While I’m partial to all things pumpkin spice and cozy sweaters, there’s a more obscure reason I consider fall my favorite season: Fall is the ideal time of year to focus on your manifestation practice, get clear about everything you want in life, and start making it all happen. While there’s no “wrong” time to start manifesting, there are windows throughout the year that present more fertile ground to plant your seeds, with fall as one of the most important. Whether you’re new to manifestation or looking to boost your practice, here’s why you should dedicate extra time and energy toward it this season.
Why Fall Is the Best Time of Year for Manifestation
It has “fresh-start” energy
While we tend to wait until the new year to wipe the slate clean and envision what we want, fall is ripe with back-to-school vibes (even if you’re not in school). Just as kids return to school after summer break, adults adjust from a vacation mindset to back-to-work mode. In general, it’s a time when there’s a buzz of excitement that often comes with a new beginning; people tend to feel refreshed and ready for whatever comes next. And even if you may not be going back to school, you can still channel the same energy in September to dream up what you want—the first step to manifestation. Clearly define what you want, then break it down into small, actionable steps. That could look like creating a vision board, practicing affirmations, or setting daily intentions. (BTW, if you do miss the back-to-school vibes, our September Best-Self Syllabus is for you!).
It fosters going inward (literally and figuratively)
The summer weather brings us rooftop happy hours and sun-soaked beach days, while the cool, crisp fall air ushers us indoors for more rest, relaxation, and alone time. With more time spent inside, it’s the perfect time to go inward, let go of anything no longer serving you (whether people, material things, beliefs, habits, or situations), and connect with yourself. When you take the time to tune out all the outside noise and release any extra weight you’re carrying, you can get a clearer picture of your goals. So the next time you find yourself curled up on the couch with your favorite hot beverage in hand, consider using that time to meditate or journal about what you can surrender, your thoughts and emotions, and your core values so you can start showing up as your best self.
It’s the most mystical time of the year
You’re probably familiar with fall holidays like Halloween and Día de los Muertos. However, you might not know that some of the popular traditions and holidays we celebrate during autumn today can be traced back to a Celtic festival called Samhain, which welcomes the harvest and ushers in “the dark half of the year.” Halloween, Día de los Muertos, and Samhain all embrace the belief that fall signifies a “thinning of the veil” between the physical and spiritual world (there’s a reason the Sanderson Sisters can only come back on Halloween!). No matter your religious or spiritual beliefs, many worldly traditions acknowledge a strong connection to spirituality in the fall because it represents the harvest time of the year and a season of change, reflection, and gratitude. Tap into that spiritual energy (even just for fun!) to open your mind to the possibility of miracles and magic in your manifestation practice. If you can take advantage of the time of year when the universe can hear you a little more clearly, all the better.
It’s the season of abundance
Another reason the Samhain holiday is so applicable to manifestation is that it blends mysticism with something far more tangible: the bounty of the harvest. Manifestation might seem like it’s all about looking to the future, but a key part of the practice that is often forgotten is giving thanks for all the “crops” you’ve reaped (AKA the positive things you’ve already manifested). When you show gratitude for what you’ve already harvested in your life, however small, it creates space for more abundance and you notice more of the good in things.
For example, if you want to manifest a relationship, express your appreciation to the love you already feel—be it from your family, friends, or pet (according to Psychology Today, showing gratitude to loved ones improves connection and relationship satisfaction). If you’re after financial success, try writing down moments of gratitude that were associated with things you were able to pay for (think: savoring your first PSL of the season, the endorphin rush from the Pilates class, getting tickets to Sabrina Carpenter‘s “Short n’ Sweet” concert). By practicing gratitude, you’ll attract more things to be grateful for. So take a cue from harvest season and appreciate your bounty (AKA your already amazing life).
Ready to Live Your Best Life? Start Here:
With all the energy supporting you this season, you’re ready to use it to your advantage. But where do you start? You can check out our 101 Guide to Manifestation, manifestation journal prompts, or daily habits to manifest your goals, but here are some of my favorite tips for getting started:
- Take a brief account of where you are currently. Make a list of what is working, what might not be working, and what you’d like to invite into your life.
- List out your goals through journaling, or if you’re more visual, through scrapbooking or vision boarding. Writing out or cutting and pasting images that represent what you desire can help make your dreams feel more real, making it easier to attain them.
- When you make your list or vision board, supplement it with visualizing the best version of yourself who already has what you want (what they look like, what they’re doing, where they live) while tapping into the feeling of already being that person and applying it. Try to personify that person in your day-to-day, which will help shift your energy into accepting everything that is headed your way.
- Take baby steps forward. Maybe it’s setting up an informational interview with a mentor for a career change you’re considering, or perhaps it’s an internal action, like talking with a therapist to work through past trauma or insecurities that may be keeping you from feeling worthy of whatever it is you desire.
- Trust that you’ve got this. You’re working toward your dreams, and that’s an incredible feat on its own. If you continue the momentum of moving in the direction of your desires by believing in yourself and taking actionable steps toward them, you will get there. And remember, setbacks can sometimes be steps forward in disguise because they force you to reassess what you really want.