful that there are only three months left of this season you dislike. Find what you can be glad for and watch your attitude change.
- Branch Out in Your Hobbies.
The first thing to make winter tolerable to me wasn’t Christmas or snow days or hot chocolate, it was snowboarding. By having a hobby that was only possible in the winter months I had a reason to endure and even *gasp* enjoy months of weather that I didn’t like. The fact that it could only happen in an abundance of the snow I used to hate helped me to come to a place of appreciation for the season. The more activities you can find and pile together in a season that you dislike, the more you’ll come to see it as just another time of year; a sweet time to embrace and cherish.
- Create a New Tradition.
Nothing brightens the part of the year you dislike quite like making a new tradition. My husband finds the stretch between New Year and spring to be particularly rough. So he started an annual ski trip for the middle of that period. Are you always heartbroken when Christmas decorations come down and the summer is bleak anticipating the return of “The Holiday Season”? Throw a Christmas in July party and bring the Holiday spirit to the middle of the summer. If you’re feeling bored with the season, tired of the weather, or craving a celebration, you can guarantee that other people are too! No one’s gonna be mad when you make a reason to get together and enjoy life!
- Get On-Theme.
I fall kind of in the middle of the theme embracing spectrum. I like a pastel window cling, pinecone turkey or pot o’gold baked good as much as the next girl, but my attic isn’t on a rotating schedule as the boxes of seasonal décor come in and out. But guys, there’s just something about a good seasonal decoration, thematic tee shirt, or decorated dessert that adds a little joy to an otherwise drudgerous time of year. Maybe the idea of thematic decorations is the thing that gets you down about the season you hate, in which case, see previous tip re: new tradition. Everyone’s decorative gourds getting you down? Paint yours as bunnies to bring your spring spirit to the season. Nautical themes and decorative citrus fruits make you hate summer even more? Put bikinis on your elves, and make snowmen out of sand. Making your house a fun place that embraces the season can work wonders on you!
- Find a Winter/Summer/Spring/Autumn fanatic.
Next time you feel like complaining about how much this particular time of year is heinous and an abomination and the place you live would be perfect without it, find yourself a fan of the season. I have a friend who is always warm. He can hardly function in the summer because he is miserable in his own body! I’m radiant and glowing and I look over and the poor guy is grimacing and crawling to the shade. In the winter I get a smile on my face and warm fuzzies inside when I think of the fact that the weather I find so annoying is letting this guy feel comfortable again. I follow about 15 people on Instagram who make their livings on the winter. People who love it and breathe it and need it. Looking at life through their eyes makes every day a bit more tolerable.
- Watch What You’re Missing.
I love watching Christmas movies and shows in the summer. The holiday is a long way off, but watching movies that celebrate my favorite holiday in a dichotomous time bring some of that joy to the present. When you’re freezing in the winter, find a show about vacationing in Hawaii. When the trees around you are losing their leaves and hibernating, watch a documentary about a thriving rainforest. Putting yourself in another place and season mentally can feel just about as good as being there yourself.
- Find a New Anthem.
Music adds so much to any experience, and finding a song to mirror the feelings of the season can be a huge help in accepting the loss of the season before. When the breezy songs of summer road trips no longer apply, find something that eases you into autumn. Maybe getting through the spring is as simple as finding a high energy song to bring you through to summer. A new time of year is a perfect time to explore a new artist, new genre or just a new favorite jam.
- Change up Your Wardrobe.
My clothing has a huge impact on my day to day life. If I’m not comfortable in what I’m wearing I feel out of place all day, slightly off, and just not right. This is only amplified in a change of season when the things that we’re used to wearing don’t quite work anymore. Sometimes embracing a new season can be as simple as finding the things that you need to be comfortable as the weather changes. It can take years of wearing whatever is on sale, in your closet or the most popular option before you find the things that actually work for you. Tank tops and shorts might work for some people, but if you are self-conscious, sun averse, or just don’t like those things, summer can be pretty awful. What other options are there? Are you a sundress person? Do baggy crop pants and Hawaiian shirts make you feel free and excellent? Find what makes you feel happy, confident, and capable. Everything is easier when you feel good 🙂
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