Last month at this time I was completely and utterly dreading Autumn...not because I dislike the beautiful leaves and crisp air, but simply because I am a summer girl who loves warmth and sunshine...not to mention how awful it is to look ahead apprehensively for a stressfully busy Christmas season and then even worse, the winter blues that descend upon me with a terrific crash in January.
So I've pondered a lot on what I can do about my seasonal mood swings and I determined to ask my dear, sweet friend Savanah for some wisdom in this regard.
With her usual insight, she replied with some ideas that changed my whole outlook on the months of September, October, November, and December.
1. Try to find things that are beautiful amidst the dreary winter. Like watch the sunrise make the freshly fallen snow sparkle. Or wear a black pair of gloves and catch the snowflakes on them. The black makes it so that you can see each individual snowflake beautifully and you can admire their each unique shape. I find that when we make a conscious effort to look for the good in everything then we find it. So make it a goal to each day find one thing new that you can enjoy about winter.
2. Make a goal for the end of each month. Have something exciting and fun to look forward to. Like a pedicure or lunch out with your grandma or something. If you have something fun to look forward to, than the months won't seem to drag on too slowly.
3. Try wearing bright colors. Even when everyone else is wearing the seasons dark and drab color scheme, try wearing spring colors to lift your spirits. You could also try adding bright colors to your home decor for the winter season to try and brighten your home.
4. Learn something new. I thought that a fun hobby would be to learn to crochet cute winter hats. My mom made some last winter that had an adorable flower on the side, they were so stylish for a homemade hat. Those might be fun to learn to make in order to lighten up a winter day!
5. Make memorable winter moments. Make a snowman with your boys or curl up in a big blanket with a cup of hot chocolate, warm popcorn, an old movie and your little family.
And finally....today I found a wonderful idea in the Ensign. There was an article about a mom who memorized "The Living Christ" and then tried to help her family memorize it. I know that our kids are too young for that just yet, but what if you tried to work on memorizing a part of it each day. It will uplift your spirits, invite the Holy Ghost into your home and no doubt prepare you for the Christmas season. Before you know it, winter will be half over and you won't even have had time to think about it!!
And so because of her inspiration, my Autumn has become something different this year. It's not just a time to notice the dropping temperatures or dread the foreboding winter.
It's a time of change. And of preparation.
It's a time to settle down and make home a comfortable haven for soon wintry days.
It's a time to put away the summer and put on the fall...including soft sweaters. (Of course, I'm going to continue wearing summer colors on occasion. ;)
It's a time to stop and pause and look how far this year has taken me...and how far I still have to go in order to reach my goals and become the person I want to be before the end of December.
It's a time to recommit to pushed aside projects and procrastinated ideas.
It's a time to make apple pie and pumpkin spice bread.
And cinnamon rolls...we had those last night.
And last week when the boys and I drove down to my Mom's, I glanced off to my right to see a little bunch of fiery red trees clustered on the side of a mountain.
It was a sign to me that Autumn is officially here...and surprisingly, that thought did not make me cringe or even sigh.
I smiled.
When winter comes along, I will be ready with Savanah's tricks up my sleeve.
"Come what may, and love it!" as Elder Wirthlin would say.
I guess my goal for September can be checked off.
I am LOVING Autumn.
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