Fall – It’s Time to Slow Down
Monday (Sept. 23) was one of the most important days of the year (but not because it’s the day before my birthday).
Monday was the first day of fall, and that matters – a lot – because fall is, symbolically speaking, a directional change from the expansion, stimulation, and resultant exhaustion of a long, bright summertime.
You know that feeling.
You also know the yearning for restoration, for peace, and for reconnection.
Whether you need to take care of your bruised and battered body, your bruised and battered heart, or your bruised and battered relationships, you probably sense the opportunity to heal and settle and breathe more deeply as we move into the fall season.
The themes of fall are so important that I concentrated the most life-changing ideas in my upcoming book, The 4 Season Solution, around the discussion of moving out of a chronic, unbalanced summer into a slower, more restorative fall.
Fall is a downshift of sorts, but you don’t have to radically overhaul your life to gain some of the benefits of living in a more cyclical, balanced way.
There’s one simple thing you can do right now — recognise there was a change and that you can slow down.
Simply recognising – like I am doing today – that I need to take my foot off the gas is the perfect way to start shifting out of “go mode” into a more restorative, sustainable, and joyful way of living.
Who’s into THAT?
🙋🏻♂️
What are some of your favorite ways to slow down and enjoy the fall?
Katrina
Food is cooked slower, roasts in heavy dutch ovens. Slower, restorative walks with the kids instead of pushing myself to go further. The garden is winding down and needs cleaning up.
And each year there comes a day where I suddenly want to start crocheting and quilting again.
Diana
I live off grid in AK in the woods, so very aware of the changing seasons and how life responds (each in their own way: trees, squirrels, moose, humans, etc). My favorite time of the year is fall – although, it is not a slowing down yet, winter preparations really need to be done. Winter is my slow down – love it (second favorite season). Dallas, I ordered your book – I have always believed the season are key to living happy, healthy, and at peace.
Tara
In the fall I begin to withdraw into myself a little without realizing it. I clear out clutter in my home in preparation for a long winter. I meal plan and cook nourishing and warm dinners. I enjoy hikes and long walks to listen to the rustling leaves and to feel the crisp cool breeze on my face. The sunshine is amazing in the Northeast in Fall, the angle of light is somehow cozier. The leaves are so brilliant and beautiful that one can´t help but to be present and take it all in. I begin to ground myself more. Spend more time alone since the children are back to school. Spend more restorative time in saunas after workouts and take care of my own wellbeing much more. I go to bed earlier. I crave more free time to reconnect with my husband and children after a crazy summer of fun and resist committing to too many activities. Fall is so much more intimate, and the best of both worlds: the coziness of winter and the active outdoor opportunities of the summer and still warm days. To me the shift is like coming home after a long trip.
Dallas Hartwig
Yes! In my upcoming book, I write a bit about “home and away” feelings, and fall is definitely a returning home feeling.
Tara
Great! I loved your podcast episode about Seasons, and have already pre-ordered your book! I look forward to diving more into the seasonal way of living. Especially given that I have a tendency to experience Seasonal Affective Disorder a bit.
Kaitlyn C
September 23rd happens to be my birthday (so I’m biased) but still fully acknowledge the equinox as its own profound reason to reflect. I love sitting outside and taking in the audible quiet or creating a reading list to work through during the rainy months.
Vicky Derksen
I got your book on Audible when it came out earlier this year and was blown away by the message. I’m just finishing my second time through it on Audible and ordered the hardback on Amazon. I live in the Phoenix metro area in Arizona. We just had the hottest summer on record, and when the temps dropped to 100, I literally felt like Fall had arrived. My mental state instantly shifted to Fall. Even those who garden here said there was an instant change in their garden production with struggling plants perking up and setting blooms again. I think one of the reasons I keep listening to your book over and over is that I’m trying to internalize the message enough that I can figure out how to adapt it to the seasons of the Sonoran Desert where I live. Summer here is truly 6 months long and Winter is only 1 month long. In Summer here, we withdraw to our homes, indoor places, and swimming pools. Snowbirds are gone, so there aren’t as many exciting events. Winter and Spring are the times we live outdoors and have never ending events and activities. In so many ways, the seasons are reversed with the exception of the amount of daylight we get. Even our gardening seasons (we have 2-3) are completely different than other parts of the country. Any insight you might have would be wonderful!!! Thank you for this brilliant work you are doing. I need this!