This post is all about how to beat the end-of-summer blues.
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That time of year has come around. You’re feeling the end-of-summer blues creeping in, aren’t you? Don’t you worry! We’re going to help you kick those seasonal blues to the curb. As the days grow shorter and the air feels cooler, it is quite easy to find yourself daydreaming about those sun-drenched moments by the beach or the picturesque picnics in the park. In todays blog post, we’re diving into strategies you will use to beat those end-of-summer blues and embrace the changing season with enthusiasm and optimism! Let’s make the most of this transition and keep the good vibes going strong!
How to Beat Those End-Of-Summer Blues
Reflect on Your Summer
Don’t be sad that it’s over, be grateful that it happened!
Summer has come to an end. I know that kinda sucks (especially if you are a warm weather, sunshine lover like me). But, I’m sure you got to enjoy a good summer, right? So rather than being sad that it’s over, use your positive experiences and beautiful memories you’ve just created to help you adjust to the changing of seasons.
Take a moment every now and then to reflect on all the good moments you had this summer! Think of all the good memories you made and even take a look back at the photos you took. It can give you a wee burst of sunshine, gratitude and joy on days that you need a wee pick me up. Use it as your reminder that there is another summer on it’s way. It’s never too early to start planning things for next summer if having things to look forward to helps you make it through the colder months.
Plus, if reminiscing is making you feel sad, ask yourself why that is. Ask yourself what you miss about summer. This is a great way to figure out why you might be experiencing end-of-summer blues and might be a way to start doing something about it. For example you might be feeling sad because you’re no longer out there doing fun things with friends. In this case, use this feeling as the driver for you being the one to plan a fun activity for you and your mates. Just because it’s getting cold outside, doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time!
Make Autumn a Season to Look Forward To
Line up Some Exciting Activities To Enjoy
It’s far easier to fight off those end-of-summer blues when you have exciting events and activities that’ll keep you busy during the chilly seasons! So get planning, start organising and keep an eye out on your local events pages for upcoming activities in your area. You could even endeavor to make yourself an Autumn Bucket List and fill it with all the things you love to do in autumn. How fun would that be, ticking off as much as you can from a new bucket list this season.
Here are some idea’s for activities to get you inspired:
- Go apple picking (and then bake something delicious with what you’ve foraged)
- Book a cabin in the woods for you and your friends to spend the weekend at
- See if you can beat a corn maze
- Have a fondue party
- Have an autumn photoshoot
- Visit a farmers market
- Go to a festival
- Go hiking – It’s the perfect time – the weather is stable, not too hot and the summer crowds have dispersed.
Find Some Autumn Rituals That You Can Look Forward To
Make some new traditions or autumn rituals for you to enjoy each year so that Autumn becomes something you look forward to.
One of my favourite traditions is getting up for a sunrise picnic with my partner or friends. It’s a great way to turn the shorter daylight hours into something a little more positive. It definitely sucks when you start to see the days get shorter and shorter, but on a positive note, it means that you don’t have to get up so ridiculously early to catch the sunrise. That means you get to enjoy a little sleep in as well as a gorgeous sunrise.
Have a leaf fight or go play in the leaves at least once a year. Sounds childish but, no matter how old you are, a leaf fight is still a ton of fun! So is building a leaf pile for you to dive into or to throw up into the air. It’s an experience that can really fill you with an exceptional amount of joy! Plus, if you have a dog, it can take the experience to the next level! Simply create a pile of leaves, have one person hide in it and watch with pure joy as your dog launches itself into the leaf pile in attempts to find the missing person. It’ll make a core memory for autumn that I’m sure you’ll cherish for many years to come (I know I certainly do).
These are just two examples of little rituals and traditions that you can enjoy. Trust me, there are plenty of others. Go do some searching and just delve into trial and error till you find the things that spark some joy in your life during autumn.
Don’t Retreat Indoors!
Oh, it can be so tempting to start tucking yourself away indoors once summer starts to disappear…
If you want to beat the end-of-summer blues you have do your absolute best to fight this urge! In a longitudinal study involving 400,000 people from the UK, it was found that the longer participants spent in outdoor light each day, the higher they reported their levels of happiness and the less likely they were to experience low moods and to take antidepressants. It was also found that the more time they spent outdoors the less likely they were to experience symptoms of insomnia. Additionally, increased outdoor time was correlated with feeling less tired and having easier time getting up in the morning1. So the moral of the story is, if you want to ward off the low moods, sleepiness and feelings of sluggishness that come with the change of seasons, be sure to spend some time outside in the sunshine.
Here are a few ways in which you can increase your outdoor time this Autumn:
- You don’t have to say goodbye to the beach just yet. Why not wrap up and go for a walk by the seaside on an evening after work?
- Get yourself up at a reasonable time on a weekend morning, make yourself a takeaway hot drink in your favourite takeaway mug and go for a walk around your local green space.
- Find an outdoor sport to play on the weekends or weekday evenings.
- Go outside in your lunch break – either to eat your lunch outside or for a quick walk.
- A little morning ritual that I always enjoy with the changing seasons, sitting outside and watching the sunrise. In Autumn the sun starts to rise at the same time as me, so I like to make it a part of my daily routine. There’s nothing better than relishing in nature’s beauty while I enjoy my breakfast..
Try to Stick to a Healthy Routine
A self-care is essential. Especially at this time of year!
It can be really difficult to find the motivation to stick to the good habits you’ve created over summer when the weather was warmer. As the days shorten and get colder it becomes increasingly more difficult to get up in the mornings, to want to go outside and to not just hibernate and indulge in comfort foods. While it can be absolutely so comforting and relieving to give in every now and then and indulge in breaking a few habits try not let it become your new norm.
Staying consistent with a healthy routine and engaging in self care is an absolute must at any time of the year. When you properly attend to all aspects of your wellbeing, you can really make an impact on your mood and your ability to cope with the changing season. So make sure to get regular exercise, eat nutritious (and hearty) foods, stay hydrated, and ensure you’re getting enough sleep. Also ,make sure to look after your mental, emotional and social wellbeing by doing things that you enjoy with people you enjoy being around. If you notice yourself really feeling down or feeling burnt out, schedule yourself a self care day to really attend to your wellbeing needs.
If you’re wanting to know more about self care and how to properly look after your well-being, check out this post.
Embrace New Hobbies or Start a New Project
Summer is normally quite a busy time, filled with fun activities, events and things to do. Therefore, a big contributor to the end-of-summer blues is having an empty schedule devoid of things that bring you joy.
Treat the changing season as a chance to cause a bit of change in your life. Use this time to join a new class or club where you can meet new people and try something new. Think cooking classes, pottery, yoga, dance, language classes… really anything your heart desires. Joining a class or trying a new activity will help you kick those end-of-summer blues to the curb by giving you something to look forward to in your week. They help you get out of the house and socialising with others, all while adding another skill to your skillset!
Alternatively if you’re really struggling to find the motivation to get out and about as the seasons change, why not start a project at home? By doing relaxing activities that you enjoy in your evenings, you can still really boost your mood and positively reinforce your well being. So, make this is autumn the season to get crafty and fill the cooler, darker evenings with a cosy indoor project or two.
Here some ideas for creative activities you can dabble in during your evenings:
- Dust off a puzzle or a Wasgij and work away at it in the evenings
- Learn how to paint with water colours
- Get prepared for winter by sewing, embroidering, knitting or crocheting yourself a new item of clothing or an accessory
- Do some colouring in or start a paint by numbers
- Try diamond painting
- Start a scrapbook to document your memories from the summer.
Focus On the Good Things About The Changing Season
Negative thoughts do not generally lead to positive feelings. If you’re constantly complaining about the changing season and thinking negatively about it, that’s naturally going to drop your mood. It’s honestly probably a big contributor to your end-of-summer blues. The good news is that you can combat this with some gratitude and positive thought. Yes, the days are getting shorter. Yes, the temperatures are getting colder. However, there is a lot of good things to come from autumn. There are a lot of great parts for you to focus on and a number of things you can be thankful for.
Here are a few things to take notice of/be grateful for this coming season:
- Stop and spend a moment appreciating how the frosty autumn mornings create a stunning icy landscape. You can even take a moment to the admire the beautiful patterns it creates on the windshield of your car (even though it means you have to spend an extra 5 minutes of your day de-frosting it).
- Notice how autumn paints the trees with vibrant colours and pay attention to how each tree changes colours in different ways.
- Notice how the crisp morning air wakes you up when you walk outside.
- Feel how the sunshine on a clear day cuts through the cold and starts to warm your face. Don’t be afraid in this moment to pause, stand still, tilt your face up to meet the sunshine and relish in the feeling (trust me, doing this can serve as the little pick me up you didn’t realise you needed in your day).
- The cooler temperatures means you have the chance to bring out your cute autumn wardrobe. Time to pull out your favourite coat, wrap up in your cosiest scarf and beanie. Embrace the fun of all the layers and accessories you get to wear!
- Take a moment to be grateful for all the fun events, celebrations and activities that you get to enjoy in Autumn
- The snuggly season is on it’s way – hot drinks are that much nicer, curling up inside to watch a T.V. show in the evenings becomes that much snugglier, going for a warm shower becomes that more luxurious.
Stay Connected With The People You Love
As the seasons change and everyone starts to want to go into hibernation mode, feelings of sadness and isolation can really increase. Therefore, another great way to beat those end-of-summer blues is to stay connected with the people you love. Spending time with people you love being around, sharing laughter and doing an enjoyable activity together will really help to lift your spirits and make you feel brighter. Use this time to spend some quality time with friends and family to really nurture your social connections and protect your social wellbeing.
Here are some great ways to stay connected this Autumn:
- Get your friends involved in a new hobby or activity with you
- Organise a Girl’s Night or a Guy’s Night for you and your friends
- Invite people around for a dinner party, game’s night or even simply for a coffee
- Gather your friends and start creating a friendship bucket list filled with activities that you’ll be able to tick off year round!
- Get your friends to be active with you too. Why not try find an indoor sport for you all to play once a week? It’s the perfect chance to get active, hang out and have something fun to look forward to together every week.
Plan a Getaway or Mini-Vacation
A vacation or a getaway could be just the thing you need to help you combat your end-of-summer blues!
People have a tendency to save all of their travelling and fun adventures for the summer time. While this is great and all… it does mean that autumn can feel especially dull and boring. To overcome this, consider organising yourself a mini-vacation or getaway. This could be a weekend away to somewhere nearby, a roadtrip or an adventure to a new region of your country. It could also be a solo adventure, a vacay with your friends or a trip away with your partner. Regardless of what your trip might look like, having some time away from home is fantastic way to boost your mood, recharge your batteries and break up your routine.
Alternatively, if you’re really struggling to adjust to the autumn season, an overseas trip to a warmer country might be perfect way to help you cope. It can give you a burst of the warmer weather that you love and also a chance to have a rest and explore a new destination.
Seek Professional Support if You Need It
While for most people it is normal to feel a little down and low on energy in the colder and darker months, for others the change of season can seriously affect them. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a very real condition and it can have a big impact on people’s lives. SAD a type of depression which symptoms follow a seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting months at a time.
If you find that your feelings of sadness persist or significantly impact your daily life, don’t hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional. Similarly if you are sleeping excessively, withdrawing socially, overeating or experiencing any kind of feeling that you are finding difficult to manage. You don’t have to deal with this all by yourself, there is support out there. Use the knowledge of therapists, they can provide guidance, support, and coping strategies that can help you navigate through what you’re experiencing.
BetterHelp is a great place you can go to if you’re looking for easily accessible online therapy services.
You don’t need to fall in love with autumn – it’s definitely not the season for everyone. However, with these tips and tricks, you can start to beat those end-of-summer blues and make the changing seasons feel less daunting. You never know, eventually autumn may become a season you welcome and maybe you’ll even start to look forward to. 🍂
