11 Ways to Take Your Self-Care into Fall

It’s that time of year! Fall, a fresh season, the cooling of and shortening of the days, all the cozy layers, candles burning, lots of hygge vibes. I love summer, just as I do all the seasons for one reason or another, but fall has my heart.

It’s a leaning in. A circling of the wagons. A focus on home and heart and time with family. It’s about hibernating and recuperating from the busier, longer, hotter days of summer. It’s the natural ebb to the flow.

And it’s also a wonderful time to layer on the self-care. I’m going to share several of the ways I care for myself in this season. It doesn’t have to be complicated. A little goes a long way.

Listen to the companion podcast Episode 20 HERE.

1.) Have a plan to get adequate Vitamin D.

Besides stocking up on high quality K2/D3 drops, I make a point to step outside first thing in the morning (usually with my warm lemon water in hand) and turn my face to the sun. Even if the sun isn’t shining, it’s still beneficial for resetting your circadian rhythm.

But if it’s too chilly out or the sun is behind the clouds, I will open all the blinds and turn on my “happy” light in the kitchen while I make breakfast. On nice days when the temperatures are still moderate, I lay out while the kiddos play and get a solid 20 minutes of sunshine mid-day.

2.) Stock your wellness arsenal.

I covered this in detail in my recent post Why and How I’m Stocking My Winter Wellness Arsenal. I also cover it in Episode 17 of the podcast, so check that out, too.

All that to say, I keep lots of fresh ginger, turmeric, garlic + onions on hand to use in soups, smoothies and warm drinks. Speaking of smoothies, don’t underestimate the nutritional power punch of the daily smoothie in keeping the immune system strong. This one is my favorite.

I also make sure to always have a fresh batch of elderberry syrup in the fridge. I use this recipe and also add the peel of one organic lemon, about an inch of peeled, fresh turmeric + about 10 whole peppercorns during the simmer step. This funnel + strainer in one makes this recipe a breeze.

I stock Echinacea/Goldenseal drops, Vitamin C gummies, and Vitamin D drops (along with a host of other remedies). I also make sure to have some ColdCalm, cough syrup and good teas on hand.

3.) Keep moving!

When the weather starts to get cooler, I naturally tend to want to stay inside more. Hunker down. Stay in my pajamas and putter. But I’ve found that consistently moving my body really boosts my mood + energy, especially in the fall transition. Even just ten minutes a day makes a huge difference.

I love this barre inspired workout, this yoga flow…oh, and this one, too. Even just a walk with my kiddos with some sprints, lunges, squats + push ups interspersed makes me feels super charged.

This fall I’m committing to at least 10 minutes a day of pilates or yoga. I aim to walk 2-3 x’s per week and I love to hike our local “mountain” a couple times each month. I’m always amazed at how good I feel after just a little movement.

4.) Schedule a weekly detox bath.

Okay, maybe more like bi-weekly. I love the simple tool of a detox bath all year around. But especially in the cooler months, it not only delivers on the self-care front it also boosts immunity + helps my body heal faster if I’m fighting something.

Check out this post for my recipe for a perfect detox bath, but currently I’m loving a mix of epsom salts (don’t be afraid to dump them in, it takes a good amount to make a difference), raw apple cider vinegar (about 1 cup) and some sort of oil – coconut, essential, body – doesn’t matter. Just something moisturizing, soothing and grounding.

5.) Take the time to reassess your goals for the year.

I love using the fall transition as a fresh opportunity to reassess the goals I set for the year, revamp where needed, dial down and get super specific so I can finish out the year on a high note.

So, take 10-15 minutes, a pad and a pen and write out your top 5 goals for the remainder of the year. Then break those goals down into action steps by month, week and day. Make them bite-size and they will be much easier to accomplish.

If you need some extra help or inspiration, grab my free Goals Guide that will walk you through the process.

6.) Come up with some seasonal meal ideas.

I’m not a big meal plan person. I take more of a “meal ideas” approach. I go through my favorite cookbooks, comb through my Pinterest board and write down all the recipes I want to try separated by breakfast, dinner, snacks, and desserts. We almost always do leftovers or a lunch board for lunch, so I don’t worry about that category too much.

Can’t wait to try this yummy dish. Then this soup. I think we will try these for breakfast one day. I’m putting a star by the recipes we love and, once I have enough, that collection will become our rotating seasonal meal plan. Hoorah!

My all time favorite cookbook (I use it almost every day) is Simply Real Eating. Besides Pinterest, this is where a majority of my meal ideas come from. So good!

7.) Get ready to make some warm drinks.

Seriously. Stock that warm drink cabinet.

Here’s what I like to have on hand:

Coffee – regular (my fave is FourSigmatic) + Swiss method decaf
Teecino Dandelion Carmel Nut
Golden milk blend (it’s easy to make your own!)
Organic chamomile flowers
Raw cocoa powder
Nutmilk + creamer of choice
Unrefined coconut oil
Collagen (like this one)
Redmond Real Salt or Himalayan pink salt
Raw apple cider vinegar
Local raw honey
Manuka honey (or this one)
Raw coconut sugar
Ceylon cinnamon, powder + sticks
Cardamom pods
Star anise
Vanilla extract
Black peppercorns
Lemons
Fresh ginger + turmeric

And then grab my FREE warm drink guide ——–>>>> HERE.

It has 9 of my favorite, healthy + healing warm drink recipes that are sure to carry you through the chilly months ahead.

Don’t forget to grab the guide! And you can also check out my Healing Drinks board for lots more inspo.

8.) Embrace the hibernating.

As much as it’s good to get out in the sunshine + move your body daily, it’s totally okay + even healthy to embrace the season of hibernating that’s coming. Don’t fight it. If you feel like staying close to home, stay close to home. If you need to “circle the wagons,” circle the wagons. You’ve most likely been going + doing all spring and summer, it’s good to slow down, pull in, rest + get refilled.

It’s okay to get some cozy pajamas (and wear them until noon), buy a new pair of slippers + a chunky cardigan, get out those warm blankets for the living room, light the candles and make some new fall blends for the diffuser. Embrace the hygge, embrace the hibernating.

9.) Start a new Bible study.

It’s a brand new season, so it’s the perfect opportunity to dig into a fresh book of the Bible or topical study. I love She Reads Truth and have since they started years ago. They have so many amazing studies to choose from. You don’t have to purchase anything either. You can follow along on their website for free.

I recently discovered The Daily Grace Co. and it looks like they have some fantastic studies, too.

Right now I use a simple ESV journal Bible and I’m working my way slowly through the Psalms. They are very fitting for current times. The Bible as a whole is just always relevant, living and active.

10.) Snag some fresh books.

I’ve always been a library gal. I like to check a book out and then give it back, no cost and nothing to store or care for. BUT over the last few months, when libraries closed, I started slowly building my own personal library of reference books. Books I will use and reuse and read and re-read.

Here are a few I’ve gotten so far:

The Postnatal Depletion Cure (we’re reading this together in October over on Instagram so come join us!)
5 Hour School Week
Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs
Mommy Diagnostics
Foraging with Kids

11.) Create your fall capsule.

Creating a capsule for each season is my favorite. It’s so much fun to re-invent + re-imagine the clothing I have and then re-incorporate it into the next season as much as possible. And then – the best part! – shopping to fill in any gaps.

While you’re creating your capsule, plan to give away/throw away/sell as necessary. It’s always refreshing to start a new season with a cleaned out + pared down closet.

My first stop for capsule inspiration is Pinterest – check out my style board here. I also go more in-depth on how to create a capsule wardrobe you love here.