Take Care of Yourself
unsolicited advice *blog style*
Happy October friends and welcome to Fall! Where the leaves die and nostalgia resurrects, oh don’t we all love it?
To be honest, this time of year is hard for everybody. I’ve witnessed all of my friends (who are in Fall-like climates) make the drastic change from feeling upbeat to melancholy within a matter of weeks. There doesn’t seem to be any particular reason either, for this subtle depression that feigns when the days get shorter. My friends always end their voice memos with, and I sprinkle it back to them to give hope: “I don’t know, maybe it’s the change of season or I’m getting my period.”
First of all, I am the biggest advocate for blaming everything on your cycle. Completely valid, and honestly scientifically supported. What I didn’t know was also scientifically supported is that Autumn does indeed make you nostalgic. And let me begin by saying that nostalgia is your worst enemy. It is never truly a positive emotion.
When the temperature drops, our senses naturally heighten and this includes memory-making! You are therefore going to reminisce on all of your past falls because the memories created then are so vivid, and your senses now are more susceptible to dreaminess. How interesting!
Another Scientific reason you may struggle during these transformative months is because of a Vata imbalance. I’m sure you’re wondering what the heck that is, but yes! The months spanning October to February are something referred to as “Vata season” in terms of Ayurvedic Natural Medicine. In Ayurveda, there is something referred to as “Doshas”. There are 3 of them: Vata, Kapha and Pitta. We all are a mix of them, but probably not as evenly balanced as we desire. If you want to learn more about which one is dominant for you, I recommend this quiz.
Vata's qualities show up in a multitude of ways. Being Vata dominant, especially in these cold months can manifest in feelings of anxiety, depression, dryness, poor circulation (struggling to keep warm), insomnia, and poor digestion. Not good things!!
Every year, that’s exactly how I feel. Unmotivated but anxious, lethargic but guilty, sad for no detectable reason and my sleep would always take a toll.
But this year, I feel amazing and I think I know why.
So let’s do something a little bit different around here folks and pretend I’m *actually* a blogger. Blog style. Because we all want unsolicited advice right?
Here we go!
How to take care of yourself this Autumn: (Vata Season)
Feed Yourself
This is the time of the year that should be filled with soups and stews galore! Moving into Autumn/ Vata season the focus is keeping yourselves warm, from the inside out. Think cooked vegetables and fruit, slow-cooked stews and soups full of seasonal deliciousness, comforting spices and all of the herbal teas in your favorite coffee mugs.
I have noticed such a difference in my vitality this year with the newfound knowledge of proper seasonal nutrition. Enjoy the hearty, homemade meals without any guilt, knowing you are actually doing yourself a favor with intentional eating.
Now listen, I am no chef. I am quite shy about my cooking abilities but I have been trying okay!! I am in the kitchen way too much honestly. My favorite place for recipe inspiration is Pinterest. Below I have linked or mentioned some of my favorites as of recently that I think are perfectly suitable for this season of life. And if I can do these, so can you!! Anyone can follow a recipe.
Breakfast:
For breakfast, I’m a simple gal. I did just host a cozy Fall Brunch last weekend so let me share with you what I served (and what made my house smell deliiicccioousss).
MAPLE BACON & SWEET POTATO HASH - This was ridiculously easy and entirely enjoyable. I also think adding in a couple of Sweet Onions would not be a bad idea.
PUMPKIN BANANA BREAD - I’ve made this twice now and both times I’ve watched the bread be devoured so fast right before my eyes by my guests. Add in some cream cheese frosting to make it a sweet little treat <3. An easy fan favorite and a quick thing to grab throughout the week.
PROTEIN PANCAKES - I am just resurfacing out of a huge Pancake kick. I don’t follow a recipe but I’m sure you could figure this one out. Try adding in some Pumpkin or seasonal spices to spruce up this warm, cozy breakfast. (Pancakes are also an underrated late night sweet treat).
STEWED APPLES - Part of Ayurvedic wellness is steering away from raw fruits and vegetables during the cold seasons. My go-to breakfast during the workweek has been a Yogurt bowl with granola, fruit, and peanut butter. This week, being inspired by my fall brunch, decided to stew some apples for my yogurt bowls and each morning I think I am a genius. A must-try.
TURMERIC HOT COCOA AND TEA - Besides warm Oat Milk Pumpkin Spiced lattes these are my daily drinks. Peppermint is usually my tea of choice, but again, steering away from any cooling sensations have implemented more heat-building teas in my days. Tulsi Ashwagandha, Ginger, Chai, and Turmeric have been the most satisfying to indulge me in. *add sugar into the hot cocoa and thank me later, she is strong*
LUNCH AND DINNER
Okay, speed round! Take a peak into my Saved Pinterest Recipes Board and see what I’ve been enjoying in the kitchen lately to make me feel my best this Autumn.
I hope you light a sweet candle after an everything shower, play Jazz music, drink hot tea and enjoy one of these meals in the comfort of your favorite pajamas this week <3
PRIORITIZE PASSION
A common concept thrown around often is the idea of energy givers vs. energy depleters. And if you’ve never come across these terms, here’s a brief explanation for you:
Energy Givers: A person, place, or activity that makes you feel alive.
Example: I was extremely fatigued and feeling low before teaching my class. After I teach, I always feel energized and fulfilled. - Teaching Yoga gives me energy.
Energy Depleters: A person, place, or activity that leaves you feeling drained.
Example: I was feeling okay before I went to the mall. Afterward, I felt exhausted and needed to recover. - The mall depletes my energy.
In all simplicity, make time for the things that light you up and leave out the rest of what you can! And keep promises to yourself, that’s the biggest form of self-love there is.
For me, this meant writing more and tuning back into a free flow of Yoga.
The way I’ve forced myself to make writing a higher priority is by giving myself deadlines that I stick to. My goal for the last 3 months was to write and post two blog posts, and I’ve followed through so far. It has made me feel proud and even more inspired to keep my wheels moving. Recently, my friend and I created a Writing Club where we hold ourselves and each other accountable to work on our passion. Waking up every day and making myself follow through with my promise to passion has been life-changing for me and I never regret spending my time on it.
For Yoga, as it is my full-time job, it is easy to forget the reason why I started. To ignite my love for it again, I’ve been making it two things- more intentional and more mindless. How can two things be true at once? The intentional part gets channeled when I am teaching others. I’ve pushed myself to lead meditations, weave in relevant themes, and try new things for my students. The mindless part is when I get on my mat, with no one else around, and just free flow without the worry of how I look, only how I feel. And I always feel better than ever.
Passion wakes you up. Give yourself a reason to wake up.
Keep yourself busy, occupied, and protected.
If this means that you need to cut off an energy-depleting friend, do it.
Have you been feeling the desire to paint again? Do it.
Does going to bed late, take away your next day’s energy? Go to bed earlier.
Does music make you feel good? Make yourself playlists and romanticize your life.
Do the things you love and don’t do what you don’t want to do. Honor yourself.
Listen to what your body is signaling as you go through your daily habits and create the changes.
Keep yourself warm from the inside out using the fire within you.
YOUR PHYSICAL BODY
Another super important aspect of taking care of yourself that may seem obvious is taking care of yourself physically.
Treat your body with the utmost respect and it will do the same for your mind. If you’ve been struggling, this is honestly where you should start.
A major denominator in mental health is physical activity. You don’t need to run or lift weights every day to keep yourself healthy, but you should be moving at least three times per week. Go for a walk and embrace the season with the leaves changing around you. Stretch for 20 minutes on your bedroom floor. Call me if you want to do Yoga, or maybe try out Tai Chi. A new study shows that “weekly hot yoga reduced depressive symptoms by at least 50 percent. 44 percent of those doing yoga weekly after 8 weeks were considered to be in remission from depression. Yoga is one of many mind-body practices that are part of a complementary approach to treating depression.” I honestly owe my gleaming recovery from Seasonal Depression to Hot Yoga. But, there are a million and one options for you to get moving, and none of them are correct or incorrect. Just get yourself loving, spike your heart rate, break a bit of a sweat and you will never regret it.
After getting into the routine of physical activity, make sure your hygiene is in check every single day. This one I hope is self explanatory. Shower. Take the extra 2 minutes to lotion your skin. Brush your hair every morning and put on chapstick every night. Treat yourself the way you’d take care of someone you love.
One of the quotes I live by is: “Look good, feel good.”
If you want to be treated with respect and love, first treat yourself that way. Show up for yourself. Yes, even on those nights when taking off your mascara seems like your personal hell.
Eat your veggies. Drink your water. Move your body and lotion your skin. (Fun Tip: If you took the Dosha quiz linked above, you can also find what kind of oil suits your skin the best.)
And sleep!!! I recently purchased a sleep mask and my life has forever changed - I feel like such a geek. Go to sleep by 11:30 pm every night and you will wake up naturally by 8 am. If you’re using melatonin, wean off and instead replace it with chamomile tea while you read your favorite book. If you are struggling with Seasonal Depression, you are actually already producing an influx of melatonin naturally, so if you take more, you will stay in an exhausted, dreary state and potentially have an even worse quality of sleep until something changes. That doesn’t sound like fun now, does it? Take it from someone who has been there, done that, many seasons in a row.
Make your room frosty cold, as dark as possible, and snuggle up in your favorite blankets. When you first wake up, get out of bed right away instead of lingering. Open your curtains and do your skincare right away. My favorite habit is getting myself ready for the day instantly. This means getting dressed and doing your hair *before your morning beverage*. Yes, I said *before*. You will survive through this, trust me.
SOCIALIZE
Research shows that social isolation can be as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It is so easy, especially when you’re already feeling low and lethargic, to avoid making the time and space for others. I know how that feels. Sometimes making a phone call, or sticking to plans feels as hard as pulling teeth, but as long as you are surrounded by your ENERGY GIVERS… you will always feel better afterward.
Sometimes all you need is a refreshing conversation to bring back your spark. Talking through how you feel, or even distracting yourself from your problems will ground you back down into reality and take your mind off things momentarily.
Knowing you have people who will take care of you when you can’t is a simple joy of life that should be cherished more. But to create those meaningful relationships, you have to put the time and energy in. I know, shocking! Staying social can break up your daily routine and bring a fresh perspective into your life which could put a pep in your step.
Also, not that you’d ever want your friends to be struggling, but if they are, find solace in knowing you are not alone. Everyone is struggling in one way or another, and it’s always comforting to be able to relate to someone.
I know it’s easier said than done to push yourself to make new friends or strengthen bonds with old ones, but throughout this process, you will also reconnect to your authentic self which is sometimes all you could ask for.
Friends bring you new experiences and add love to your life in the most wholesome of ways. Allow yourself the room to be loved. You deserve it, my friend.
AND BASK IN COMFORT
Think of these colder months as an oppurtunity to bring your energy and attention inwards. In Summer, alot of our energy is taken up by everyone else around us and the pressure to make the most of your days, chasing the next best thing. Slow down, take the time to re-evaluate how you’re feeling and re-assess your goals. Take full advantage of these “inside months” but challenge yourself to remain intentional with your time. It’s easy to fall victim to doom-scrolling and rotting in your bed. Instead, journal. Read. Bake. Invest time in your hobbies. Take yourself out on solo dates. Pamper yourself. Focus on yourself.
Tis the season of cozy nights in, sweet treats, fuzzy socks and childhood movies. Enjoy it!!! Embody it!!! Enjoy the seasonal candles, flavors and sights. Know that it’s temporary, as is everything. Show up for yourself like you would for a loved one.
Well friends, that’s about it from me. I hope this inspired you to get out of your funk. And if It didn’t, I’m still proud of you for reading something.
Love you entirely.
xoxoxo,
Amy
Fave one