Autumn intentions

What are you focusing on as we transition into a new season? Each season has its own energy and focus. For me summer is about feeling relaxed, breaking routine, enjoying more treats, lazing in the sun at any opportunity and of course, the school holidays and hopefully lots of time on the beach! The start of autumn is a time of transition – the children are back at school, lots of people sign up for courses and workshops or embark on something new or creative. We move from impromptu summer days to more of a structured routine.

Autumn is regarded as a time to pull our energy inward to prepare for winter. It is about layering up and slowing down. It’s normal during this transition to feel a sense of loss as the warmth and light fade, but a great way to cheer yourself up is to spend some time outdoors. Now that the summer heat is behind us, we can breathe in the cool air and enjoy the crisp mornings, blue skies (hopefully!) and the beauty of the changing leaves.

Autumn is a wonderful time to set intentions for self-care, begin a new wellness routine or revamp what you have been doing. The holidays will be here before you know it and prioritising self-care now will help you stay on track during those even busier winter months.

Setting intentions helps you to maintain focus and prioritise your time and energy. Without a focus on what matters most in your life it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lose track of what is important. This is when our health and wellbeing suffer.

Intentions

Intention is the starting point. It is the driving force that fulfils our needs and desires, whether for health, adventure, new learning, job satisfaction or relationships. In yoga philosophy, an intention is called a ‘san-kalpa’ – ‘A vow that comes from the very core of your heart’. Ask yourself:

What do I need? What do I want to create? What am I longing for? What new opportunities or learning do I want?

Choose two or three goals to focus on. Your goals create a focus for your intention.

Write your goals down. By writing them down and voicing them you start to plant a seed and build momentum to make them happen.

As you write your goals and set your intention, believe and visualise they are achieved.

Balance

Cultivating balance is key during any transition. Do you notice how many people tend to get ill in the autumn and winter seasons? Often it’s because we’re depleted, not living in alignment with the season and in need of rest. So, with this in mind…

• Get plenty of rest. Try to get as much rest as possible to keep yourself healthy this season.
• Keep it simple. Don’t set crazy goals for yourself. Consider your obligations and what your current schedule looks like.
• Nourish your body with seasonal foods. Autumn is a great time to enjoy warmer meals. You could set aside a couple of hours each weekend to prepare some of your favourite foods for the week. This is a great way to take care of yourself, align with the inward energy of the season and you’ll have healthy food to sustain you through your week!
• Stay connected to yourself. As the leaves fall from the trees, the energy of the plant comes back to its roots. Our lives mirror that sense of grounding when we take the time to connect to the deepest parts of ourselves. Spend an afternoon in nature, enjoy a cup of tea, do some gardening, practise yoga!

Allow the new energy of autumn to carry you along.