An A/W Survival Guide...For Those Of Us Who Don't Like A/W
Your blog feed is probably full of posts talking about how wonderful Autumn is. And there are a few things I enjoy and of course, the leaves are pretty to look at and kick around sometimes. It's generally not my favourite time of year. Like so many other people I'm really sensitive to the weather change and when the sky is grey my mental state suffers. A few weeks ago I wrote a newsletter [subscribe here] about surviving A/W so I thought I would share a more in depth post on my blog today. I know I'm not the only one who also struggles with the season so here is my A/W survival guide for those of who don't rejoice at the site of pumpkins.
GET OUTSIDE
When the weather is terrible it's difficult to feel excited about leaving the house. Because I work from home and I don't have that many reasons to leave the house it can make A/W even more difficult. And I remember my college days when I would leave the house in the early hours of the morning, spend all day in the dark room and the leave in the dark and that was just as hard on my mental state. We all need vitamin D and I don't think anyone truly realises how important it is until the season's change. Getting outside is probably the most important thing for me to feel somewhat ok in the cooler seasons. I'm currently trying to leave the house at least once a day so I don't get cabin fever or feel trapped. Sunny days are a rarity but being outside with other people in the fresh air can do wonders for your mind. I'm such a homebody and thrive from being alone but when I'm on my own too much I find myself getting incredibly anxious and worrying so much more than usual and I think a lot of people find themselves in a similar position. If you're fortunate enough to work from home make the most of being able to get out for a walk mid-day or if you're in more of a traditional job setting try to make the most of your lunch break. Even something as simple as going out to the shop or a little walk around the block can make all the difference in the world. Of course, it's cold so wrapping up warm with scarves and gloves is key because you don't want to make yourself unwell from being out in the cold.
MAKE YOUR SURROUNDINGS AS NICE AS POSSIBLE.
Some people change up their entire house when we get into A/W but that's just not feasible for me and I'm sure many others can relate. But during the cooler seasons, we inevitably spend a lot more time inside so enjoying your environment is pretty important. However, you don't have to make massive changes or buy new items. I find the things that make the biggest difference for me are having a good tidy, tucking away my really summery pieces, switching over to the winter duvet etc. And if possible adding things like candles or fresh flowers are always nice too but they're not the only way to make your space feel cosy.
HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO
I'm a big believer of planning things to give yourself something to look forward to. Whilst I'm sure we'd all love to be able to go on holiday or a big trip it's not in everyone's budget and it's not easy to just drop everything and flee to far away shores. But there are plenty of things we can all look forward to that can be done on a budget. It can be something so small as going out one day after work to the cinema or catching up with an old friend with coffee. It not only gives your mind something to look forward to but it breaks up the week a little too. As it's all too easy for our routines to become monotonous and dull after a while.
DRESS UP FOR IT
Even though I'm such a summer lover I find it's a season where everything is kept super simple due to the hot weather. You probably don't want to wear complex outfits or apply loads of makeup when it's 30 degrees. But in A/W, I find you get to dress up a little more due to the need to wear more layers and of course it's prime berry lip season. Putting my makeup on and planning an outfit that makes me feel awesome is one of those things that make me feel ready to take on the day and always lifts my spirits a little.
LIGHT
I pay a lot of attention to the light because of what I do for a living. I rely on good light to take photographs and when it's so grey and dreary I don't cope all that well. Most people tend to go for deep dark tones in the A/W and I can totally see the appeal of them for making your environment super cosy. But I still go for light airy shades like white, light grey, cream and blush pinks as it keeps my space as light as possible even when it's stormy and grey outside.
