"Somewhere between resisting the end of one season and longing for the next, I find myself craving the opportunity to take a mini inventory of my life. There is a tangible transition from each departing season (the calendar marking the first day of the next season or the changing weather), but there’s also an internal energy shift. Each season has a new beauty and purpose, and it’s important to welcome change and find joy in each new season you’re experiencing. I do this reset at the beginning of every new season to prepare my mind, body, and soul for what’s to come. This is your guide to a seasonal reset.
Run, don't walk.
Step 1: Reflect on the Past Season
Before we can focus on, plan, and get excited about the new season, it’s important to first reflect on the previous season to learn more about yourself. Take some time to journal or meditate on these prompts:
- List everything that gave you energy in the past season.
- List everything that drained your energy in the past season.
- Where did a majority of your energy go in the past season, and how does it align with your current priorities?
- What areas can you focus on adjusting and prioritizing to reflect what you want to cultivate in this new season?
Step 2: Reset Your Mind
Set intentions for the new season
I feel like a different person when each new season rolls around. I’d like to think I’m constantly changing and evolving mentally, physically, and emotionally into the best version of myself, so it only makes sense that my intentions are evolving as well. Spend some time envisioning what you want this season to look like: What do you want to call into your life? How do you want to feel? Then, plan actionable steps you can take each week to make it happen.
Experiment with seasonal reading
Read books that align with the current season or mood. Try choosing a book that takes place during a specific time of the year or in a certain location that resonates with a specific season or has a plot that fits the ambience of the season. For example, reach for a rom-com beach read for summer and lean into cozy or spooky vibes for fall. Or maybe you want to pick a book based on your goals. Looking to manifest this season? Read these.
Detox and declutter your space
Spring cleaning isn’t just for the springtime. Start each season off with a sense of calm and clarity by organizing your closet, fridge, and drawers. Declutter and let go of any unused items that no longer serve you, and deep clean your living space to improve air quality, reduce allergens, and enhance your mental health. Clutter in your space translates to clutter in your mind; envision detoxing your belongings like detoxing the beliefs, energy, and mindsets that are no longer serving you as well.
Do a brain dump
Your living space isn’t the only thing that should be decluttered seasonally. A brain dump works by getting all of your thoughts down on paper, which helps to boost productivity, encourage creativity, improve focus, and decrease stress. You can start by creating a master to-do list for the new season or any worries you have about the next few months. From there, it’ll be easier to categorize and prioritize your tasks based on importance.
Engage in movement meditation outside
I know meditation is not for everyone (me included). However, I can’t deny the benefits and general feeling of enhanced well-being when I do practice it. If you’re like me and want to meditate but don’t enjoy sitting in silence, give movement meditation a try. Movement meditation is just as it sounds: calming the mind while engaging the body. This can be done with any activity of your choice, but my go-to’s for incorporating seasonal living are walking in nature to take in the changing temperature, sounds, and overall atmosphere that a new season brings and habit stacking meditation with my seasonal cleaning session to create a more mindful experience.
Step 3: Reset Your Body
Do a full body check-in
Your body needs different things during different seasons. Building habits can be good, but you don’t want to go through your wellness routine on autopilot so much that you ignore what your body actually needs. To identify what you need this new season, try a full body check-in to increase body awareness and help you understand what exactly your body is telling you. While sitting or lying in a comfortable position, close your eyes and breathe. Starting at the top of your head and slowly moving downward, bring awareness to each part of your body, noticing where you feel tension and then releasing it. Ask yourself what kind of exercise, diet, nighttime routine, morning routine, and other rituals would feel best for you this new season and what rituals or habits you should pause.
Eat with the season
Is there anything better than biting into a crisp juicy apple in the fall or picking sweet raspberries right off the bush in the summer? I find myself craving the fruits and vegetables that are in season, and there are quite a few benefits to eating in-season produce. Not only is it fresher, more flavorful, and healthier, but it also saves you money, supports your local community, is more sustainable, and provides your body with a variety of nutrients and vitamins throughout the year.
Incorporate exercise in line with the new season
Embrace seasonal activities in your workout routine. Each season brings a wide array of outdoor activities you can incorporate as natural forms of movement: Gardening in the spring, kayaking and biking in the summer, hiking through the foliage in the fall, or skiing in the winter. Whether or not you live somewhere that experiences distinct four seasons, take advantage of all the potential opportunities for seasonal movement to help support your body’s needs (after all, they also change with the seasons).
Ease into daylight shifts
During the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the length of daylight lasts between 15 and 16 hours, whereas during the winter solstice, the length of daylight lasts just seven hours and 40 minutes (that’s a pretty big difference). While the changes in daylight hours and temperature happen gradually throughout the seasons, be mindful of how it impacts your sleep. Your sleep schedule can change as you may need more rest during the dark winter months compared to the summer.
Step 4: Reset Your Soul
Romanticize the seasons
“Romanticizing your life” refers to the practice of falling in love with your life by noticing the beauty in the every day and appreciating simple moments. This is a great example of how the same activities can be switched up based on the season. For example, create a seasonal playlist, buy a fresh bouquet of flowers, decorate your home with a color palette and mood indicative of the season, light a seasonal candle, update your vision board, put together a seasonal bucket list, or take a long walk to embrace the changes in nature.
Create a “Fill up your cup” list
The metaphor refers to replenishing your mental, emotional, and physical energy by doing simple, soulful activities that leave you full of happiness, peace, and contentment. My list of cup-filling activities probably looks different than yours because we’re all unique individuals, so consider the pastimes and interests that replenish your soul and set aside time to do more of them. And don’t forget to give special attention to those activities that can only be done during the specific season you’re in. For example, apple picking, admiring fall foliage, and baking pumpkin treats are great to warm the soul as fall comes around.
Break up with your phone
Going into each new season, schedule time away from your phone each day, week, or month. A little technology detox (however brief) may be just the reminder you need that life doesn’t stop when you’re looking down. If an extended amount of time away from your phone seems like too much, start small. Set screen time limits on your social media apps, avoid looking at your phone first thing in the morning and before you go to bed, or put your phone in another room while eating your meals. If that feels doable, spend an entire evening or weekend away from your phone. That extra time can be spent engaging in your cup-filling seasonal activities. Lately, every time I find myself spending too much time on my phone, I go sit outside and admire the subtle changes happening around me as we transition into a new season.
Start a seasonal journal
What better time to start a new habit than at the beginning of a new season? Journaling is one of the best wellness tools for reducing stress, improving well-being, and deepening self-discovery. If the idea of writing about your day or following a journal prompt doesn’t pique your interest, let your creativity flow by creating a nature journal with seasonal foraging finds or explore different types of journaling—gratitude, future-self, bullet, mood, dream—depending on what speaks to you in the present season. For example, you may find that keeping a gratitude journal fits seamlessly into your fall routine when you’re prioritizing slowing down.
Honor your needs
Listening to and welcoming exactly what you need during each season of the year and season of life is one of the most fulfilling ways you can love and support yourself in all aspects of wellness. You know your own body better than anyone else, so if you need more rest, prioritize going to bed earlier. If your mind needs centering, try breathing exercises and connecting with others. If you need more peace, look to grounding exercises like walking barefoot in the grass or swimming in a natural body of water and doing more of what feeds your passions.
Leanna Julius
Leanna is a certified health coach, power yoga and prenatal yoga instructor, reiki practitioner, and a wellness blogger.