An ironically warm welcome to autumn, my favourite season. The season of pumpkins, books, and pumpkin spiced lattes. The nights are drawing in, and it's time to get out our jumpers and our candles, as we snuggle up and prepare for what will be a long winter. (In my mind, autumn and winter roll into one season, is that just me?)
I'm not the biggest fan of the summer and the hot weather, as you can tell from my SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder post. In fact, I deal with Summertime Seasonal Affective Disorder (SSAD), which is essentially the same as what people associate with SAD — except it happens for me in summer time, rather than winter time. In fact — as you can gauge from my enthusiasm — the winter and the darker times of year boost my mental health for many reasons.
Cosy nights and creativity
It is the time of year of not feeling guilty for spending nights in, and doing what we want to do. As I mentioned above, I'm not particularly a summer person, so I prefer to spend time with myself and work on myself. I’m not bothered about a so-called summer body. I am not one to show off in that way, if at all. I am much happier doing my own thing, and getting under the duvet with a really good book.
The feeling of the nights drawing in brings me so much joy. As it is also September, and I am starting my degree soon ADD LINK, it feels like the beginning of a new chapter (as it does for many people at the beginning of the academic year). As we are nearing the end of the year, it also feels like some chapters are coming to an end. It feels for me like a time of reflection, a time of planning for the future, and of course trying to enjoy the moment without getting swept up by the past and future.
In a way, I feel like the darkness inspires my creativity, because it allows me to focus and hone my attention onto my mind, rather than the outside world. If I'm writing something quite dark, it sets the tone very well.
You can see a theme of focus and working on myself coming in very nicely. I feel this coincides very well with my writing, and working out where I want to go, and how I want to take things; as well as making the most of new opportunities and seeing where they may take me. I get the impression that society almost shuts down when the nights get longer — so it gives us more opportunity to, again, do what we want to do rather than feeling like we have to do certain things. For example, in the summer we might feel that we have to go to a barbecue, or that we have to go swimming when it is sunny. I feel like there is a lot less social pressure. Having said that, there is definitely a social pressure in other areas. For example, there are TV programs that routinely run at this time of year, and if you are not one to keep up to date with these shows, then you can feel left out. But, at the same time, like I say, if you've got a book there is no feeling of missing out. Any reader or writer will tell you a book is definitely better than the film.
Hopefully I articulate this well enough, but it's almost as though in the winter I retreat to work on myself and focus on what I want to be doing, and in a way to get more done, and then when summer comes back I resurface again. Because of this, it can come across as though I have achieved a lot in a short space of time. Which is true, of course, but it's also because I've had the opportunity to focus my time and energy in a different way.
Taking a step back, and being easier on ourselves
Some would say that I am romanticising autumn, but then it is hard not to. Picture this: you're sitting in a high-back chair with your feet on a stool, before a roaring fire. Between your fingers are the pages of your new favorite book. The last of your tea swilling at the bottom of the mug in your hand. Today, you have perhaps gone for a long walk in the woods, or done some baking. Perhaps you've done nothing.
Or have you done nothing?
Does your brain just perceive you as doing nothing? For example, I say quite often ‘oh, I've done nothing today’, when actually I've been posting on social media (which is an important aspect of being an author), and I have been dictating my latest bit of writing (as I am doing right now). These tasks don't take up a lot of time, but they can add up — and they definitely add up in terms of results. Even if each of these tasks take five minutes, that is about half an hour of the day. To be honest, it doesn't matter for how long you're productive, but rather how you are productive within that time. In life, we only have a certain amount of time, and — to a certain extent — we only have so much choice over how we spend it. This is another reason why I prefer autumn and winter; there is more control over how I use my time. There is less pressure to be doing something.
Having said that, there are quite a few traditions coming up, with Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night — and Christmas later on. To be completely honest, I'm not someone to look forward to these events until they are actually happening, because theory can put so much pressure and stress on people (particularly Christmas, with the buying of presents, and maintaining traditions.
And back to the present…
Today, I had my first autumnal drink — a pumpkin spiced latte — to start off the season. That is what I call a good time. I like to take the time to mark the time of year. It's even better when you can do it with friends and family. As it happens, I was having this coffee with a friend that I hadn’t seen in a long while; we both have a love of books, pumpkin spiced lattes, and writing. It was nice to catch up. There is something really cathartic and bonding about having a cup of coffee or tea in hand. As I have said before, if in doubt, have a cup of tea. Makes things better, even if just a little bit.
Again, I don't just like the darker times of year for the decreasing socialisation, but for the fact that in a way we are encouraged to be selective about how we are spending our time. In doing so, we spend it with good people. At least that's the idea.
In many ways, I feel that having a chat one-on-one, or with a small group, is more beneficial than socialising around the pool, but that's just my opinion.
I feel like having a coffee is more intimate, and you can focus on the sharing of ideas, sharing of time, and the sharing of energy. Whereas I feel, in the summer, it is more of a show. If I was to get really philosophical about things, life itself is a performance. It is several acts, one after the other, until the curtain is drawn for the final time.
Change
Let me bring you back to the idea of autumn and winter being the time to prepare for endings, and then the endings, respectively.
Why is this important?
It allows us to let go. If everything in life remained the same, then we wouldn't know what we appreciated, what we were missing. If we can let go of what we feel is doing us a disservice (notice the reference to Prevailed Hope), then we can make room for bigger and better things; opportunities and occasions that nourish us as human beings. After all, we are constantly changing, we are constantly developing — and therefore what we need from life will change. The idea of the preparation for endings allows us to shed skin.
Although the imagery isn't pleasant, it serves as a reminder of a definite reality: the seasons themselves aren't something we as humans can necessarily control, if at all, and therefore we have to make the most of them while they are happening. As they only happen for a set period each year, and yet we know they are coming, we have the opportunity to make the most of it. That is why, on September the 1st, you put on a jumper, you lay down your heated blankets, and you prepare yourself a stack of books. I say this with a hint of irony because the heat of summer has made a surprise return.
Appreciation for the weather
Let's talk appreciation for the weather. Most people describe how they prefer the summer because of the heat, and in my experience, those people that claim they prefer the heat are often the first ones to moan if it gets too hot. There are others, like me, that prefer the bitterness and cold of the autumn and winter months. I like the feeling of going outside, getting cold, and then coming home to a warm house.
It takes that going outside to appreciate the warmth, but it is worth it in the end. It is not always nice at 6:00 a.m. in the morning (it has been a long time since I’ve seen that time of day), to go out into the cold weather and be soaked through by the time you get to your destination — but then at the same time, I could say that that is all part of the human existence. We might not like it at the moment, it can be an opportunity to allow yourself to feel the water against your skin, and the cold as it seeps to your bones. An experience of value, given the lack of control that we have to change whatever situation we find ourselves in at present. On that train of thought, if we had the heat of summer all year round, we would probably get used to the heat — but we would also forget to value the cold, and what it felt like to be cold. In the same way that if it was cold all year round we wouldn't have that feeling of gratitude when it does become summer, and we are engulfed by the warmth that we have been starved of for several months. Essentially, it is the idea of appreciating polar opposites as they are, because without either or, we couldn't appreciate the other.
As much as I struggle with the social pressure and stress that comes with traditions such as Christmas and Halloween, I do value the sense of community, mutual excitement, and anticipation that comes with it. Even if as an adult the excitement is dampened by the stress. On the other hand, it is nice to see children excited. It feels like some of our worries aren't as important as we thought. Perhaps because we are distracted by what it means to be human. During these times of celebration humanity is its finest, because we come together to celebrate as a community, whatever that community might look like. Now, I'm aware that my post celebrating autumn has turned into a bit of a social analysis — which wasn't intentional — but I hope it provides value as you read it.
Coming to the end…
Now that I have come to the end of my waffling, you may release a sigh. Whilst you're doing that, I suggest once again that you get the winter duvet out, and assemble your heated blankets. Get the kettle on, and enjoy a bit of time to yourself. In doing so, perhaps you can reflect on how much you have achieved so far this year: is there anything else you want to achieve before the year is out? Are there any big life events coming up? Is there anything immediate you are looking forward to?
I suggest that you use this season of increased solitude to figure out what it is you want, and what you enjoy, and whether there is anything you would like to change. The duvets, the jumpers, the scarfs, the books, the writing, and the scribbling in tiny notebooks will allow you to appreciate the little things in life. They come together to have significant impacts. So, I implore you to feel as much as you can. This time is for you, so use it however is best for you. Enjoy watching the rain and the wind as it batters your windows.
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