Category: the seasons

Today I want to talk about Seasonal Self Care and how planning and thinking about our self care seasonally can help us take better care of ourselves.

What is Seasonal Self Care?

So many people I chat with say that making time for self care is hard and it’s often the first thing to fall by the wayside when life gets busy and routines get changed up.

But what if we looked at our self care on a seasonal basis? For both the seasons of our life and the seasons of the year.

We know that self care isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach and that we have to work out as individuals what taking care of ourselves means (Hint – it’s not always about the bubble bath and pampering!). Different times in our life call for different ways to take care of ourselves. And I know that my self care in Winter looks very different to the Summer.

Perhaps part of our commitment to self care should be sitting down at the start of each season and working out how we can take better care of ourselves? It’s also a great opportunity to review and reflect on what’s been working and what hasn’t… to help us determine the self care that feels right for us every day and what works at certain times.

For me – journalling is a constant… every morning (about 90% of the time!) I write morning pages and every evening (99%) I write in my gratitude journal. Getting outside in nature is also a constant for me… but where I choose to go is dependent on the weather and the seasons.

Action Point:

Take a moment to think about the things you do regularly that contribute to your self care and figure out if they work every day or change up depending on the season.

Examples of Season Specific Self Care

Here are some examples of seasonal self care but remember – it can look different for everyone.

Summer Self Care

• Wearing SPF daily
• Meditating or doing yoga/exercise outside
• Creating and listening to a Summer playlist
• Visiting the beach or seaside
• Making salads that use plenty of in-season produce

Autumn Self Care

• Making crumble and other Autumnal recipes
• Starting/getting back to a hobby that suits Autumn and Winter (like knitting, crochet etc)
• Buy a new sweater or jumper to keep you cozy
• Treating yourself to a new candle
• Go for a walk somewhere where you can see the Autumn colours

Winter Self Care

• Making sure you have warm layers to wear including hat, scarf and gloves
• Trying out new hearty recipes for the slow cooker
• Cozy yoga
• Putting up fairy lights to add some twinkle
• Have a regular early night where you cozy up with a book or to get more sleep

Spring Self Care

• Visiting your favourite spot to see Spring flowers
• Getting outside in the garden
• Decluttering your space
• Trying something new (a hobby or activity)
• Use the extra evening light to walk in the evenings

If you have any season specific self care activity suggestions please do share them in the comments below.

More on Self Care

For more on Self Care take a look at these Self Care Ideas.

There are also plenty of Summer Self Care suggestions in my LOVE SUMMER guided journal. You can find out more about that in my Etsy shop. As well as Self Care the journal also guides you to:

• think about goals and intentions for the Summer
• plan out fun summer activities
• Create a summer happy list – of all the things you love about Summer
• Come up with a Summer Bucket List (I’ve shared more about this here)
• Make a Summer playlist (there’s even a Find the Good Everyday Love Summer playlist)
• Capture and document your Summer memories

It even comes in a kit with some summer themed self care items.

Remember – it’s not too late to make the most of the Summer season and plan out your Summer Self Care.

Today I want to share some of my Favourite Nature Spots. I’m taking part in 30 Days Wild this month which is run by The Wildlife Trusts and encourages us all to get outside in the wild and closer to nature. I’ve been sharing my acts of wildness over in my Instagram stories so be sure to pop over for a look.

I love spending time outside in nature. It’s imperative to my self care, mental health and well-being. Being outside and amongst nature features on my happy lists as well as my recent Fair Weather Artists Date Ideas post.

I try and get outside every day – even if just for a short walk. And I realised on a recent walk that wherever I’ve lived I’ve usually had a collection of favourite nature spots to visit to get my fill of fresh air and being closer to nature. Different spots have their own highlights which I want to share with you.

My Favourite Nature Spots

Meadows

A meadow is somewhere you can lay back in the long grass and watch the clouds roll by. Hear the long grass swish as you walk through it. Seek out meadow flowers and wildlife. My dog used to love running around in the meadow near our Wellington house and it always felt like an adventure when we walked through it. I have found a local meadow which I often walk through to reach the towpath – at the moment it’s full of beautiful wild flowers with lots of butterflies and bees buzzing around.

Woods

I always feel like a walk in the woods helps me breathe much better – thanks trees! This is a great place to visit when it’s raining as I love the sound of the rain through the trees and usually manage to stay drier than if I’m out in the open. I can remember walking in woods as a child and I think there’s a lot of magic in them. It always feels like the perfect place for fairies!

Rivers

One of my current local favourites is a walk along the towpath beside the river. I can join the path at various places (from the city centre to out in the countryside) and take in the sights along the river. It’s a great place to spot different insects and birds. I like stopping on the bridges and gazing down into the water to spot fish and insects. Our local river is a great place to see swans, ducks and moorhens.

Beaches

I sometimes feel sad that I don’t live near a beach currently. In Wellington I was lucky enough to live within a few minutes of the South Coast and it’s wonderful beaches. The beach is somewhere I head to blow the cobwebs away. And I also enjoy seeking out beach treasure – shells, sea glass, sea pottery and other wonderful things the tide has washed up. I can happily spend hours on the beach – in all weathers (as long as I have the right clothing!). My son thoroughly enjoys playing with sand and paddling too so it’s great for family days out.

Cliffs

Being up high and looking out to water is great for giving some perspective and usually helps me to see the bigger picture. Cliffs can be a good place to visit when the tide is in and you can’t get to the beach. I got married on a cliff in New Zealand. We were overlooking the Tasman Sea with South Island in the distance and it was a stunning location to celebrate our vows.*

Parks

Wherever we’ve lived over the years (& particularly since we’ve had our son) we’ve always had favourite parks to visit – big and small. When you’ve got kids it’s great to find ones with elaborate play areas (& a cafe nearby doesn’t go amiss either!). These days we like country parks where there’s always lots to explore. I find you don’t have to go too far away from the play areas to find the quieter spaces. Essex has some great play trails which are great for keeping the kids busy as you explore.

Lakes & Lochs

I find lakes and lochs more calming than the sea. During my 5 years living in Glasgow I spent a decent amount of time near Lochs. We used to regularly visit Loch Lomond and also spent time in The Trossachs. I also love the Lake District in England and Lake Taupo in New Zealand.

My Garden

Sometimes I forget this one! Out the back we have a small patch of grass, some pebbled ground and paving. We don’t have any flower beds at the back but we are hoping to create one soon (perhaps for growing some veggies). We do have a bird table and enjoy seeing what birdy visitors come to visit! I want to try and spend more time in my garden this year. I’m hoping to create a small pond as part of my 30 Days Wild activities and hope that will encourage me to spend more time out there.

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Have I missed any good nature spots from my list? What are your favourites?

Do you have a special place outside that you go to think or blow the cobwebs away? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

*PS – Are you signed up to receive my monthly newsletter? I’m planning to share photos of some my favourite nature spots in the next one. If you’re keen to have a peek you can sign up here!