With the leaves going from green to red and the winds changing from warm to cool, it is no wonder autumn is considered the season of change. But it’s not just the environment that changes. Autumn heralds in a time of transition and invites us to embrace the energy of change. Of course, change can be uncomfortable and many of us may find ourselves desperately attempting to hide from this transitory season. But transition can also be exciting and beautiful if we meet it with acceptance rather than fear. These five tips will help you walk into autumn with open arms and make the most out of this season of change.
1. Transition towards stillness
Both spring and autumn have been referred to as “the season of change,” but don’t be fooled. These two seasons embody a very different kind of change. Spring is about diving into new opportunities, cleaning out the cobwebs of winter, detoxing, and revving up the engine to prepare for the full-force energy of summer. Fall, on the other hand, is about a quieter kind of transition. Now is the time to start slowing down and preparing for winter.
Start creating more space in your schedule for you time. Plan a few less social outings. Designate specific time for quiet practices that will help you move inward. Things like meditation, journaling, or spending a few minutes at dawn just sitting in nature. These kinds of activities will help your body ease off the loud energy of summer and prepare for the still, tranquil energy of winter.
2. Let the change come to you
It is important to consider how you approach change in autumn. Unlike spring, in which you want to be actively pursuing change and pushing yourself forward, autumn is a time for stepping back and letting the change come to you. Instead of seeking out opportunities, open the door, sit back, and let the change come to you. This change is going to be different than what you saw in spring; it will be less about embracing new and more about letting go of the old. Which brings us to the third way to make the most of autumn.
3. Practice the art of letting go
In spring, we watch the buds bloom into flowers. In autumn, we watch the green leaves turn red and begin to fall. To live in harmony with the seasons, we must follow nature’s lead. In spring, we start new things and blossom into bright, shining versions of ourselves. Autumn, on the other hand, is the time to re-evaluate what things we are holding onto that we know longer need. It’s a time to shed the old habits and patterns that no longer serve us. It’s a time to release, relax, and make more space in our lives for those things that matter most.
4. Stay grounded in your roots
As the cool autumn winds blow through, it is important to find your roots. Transition, especially during the season of letting go 
and saying goodbye, can be incredibly difficult. To face these changes with an open, accepting heart, we need to feel supported and safe. Turn to the ones who love you unconditionally; find safe spaces where you can relax and be with your thoughts; dedicate time explicitly for self-care. The more grounded you feel in yourself and your community, the easier it will be to let go of that which is no longer serving you.
5. Seek out things that nourish
No matter how you look at it, letting go can be a painful process. The season of change is inspiring and beautiful, but it is also hard. So, make sure to take care of yourself. Eat warming, nourishing foods. Take baths, cuddle with a blanket, re-read your favorite book, spend time with your loved ones, or go for a hike on a tree-filled path. Whatever nourishes you, gravitate toward that. Fill yourself up so that you are in a good, safe place to let the rest fall away. To handle change with grace and acceptance, we must make time for nourishment.
Embrace the season of change and enjoy it while it lasts
We are only a few months from winter; the season of hibernation and stillness. Autumn is our chance to prepare for this. It is our change to release so much of the weight we have been carrying and enjoy the freedom of making a little more space in our lives. While it may be hard at times to let go, if you follow these tips and truly embrace the season of change, you will find the changes in you can be just as beautiful as the changing leaves that have inspired people for years. So honor the energy of the season, embrace the transition, and enjoy everything that makes autumn truly spectacular.
