Fall Mini Series: Self Care

Self care is absolutely essential every single day of the year. As autumn approaches, you may want to alter your self care practices ever so slightly to align more with the colder weather. Take care of yourself during the golden season—as we transition from warm to colder days, you may find yourself needing extra rest.

Here are a few ways to tailor your self care regimen to the season of golden flowers and leaves:

Autumn-ize your morning drink.

If you’re one for iced coffees, teas, and frappés during the summer, it’s time to rework your potable pick-me-up. Find a warming, nourishing, and delicious drink that you love, and master it! A few great drinks for fall? 

• Coffee with stevia, cinnamon or pumpkin spice blend, and a splash of the non-dairy milk of your choice.
• A warm, frothy matcha latte with stevia, ashwagandha and/or mushroom powders and non-dairy milk of your choice
• Hot cocoa made with unsweetened dark cocoa powder, stevia, hot water, and non-dairy milk of your choice (this is also amazing with ¼ teaspoon of vanilla or peppermint extract, a dash of cinnamon, or a sprinkling of chile flakes or powder
• Ginger chai made with a decaf or caffeinated chai tea bag, hot water, stevia, fresh ginger or ginger juice, and non-dairy milk of your choice

We recommend that you invest in a handheld frother and a few gorgeous mugs that will make your hydration experiences even more luxurious.

Spoil Yourself

Celebrate the fall season by gifting yourself with a few beautiful autumnal presents. A few ideas? A gorgeous, seasonal arrangement of flowers such as our sophisticated Florentina Vase, which features the golden tones of fall and has a rose quartz pendant that represents love—self love, in this case, a sumptuous pair of cashmere gloves, a stunning and warming Rose Blanche candle to make your space glow, a great new fragrant face oil to protect your skin from the cold wind and changing weather, a warm pair of luxury slippers to wear while inside, and a piece of golden jewelry to capture the color or the changing leaves and mark the season. The gift will mark the season, so choose something that you love and will use and treasure.

Light Things Up

Vitamin D is essential for our well being, and exposure to sunlight is crucial for our feeling happy and energized. Exposing yourself to natural sunlight will even help you to sleep better at night. It can be difficult to get enough exposure to natural light during the fall and winter, so consider investing in a SAD lamp that you can use in the morning. It will help you to keep your circadian rhythm in check, increase your happiness levels, and rest more deeply. As much as you can, keep your curtains and blinds open to allow for as much natural light to come into your home as possible. 

Get Natural

Bundle up and get outside! A brisk walk in the stunning outdoors is incredible for your mental and physical health—and although we may want to stay inside all day as the days get colder, it’s essential to spend a bit of time in nature, marveling at the golden leaves and breathing in the crisp, life-giving fall air. Even doing something like enjoying your warm morning beverage outside will help you to feel invigorated, refreshed, and aligned with our gorgeous natural world. If you feel as though you need a day off, consider bundling up and taking a mini day trip to a nearby forest, if you can—a walk through the wise trees can be a life affirming experience.

Take Time to Rest

When it gets colder, bears go into hibernation. Although humans don’t need to hibernate, autumn and winter are ideal times for going into a state of semo-hibernation—spending more time indoors, making your home cozy (see the first installment of our Fall Mini Series here for more autumnal decor tips), getting plenty of sleep, taking days off from working out, being sure to spend lots of time alone, and resting! Rest is necessary for having energy, recharging, and enjoying our lives in happiness and health. There is zero shame in slowing down a bit during the cooler seasons—in fact, resting will make you happier, calmer, more productive, and ultimately more energized.

Gratitude is Everything

This is true always, but with Thanksgiving and the time that we have to rest and reflect, Autumn is an especially wonderful time to consider and celebrate all that we have to be grateful for. Consider investing in a gorgeous leather notebook devoted solely to gratitude lists, or to keeping a running list of things, places, and people that you are grateful for on your phone. It will make you happier and will attract even more blessings into your life.

Stay in Touch

It may be tempting to spend most of your time alone in the peace and quiet of your cozy home, but keeping in touch with loved ones and scheduling dates (be they via Zoom, for a fireside cocktail, for coffee, making dinner, or even for a walk) with loved ones will allow for the fall season to be more celebratory and fun. Bonus? Opportunities to wear your gorgeous fall outfits. It’s also a great time to give those who you love Just Because gifts. Our Classic Bundle Set is the perfect gift to give to your nearest and dearest—the two stunning arrangements and fragrant candle will make their season.

Keep Cozy, Luxuriously

It’s getting chillier by the day, and it’s essential to stay warm during the colder months. Start with the basics—trade in your icey morning green smoothie for a slightly more warming room temperature smoothie, switch to hot coffee in the morning, move your summer clothing to the back of your closet and bring your jeans and sweaters to the front, and so forth.

Invest in a gorgeous cashmere sweater or wrap that you can wear while working. Make sure that your bed has a fluffy, warming, cloud-like duvet. If you tend to have anxiety, consider investing in a weighted blanket—it’ll keep you even more cozy while in bed, and is a proven way to relieve stress and anxiety. Sip on warm tea before getting into bed, make our Chaga hot cocoa, and make sure to cook with warming spices and herbs such as chile, cinnamon, and ginger. They will help to boost your metabolism, immunity, mood, and keep your warm and nourished all autumn long.

We’re introducing an amazing sweatshirt soon with, hint hint, a few words about our favorite flowers. Get one for autumn—you’ll look and feel amazing on your morning walks, and it’ll elevate the evenings that you spend in your pajamas.

Fall Harvest: Go to the Farmers Market

Autumn is such an amazing season for spending time in the crisp, cool outside air and for cooking delicious, clean meals for yourself. A great thing to add to your self care list this autumn? Trips to the Farmers Market. Stock up on seasonal autumn produce—apples, pears, brussels sprouts, broccoli, turnips, and butternut squash, figs, pomegranates, cauliflower, mushrooms, kale, acorn squash, delicata squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, shishito peppers, and other gorgeous fruits and vegetables are in season right now. Buy a cornucopia of produce, Google or invent a few recipes that you love (make sure to view our favorite fall recipes on installment two of this mini series), and enjoy, in good health!

As you know, these gorgeous ingredients require little more than some great sea salt, an oven or air fryer, and your signature dressing. Make a stir fry or roast them, put them in your salads, and pair with protein for simple, elegant, gorgeous meals. The fact that they’re locally sourced and prepared with love will make them even more delicious.

Slow Down and Savor the Season

Even if you’re a Type A and are constantly doing and doing, take time to slow down and really live in the moment. Notice the beauty that surrounds you—in your home, in nature, in the city in which you live. Notice your breaths—and take time to slow down and really breathe, every single day. Appreciate the love that surrounds you—even if, these days, most of it is expressed via emails and texts.

Slow down to notice the way that each bite of food that you eat tastes. Slow down to smell the clean fall air and the changing leaves. Slow down to feel warm, to really enjoy the movies that you watch to wind down, to meditate, and so forth.

This is an ideal season for allowing yourself to rest. To take days off from exercising, from working, from doing anything. Take moments of each day to relax. Take time to, yes, slow down, and savor the gorgeous sights, scents, and views of the season.

Doing so will give your nervous and adrenal systems a rest, will provide you with beautiful memories, and will make you enjoy your gorgeous life infinitely more.