Ahhhh do you smell it? Fall is in the air!
Yesterday morning as I walked out onto the grass for my morning yoga practice, I noticed that everything was chilly and damp... it had rained! The first rain of the fall season and it filled the air with that fresh rain scent that many of us enjoy so much.
I am so excited that we're now in the fall season. As I said in this patreon video, I feel as though I have been releasing and shedding that which doesn't serve me right alongside nature. And it feels so good.
I'm ready for cozy nights by the fire watching cheesy Hallmark movies, apple picking, and all the pumpkin spice latte's I can get.
Fall invites us to slow down. To indulge in enjoying the simple things. A warm cup of tea, fuzzy socks, a walk through the marigold and autumn colored leaves. Fall invites us to embrace all of that which is cozy.
In today's post, I will share 12 ways to live a cozy life this season. And I know it will warm up your spirit, as the temperature cools down outside.
Create a cozy reading nook
I can't be the only one who finds myself lost in a good mystery or romance novel more often when it's cooler outside. And what better way to enjoy your reading than to do it in a cozy
reading nook. Shove blankets and pillows in a corner of your room, or on the couch by the window, and watch as you relax into your story and find yourself traveling worlds away.
Candles and diffusers It pains me to say that lately, I've stayed away from scented candles due to their fragrances giving me pretty bad headaches! But that doesn't stop me from wanting my home and space to be filled with the warm scents of fall. Use an essential oil diffuser to create the perfect fall scent for your home. Check out this article for ideas on creating your own essential oil blends! Free of chemicals and (for me), headaches.
Switch out your bedding
It's time to put away your light linen bedding that kept you cool at night over summer and bring out your down comforters and heavy plaid blankets. Styling a bed with lots of blankets and pillows might seem silly since it just gets messed up every night, but it's a great way to create a feeling of cozy in your bedroom. I like to think of my bedroom as a sanctuary, and changing out sheets based on the seasons is a great way to make it feel warm and luxurious.
Make more warm beverages
I know I don't have to convince any of you reading this of the joy one receives when taking that first sip of a pumpkin spice latte in October. There are few things that make me happier
and judging by Starbucks' new fall menu, I'm guessing it makes a lot of you happy as well. It's a small treat, but there's something magical about sipping a warm beverage while reading a book or perusing your favorite library to briefly escape the chill outside. And don't fear, if you're not a Starbucks lover, you can get all of the fall flavored tea and coffee you need at stores like World Market, Target, and Home Goods.
Cozy socks
If there's one thing I don't undermine, it's the way fuzzy socks make me feel. Not only do they keep me warm but they're so much fun to wear under boots when my husband and I go for a hike, or to slip on at night with my matching pjs while we prepare for movie night. I love fuzzy socks so much, friends and family have even gone so far as to get them for me for Christmas and my birthday. I recently purchased these socks from Natural Life and while they're not fuzzy, they've got all the elements of a cozy sock: cute design, ruffle trim, warmth. But don't worry, they've got plenty of fuzzy, animal socks to keep you cozy and cute all season long.
Cook comforting meals
Autumn is the season of comfort foods. Namely, soups. If you watched my latest vlog, you know I am on a soup kick right now. So far I've made broccoli cheddar, autumn squash, and zucchini soup. (I know zucchini soup sounds gross but it was surprisingly delicious). Here in California, we love dining al fresco all year round, but there's something so cozy about wrapping up with a blanket and eating a warm bowl of homemade soup out on the patio at sunset. Fall heaven!
Listen to a fall playlist
Music is another great way to set a cozy, fall mood. Slower music that transports you to another time or that would be the perfect background noise to watching the rain fall is what we're going for here. Think Hozier, Norah Jones, Maggie Rogers. Or oldies like Bill Withers, Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. There are so many great fall playlists on Spotify.
Start journaling
For someone who used to talk about journaling so much, I actually started back writing in my journal last night for the first time in years. And boy was it such a delicious feeling. Writing down my thoughts and feelings was healing in a way I wasn't expecting it to be. Autumn invites us to be reflective. To start taking stock of what we need to let go of in order to create room for newness and growth. Journaling is a wonderful way for you to identify what in your life needs to stay, and what needs to go.
Fall inspired crafts
I'm excited to start working on fall crafts and tap into that childlike, creative side that we so often forget exists. Hayley Post over at My Moonstone Kitchen has been making wonderful videos showcasing the different fall crafts and activities that she's been doing this season and they've inspired me SO much. From her essential oil and dried flower foot bath, to the dried oranges and pressed flowers. It's all so aesthetic and lovely! And so so inspiring!
Declutter
It's so hard to create a cozy feeling in your space in a cluttered environment. I know this firsthand as we're still managing the transition of our move and things are quite literally, all over the place. I notice how un-grounded this makes me feel and I've been slowly but surely de-cluttering, in order to create space for that peaceful, cozy feeling to exist.
Self-care baths
My weekly bath routine is back and better than ever. Last night I dropped one of Pacha's autumn bath bombs into the bath with dead sea salt, turned off the lights and turned on a meditation from my new Aura app. It was the most relaxed I've felt all year. I'm so excited to
bring back this ritual and truly care for myself in the ways that I know how. Water is so cleansing, and so healing. It is the perfect self care element to add in to your routine during fall when we are cleansing ourselves of what is old, and welcoming what is new.
Disconnect from social media
As I mentioned in my video on Patreon, I removed the Instagram app and TikTok from my phone and the amount of peace I feel is unparalleled. No more songs and noises and dances ringing in my head. No more over-stimulation from seeing a million little faces on my explore page - each one doing a different dance or telling me a different fact I probably didn't need to know. I've been filling the time with watching cheesy Hallmark movies, starting my new vlog series, and spending a lot of time making delicious new soups. Life is hectic enough, and if I want to truly tap into the peaceful feeling that comes along with living a cozy life, removing social media is a great way to do it.
Well my friends, that's it for today's post! I hope you enjoyed it and that you're as excited as I am to dive into this season and enjoy it for all that it has to offer!
Keep an eye out on the channel and on Patreon for new videos!
xo,
F.
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