Self-care is something you should participate in every day, year-round. However, there is no reason you can’t switch up your routine, especially when the seasons change. Here in Southern California, while we don’t get the huge dips in temperature with snow and severe winds, we do get enough of a temperature change that warrants shifting with the seasonal change. Here’s some more insight into why you might want to customize your self-care routine depending on the time of year.
The Weather Changes
The first reason you might want to switch around your self-care routine in the fall is due to the weather changes. In the summer, it was hot, so you might have had activities related to the hotter weather, like sitting outside on your patio when the weather was warm, or enjoying a glass of iced lemonade while writing in your journal.
In the fall, the weather starts getting cooler so mornings might be a bit chilly and instead you might want to bundle up on the sofa or switch your self-care routine to the evenings instead. A high of 50 degrees and I love to break out a healthy version of hot chocolate:
Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate (recipe from of joy food sunshine)
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 oz 6 TBS bittersweet, semi-sweet chocolate
- 3-4 TBS coconut sugar OR stevia to taste to make it sugar-free also – an added bonus!
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- ½ to 1 TBS unsweetened raw cacao powder**
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add coconut milk and chocolate to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, constantly stirring until chocolate is melted.
- Add sugar, salt and cocoa powder and whisk until completely combined.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Cover and cook on low heat for about five more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and let cocoa sit (covered) for 5 minutes before serving to thicken.
Recipe Notes
*If you like sweeter hot cocoa, use 4 TBS of sugar. Use coconut sugar for a paleo option.
*If you like sweeter hot cocoa, use ½ TBS cocoa powder.
You Might Prefer Other Activities
You might also find that during this time of year, other activities are more suited to your self-care routine. Perhaps you did yoga over the summer, but for the fall you want to go on more hikes or have evening strolls with the family. One of my good friends lives in a colder climate, and her favorite fall and winter self-care activities are to turn on the fireplace and play soothing music in the background. This creates a comforting space for her to write in her journal.
Catch Up on What You Didn’t Get Done
Did you have activities or tasks you wanted to complete over the summer that didn’t get done? Now is a good time to re-think these tasks and figure out if you can get them done during the fall season. If you use a planner or journal, take a look at what your summer goals were, and move over some of them that can be done in the fall. The year is more than half over by this point, so also consider some end-of-year goals that might switch up what your self-care routine looks like.
You Can Add in Fall Superfoods
Taking care of your health is really important as part of your self-care routine, but that doesn’t mean going on a crash diet or only eating salmon and kale. There are a lot of delicious superfoods that are loaded with vitamins and minerals and are fun to enjoy during the fall. Some common fall superfoods include butternut squash, pumpkin, apples, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. Add these to your meals, and you will have a boost of health.
To Your Health,
Patti
In getting ready for the Holidays, I create a Holiday Survival Kit…Grab it HERE
