There’s a special enchantment the first few weeks of autumn can bring. It's a feeling of anticipation and excitement that comes with the chill in the air, the smells of cinnamon and bonfires, and the sudden sensory inundation of so much pumpkin spice.
When fall first arrives, people snuggle up in their cozy throw blankets, don their
favorite sweaters and start looking forward to football season, chili cook-offs, Halloween and other autumnal occasions.
It doesn’t take long for the magic of fall to dissipate and be replaced by feelings of anxiety and
existential dread that come with what’s been called FALLOUT.
Fallout happens when people forget to tend to their own mental health because they are
caught up in the flurry of socializing and planning that fall and the approaching holidays can
bring. This shift is also tied to the colder weather and the lack of light that comes with the
changing seasons.
Luckily there are ways to get ahead of the fallout to make sure your season keeps all the excitement and magic of those first few weeks.
Acknowledge What You’re Thinking and Feeling
Mental health can suffer when you’re not in touch with your feelings. One of the simplest steps to avoiding fallout is to acknowledge any uncomfortable emotions you’re experiencing.
Here are some ways you can connect with and better understand what you’re feeling:
Journaling
Talking with a friend
Meditation
Practicing yoga
Doing breathwork
Making an appointment with a mental health professional (therapist)
Often, people try to avoid feelings of sadness and angst, but those feelings can well up and
cause an even more painful spiral into a deeper depression they’re reluctant to acknowledge. Doing a personal check-in and being present with your emotions will help prevent further fallout as the weather and seasons continue to change.
Stick with a Reliable Daily Routine
Consistency can work wonders to help reduce the chaos of emotional turmoil. As the weather
becomes colder and the sun sets earlier, it can be difficult to get out of bed and take part in many of the activities that kept life engaging in spring and summer.
For this reason, it’s important to make… and stick with… a daily routine. Use a planner, a
whiteboard or phone reminders to list the things you want to do each day. You can even think of incentives to use as a reward when you check off more difficult items. Here are a few things you can add to your daily routine.
Go to the gym
Take a brisk walk
Participate in yoga
Read for at least 15 minutes
Meditate
Journal for 15 minutes
It may be helpful to schedule times for each activity to help you compartmentalize your day and style on task. You may also schedule time to check in with friends and family by phone and see how they’re doing.
Try a New Activity with Friends and Family
When it’s cold out, some people find it very tempting to isolate. Here in Chicago, it’s rare to find people getting together for a beach day in the coldest days of fall. Including friends and family members in your plan to avoid the fallout can be a great way to make sure you stay
accountable and present.
Consider scheduling an outing or new activity with family or friends to keep yourself engaged
and out of the house this season. Here are some activities you can try:
Joining a class
Going to a roller and/or ice skating rink
Indoor sports (i.e., bowling, lifting weights, basketball, etc.)
Crafting
Having an art party
Visiting an apple orchard or pumpkin patch
Singing karaoke
Sometimes, just getting out of the house and taking a walk, even with a friend, is enough to
reinvigorate the spirit.
Taking a Brisk Walk
Sure, it’s tempting to stay inside once we’re in the depths of fall, but that may not be what will
benefit your mind and body the most. If you find yourself feeling listless, bundle up and take a
walk around your block. Observe the changing leaves and scampering squirrels. Revel in how
the trees blaze bright red as the sun sets earlier and earlier. If you make walking part of your
daily practice, you’ll benefit from the consistency and maybe even notice improvements in your mental and physical well-being.
About Walk-N-Talk™ Therapy
Walking can be therapeutic, but walking with a trained professional—can be life changing!
I have been the trailblazer of walk and talk therapy since I founded Walk-N-Talk™ Therapy in
2003 as an innovative way to help my high school students to engage in their counseling
sessions.
After seeing the positive effects this method had, I created and incorporated the Walk-N-
Talk™Therapy modality into my private practice as an effective method that was welcomed by
clients. Since then, the initiative and similar movements have grown to be embraced around the world, offering a promising new way for people to traverse the twists and turns of their mental wellness journey.
For clients, this style of therapy has several benefits. It puts physical and mental distance
between them and their stress-causing environment and it inspires self-awareness, physically
and creatively. The nature component is conducive to the client’s lifestyle and opens the senses to their natural surroundings, be it a lakefront path or a forest preserve or city parks and streets.
Clients have reported experiencing a sense of calm, clarity, focus and energy following these
sessions.
To learn more about Walk-N-Talk™ Therapy and how it can benefit you, contact me at
773-512-8813 or send an email at [email protected]. You can also check
out my website (www.AdvancePotential.com) for more details about the physical, emotional and mental effectiveness of this innovative approach.