What's to come in the Fall for each of us?

 What's to come in the Fall for each of us?

I LOVE that the weather is changing; it is such a mood booster! Change is definitely in the air. This new cool weather and the fact that Fall itself is just about a week away reminds me of quite a few things: caramel covered apples, skinny jeans and sweaters, pumpkins, the fair, camping, lattes, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and colorful, falling leaves. I'm sure you could come up with a few of your own as well.

Okay, here is where I go deeper in my post. As the new season approaches with much change why not make some changes for yourself? You don't need it to be New Years for a resolution(s). You actually don't need a season change, but we'll use it as an excuse this time. : ) It feels good to start fresh and take care of yourself. The world can be a heavy place that can bring you down at times. There's work, traffic, bills, family issues, relationship issues, global issues, etc. The list can go on. At some point you have to stop and take a look at your life and check to see what you're actively doing for yourself in order to stay sane and be at peace through all of the chaos.

As a stay at home mom it is very hard for me to take time out for myself to clear my head and regroup, but no matter the circumstances for any of us, we have to find the time somehow, even if it is just for a few minutes during the day or at night before we go to sleep. There's really no excuses when it comes to our well-being and happiness. I have definitely learned that much so far in motherhood and in life over all.

With that being said, what are some things you can do to help You?? Some of this can be done when you make the time for it, and a lot of this is what you can do in your life overall. Ask yourself some of these questions:

• Am I getting some exercise? (running, walking, yoga, etc.)

• Am I at least semi eating and drinking healthy? (water, fruits, veggies...)

• Am I doing something I enjoy? (reading, watching a good show or movie, painting, baking, photography, making jewelry, going to the park or bookstore, the list goes on...)

• Am I spending time with positive family members and friends?

• Am I spending some time outdoors with nature? 

• Am I being positive with my thoughts and actions? 

• Am I doing some good deeds? (randomly helping a stranger when you're out, smiling at someone who seems stressed, picking up trash you see on the side of the road, things like that...)

• Am I getting out my feelings? (Don't let your feelings build up. Write in a journal, vent to a friend, or even start a blog.)

• Am I living in the moment? (This is a hard one, but try not to hold onto things from the past if you can help it. What matters is the Now.)

• Who do I need to forgive? (Do you need to forgive yourself? Do you need to forgive someone else? This can be tough too, but holding onto resentment, anger, and bitterness only hurts You in the long run. It is Not fun having those feelings inside. Not fun at all! Free yourself from the pain if you can. Remember also that just because you forgive someone for something they said or did at some point does not mean they still have to be in your life. That's always your choice. Do what feels right for you.)

I am sure there's more things to think of in order to make sure you are taking care of yourself, but these are a few to think about. As I have most certainly gathered, when you're not taking care of yourself, you're not at your best. When you're not at your best, a lot can get under your skin and bring you down. When you're not at your best you can't be there for others like you want or need to as well. Always make sure you're looking out for You (not just everyone else), and the rest of the world around you will be a lot more breezy and peachy. This I promise. You may even seem like you're on a natural high a lot of the time (and it's going to feel Reallllly good).

I sure hope this helps for those finding yourself reading this.

Lots of love and light,

Jess