Although the end of summer may mark the end of trips to the beach, the start of fall brings three new months where you can show off your sense of style. With this, the changing of the seasons is a great time to update not only your look, but also your personal habits related to your mental and physical health. With this, there are a number of fall-specific self-help tips to incorporate into your daily routine and give you a heightened sense of confidence in yourself.
Embrace a Fall Fitness Routine
Personally, fall brings my favorite weather of the year. It’s not brutally hot like summer, but not crazy cold with snow like winter has. In the fall, it’s just the right balance of warm and cool to spend long periods of time outside without becoming too uncomfortable with the temperature. And because the natural scenery is quite stunning in the fall, any walk, run, or bike trip should provide nice views of the autumn leaves as well. For more static exercises, try yoga or even meditation, which has significant mental and emotional benefits. Whatever routine you choose, stimulating your mind and body through frequent exercise is a quick, yet disciplined way of getting your body into the shape you desire.
Nourish Your Body with Seasonal Foods
Fall is one of the best seasons for natural produce and healthy food options. This includes a variety of seasonal fruits, vegetables and nuts. Specifically, some of my favorites in these categories are pears, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. Spending a day going apple picking is a classic fall activity that you can enjoy with friends or family, but it can also help you discover other local produce in the area. When it comes to the fall-selection of foods, you’ll want to focus on eating complete, nutrient-dense foods that fill you up and give you a sense of energy throughout the day. An easy tip to remember is that fueling your body with energy (healthy foods) is one of the best steps to get your body looking the way you want it to, while keeping you physically feeling good too.
Update Your Wardrobe to Suit Your Body
If you anticipate that your body will be changing shape and size as you go through your fall bodily transformation, this likely means you’ll need to update your wardrobe to fit your new look. This means adjusting for size but also to fit the seasonal trends. For the fall, this can include denim, cargo, items. I personally am a big fan of my denim coat, which I find I can wear in almost any fall weather. Another trendy item is cowboy-style boots, which can work into both a casual or more formal outfit.
Sometimes the weather in the early stages of the fall mimics the summer, which means you can maybe sneak in a few more beach days. In this case, if you know the weather is going to be good enough for a beach and bikini day, you may want to get a brazilian wax near you in advance to show off the bodily improvements you’ve worked so diligently to make.
Practice Self-Compassion and Positive Self-Talk
This is advice that can apply to any season, but it has special meaning in the fall. Because the fall marks the last few months of the calendar year, it’s a great time to reflect on your previous nine months, and set goals for the next three months that will put you in a position for success headed into the ensuing year. In general terms though, being kind to yourself and practicing self-affirmations does wonders in helping you feel more confidence about your overall appearance. Try some self-compassion work while wearing a fall outfit you love on you, and the mental and emotional benefits will skyrocket even more so.
Prioritize Rest and Recovery
As eager as you may be to tackle the day’s activities and be as productive as possible, this simply wouldn’t be possible without a proper night of rest, and throughout the day, a recovery protocol as well. In general, it’s smart to get around eight hours of sleep, but listen to your body to assess what works best for you. If your schedule allows, take a nap or two during the daytime as well to get a quick energy boost, especially at times when you may feel a bit sluggish. There are countless studies that link improved mood and energy to getting enough rest and treating your body well, so don’t undermine too much or else your body’s natural clock may be thrown off. After all, how can you enjoy all these amazing fall activities if you don’t have the energy to stay alert for them?
Ultimately, understand that self-body confidence is a journey, rather than a one-and-done accomplishment. By taking these steps to improve your mental and physical well-being, your livelihood in the fall is likely to see major gains. Taking a proactive approach in September to set yourself up for a great next 12 months and beyond may require a lot of hard work now, but it’s almost assured that the work now will pay off in both the near and long-term future.