How to Love Every Season
“I’m a summer person” I’ve always said.
Wet hair, jumping in lakes, going on road trips, cute little dresses, free time, long days, ice cream?!?! That's the stuff my dreams are made of. Summer is so easy to love. Every time fall rolled around, I took one look at the crunchy, coloured leaves through tear-filled eyes and leaned into a deep sense of despair.
I know it sounds dramatic, but summer felt like freedom, and every other season… misery. Except maybe when spring rolls around. At least at that point, summer is near, there is new life and hope!
Which season is it for you? Which season do you miss deeply when it leaves and crave all year long? Which season makes you feel most alive?
There’s nothing wrong with having a favourite, I think that’s totally normal. But last year when fall rolled around, I decided I had had enough, and it was time to stop hating it.
I decided instead of being a summer person who only tolerates the other eight months of the year, I want to deeply love all the seasons.
I want to mourn each season at the end the way I mourn the loss of summer, and I want to welcome each season and delight in the changes it brings!
So, I got to work on a Fall bucket list and decided to take advantage of all the joy my previously most-hated season has to offer. And friend, I loved every minute of it. Once I let go of summer, and I fully stepped into pie baking, pumpkin picking, applesauce making, changing leaf looking and all the other good things, I was so full of joy.
I missed out on a whole lot of good by having a bad attitude.
No matter which season you call your fave, I want to help you learn to love, and find joy, in all of them. I’m going to share the three steps that really did it for me with Fall!
Make a List of Good Things
Making this list does two things - it helps you realize how much the season you’re in truly has to offer, and it really distracts you from the ache in your heart caused by missing your favourite season. If Fall is the one you need to learn to love, you can take inspiration from my Fall bucket list, but I suggest making your own as well so you can highlight activities specific to the region you’re in!
Put EVERYTHING that sounds fun to you on this list. This is the brainstorming stage, and there are no bad ideas! Include a section for activities, food, drinks, clothes etc.
Talk About it
If you’re like me, you may be tempted to keep this under wraps until you’re a master of all the seasons. Don’t. One of the most helpful things for me was talking about my struggle. I talked to pretty much everyone I know in real life, and I shared my journey on Instagram. I found solidarity in the many people who could relate, and I found many people to guide and teach me as they told me about fall from their perspective of excitement and joy!
I found this to be a topic that came up very naturally, but if you need some help, just try asking people what their favourites of the season are. Favourite food, drink, activity, place to visit… hearing the answer to all of these questions can really help inform that bucket list you’re making and help you catch your friends’ excitement! (it is contagious, after all!)
Focus on Gratitude
This is the biggest, and most important thing on this list. If you never talk about it or write things on a list, at least do this step.
Take notice of things you’re doing/seeing/eating and ask yourself, “could I do this right now if it wasn’t [season you’re in]?” Anytime the answer is no, stop. Slow down. Take a mental picture. Try to remember that taste/smell/sight/feeling and hold onto it. I hope you become so busy looking for these beautiful, precious moments that you overlook the aspects of the season that make it hard to love.
That’s all there is to it! The three steps I used to start loving fall. I’m so glad I started down this journey and made the decision to change my fall-hating ways!
Which season do you need a little help learning to love? DM me on Instagram and let me know. I’d love to hear how it goes!
I’ll be using this process again soon. I need help learning to love winter!
