Why I Like Fall
Election Season Will Not Steal My Joy.
I saw a quote recently, and I don’t know who to attribute it to. The quote goes something like this:
If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but the same amount of snow.
Early November is a rough time for a lot of people (including myself). The nights get darker, the vegetation starts to die, and every few years it contains a contentious election season that causes everyone to believe they hate each other. These are especially rough for people who experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (I’ll let you guess which one I empathize with).
It is still my favorite time of year.
This past week was heavy on my brain and psyche for multiple reasons, so I’m giving myself some grace and posting a nice and easy newsletter this Monday. Here is a list of the things I love about autumn in no particular order. I hope it helps give some positivity to people fighting an uphill battle to find something good in these trying times.
This post is part content-creation and part gratitude exercise. If you believe that you need to join in on the “gratitude exercise” part, feel free to add your favorite fall stuff to this list in the comments.
Why I Like Fall:
Peak introvert season.
Orange, yellow, mahogany, and burgundy is the GOAT color scheme. “Green and red” has nothing on it.
Pumpkin spice lattes.
Coffee in general just tastes better.
I’m not as big of a “Gilmore Girls” fan as others, but gosh dangit if it isn’t a banger this time of year.
There are hints of Christmas without the rampant, egregious over-commercialization that starts in December.
Crunchy leaves.
It’s significantly less busy at work. We go crazy at Christmas, Easter, and Summer, but fall is a nice little reprieve.
The weather gets cooler. Anyone who says they “wish the summer sun was back” is welcome to go back to their terrarium while the rest of us enjoy our blankets.
I look better in jackets.
Reading books. For some reason, the act of reading is just better when it’s dark and cool out.
The food is better. I’ll take a chicken pot pie any day over whatever a “spring greens salad” is.
I actually like when Daylight Saving ends. (Click here to see a longer rant about this.)
As a Southern California native, I appreciate when the beaches are less crowded.
This is when my neighborhood starts to smell like fireplaces at night (in a good way).
Flannel really works on me. I like to call my personal fashion theme “Canadian 50-year-old.”
Society doesn’t expect you to “grind” and “hustle” as much when it’s dark and cold out. Sabbaths welcome.
My curly hair doesn’t frizz as much.
My beard doesn’t collect as much pollen.
No Christmas music yet.
No sunscreen necessary.
The mosquitos start to die.
The World Series. Sometimes this is a bummer, but this year it was pretty cool. Go Dodgers!
Oscar season starts. Bye-bye to the brainless, overstimulating summer “blockbusters.”
The Bath & Body Works candles are at their best: every autumn scent plus the beginning of their Christmas scents.
Do you relate to any of these? If so, do yourself a favor and go make good on one or two of them this week. Don’t let the darkness of these days rob you of your joy and peace.
I acknowledge that things are bleak, and I know that thinking about good things doesn’t “fix” anything, but I hope I could be a little bit of light to you in these trying times. If you’d like to see more of these each week and/or interact with me, subscribe below to get these (and my Midweek Meditations) in your inbox every week:
Dog sweaters