Autumn Self Care
AM & PM Routines and my seasonal secrets to feeling your best.
Good Morning, I hope you have had a wonderful weekend. Ours was spent in the gardening doing a big end of summer clean up and working on the kitchen garden…Also dealing with a leak in the roof, oh the joys of owning an old house.
As the temperature has dropped and the nights are slowly drawing in I always find myself spending a little more time on my own self care. There is something about the cosy evenings and the warmth from the fire that bring a need to retreat inward. There is nothing better than a velvety hot chocolate sunk in a steamy bubble bath as the rain pours outside the window.
Morning Routine.
Autumn mornings are really enjoyable, you never know what to expect. One day it may be dark and rainy, giving you the opportunity to be cosy and light the candles. Another day we can wake to golden sunshine pouring through the windows, dew sparkling on the grass beneath us enticing us to get outside. I used to be a 5am morning person and I have found that this just doesn’t work for me. Perhaps I will write something about Why I Quit the 5am Club? But I will always wake up before 6.30am. The morning is sacred to my day, a slice of time for myself, before the emails come rolling in and the to-do list lingers. I take some time to enjoy a hot peppermint tea, a cuddle with the dog before getting out for a walk. Fresh air in the morning really does something to my brain, it’s almost like switching on the lights and awakening my mind ready for the day. I have started walking in silence, letting my thoughts guide me through and during this time I tend to come up with my best ideas. The structure of my mornings varies but it will always include the same kind of activities: reading substack with a peppermint tea, cuddles and a walk with the dog, showering and getting ready before a nutritious savoury breakfast.
Hydration from the outside.
Going from the cold outside to the warmth of the house I find my skin can get a little on the dry side, hydrating is super important for me around this time of year. After my morning shower I love slathering my body in a scented body cream*, something that sinks in quickly as I hate the thought of shivering in the cold bathroom waiting for the white cast to disappear. This goes for my skincare too, I love using serums enriched with hyaluronic acid* and vitamin c* to really cling onto any resemblance of a summer glow throughout the colder months. A good lip balm* will always be a must have, I honestly have them dotted everywhere - my bedside table, desk in the office, my car, handbags… wherever I am, there is a lip balm.
Working on the inside.
Something that I have introduced into my day to day recently is supplements. I took a phone call consultation with a brand that’s values really aligned with my own and I have noticed such a difference in my mental clarity, sleep and mood since being consistent. Vitamin D is something that we should all be supplementing, especially in England.
Movement.
Aside from my daily dog walks, I adore pilates. It is something I have practiced from home for years now, with a recent introduction of the reformer machine which I adore! I have to be honest with you, working out is always the first thing to go from my self care routine. I make excuses and I am not consistent… I really don’t know why because I love how it makes me feel mentally and feeling strong is so powerful. Currently working on integrating this back into my regular routines.
Nourishment.
I have a huge passion for cooking. I absolutely love spending time in the evenings preparing and cooking delicious meals - making sauces from scratch, experimenting with ingredients and seasonal recipes. It is one of the only moments in the day that I am away from screens, I pop on a podcast or a playlist and go into a flow state in the kitchen. It really helps me to unwind and bridge the gap from work - to home. Some of my favourite recipes to cook for midweek meals this season are a hearty chicken casserole filled with rainbow carrots, leeks and potatoes. Wild mushroom pappardelle with cavalo nero. Butternut squash risotto with pancetta. Soy glazed salmon fillet with sticky rice and purple sprouting broccoli.
Bed-Time Routine.
Sleep is so important! Probably a lot of us do not prioritise this element of our lives enough and whilst I am in my mid twenties (is 26 classed as mid?!) and do not have children yet I have all the capability to indulge in this. Unwinding properly before sleeping is essential to my mind each day. A fresh pair of pyjamas*, ice water and a thick night cream* are just some of the things that I will use every single night. Magnesium is also something I am obsessed with! I take it in supplement form, I spritz my bed with a sleep spray* and I slather my body with a cream before sleeping. Reducing the amount of blue light we are exposed to in the evenings is so much better for us, I try my best to avoid using my phone once I get in bed and instead will chat to Jack or read a few chapters of my current book… although sometimes this backfires if the book is just too good to put down haha!
I find that adjusting my routines with the season not only gives me a new lease of life, but it allows me to perform at my best throughout anything I am doing whilst leaning in to those elements of each season that bring a sense of joy and calm. I switch my summer evenings of reading in the late sunshine to cosying on the sofa under a blanket. My early morning walks are done a little bit later as the mist rolls over the fields and there is a break in the dark sky (mainly because my brain is way too overactive to walk through the woods in the dark). I swap crunchy fresh salads for warming soups at lunch time and those small changes lean into the season upon us.
I would love to hear some of your own seasonal routines or self care moments in the comments!
Lots of love, L x
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