Let’s be honest. The initial transition from summer to fall can be really hard.

I don’t know about you but fall always seems to do a sneak attack on me. One day, I’m out with my toes in the grass and the next, I’m yanking a jacket out of the closet lamenting the end of tank top season. Trading warm nights outdoors and wandering in sandals with chilly mornings and shorter days is tough for me!

Once I get into my groove – with big cozy sweaters, cute fall boots – then I’m good. But until then, I remind myself that it’s perfectly normal to feel a little sad about the change.

In fact, according to Chinese medicine, the switch to fall is associated with the emotion of grief. Specifically, the grief we feel when we have to let things go. Think about it. We’re letting go of the liveliness and openness of the summer – the ability to enjoy the outdoors and a slower pace.

We’re letting go of hot and lazy summer days and nights. If you have kids or you’re a student, you’re letting go and moving onto a new grade, a new school or an entirely new chapter in life. The fall often signals the time to get our noses back to the grindstone after more relaxed hours and workloads.

The energy of the summer and fall is so different. The summer is open and free flowing. The fall is about storing and preparing for the cold winter. So how can we make this change easier? Start by keeping it simple.

Breathe. According to Chinese medicine, fall is associated with grief and when we don’t allow ourselves to grieve, we store that energy in our lungs. A simple way to deal with that energy is to breathe – really breathe. Be fully aware of the air filling your lungs and notice how it feels when you exhale. Breathing is something we can do without thinking but that doesn’t mean that we need to do it automatically all the time. By taking a couple of minutes during the day, every day to be present with our breath, we can move stagnant energy through and out of our bodies. Speaking of moving…

Move. Walk. Exercise. Jog. Yoga. Dance. Do whatever you can to be in your body and move. When we’re feeling stuck or sad, our minds can often take over. We feed any discomfort we’re in by piling thoughts of anxiety, atop thoughts of judgement, atop thoughts mired with tension and so on. When we get moving and into our bodies, we flood our system with feel-good chemicals and hormones and that works to perk us up and get us back on track. And since it isn’t snowing and 20 below zero yet, try to incorporate getting moving with getting outside. Enjoy the warmer weather while it lasts.

Connect. Think of someone who knocks your socks off. Consider a friend, family member or significant other who can plant a smile on your face with just a glance. Reach out to him or her and arrange some hang time. When we’re feeling kind of ‘blah’ about stuff, we can get stuck in our heads about why things aren’t fantastic at the moment. We can forget that there are awesome people around us who can lighten the load. We all need someone to lean on every now and then or to just laugh with when things look bleak. Connect with those you trust and know you can count on – they can remind you that things aren’t always as bad as they seem.

Get grateful. Take a couple of minutes to think of all the good things going on. Start with yourself. Remind yourself why you rock and what makes you awesome in this world. Then move onto the things, people and situations around you that you’re grateful for. Call your best friend and tell him or her that you’re glad they’re around. Send a family member a cute little postcard letting them know you’re thinking of them. Getting in touch with the things that are working for us as opposed to focusing on the negative always works to lift our spirits.

Purge. If you’re going to be letting go, you might as well let things go. Make an effort to rummage through your closet. You know that top you bought a year ago because it was on sale? The one that still has the price tag on it? Donate it. Those pants you bought because you thought they’d be perfect since you have nothing like them? The ones you put on every once in a while, only to switch into something more comfortable? Give them away too. Start with one section of your home at a time and chuck or donate the things you don’t really need. Chances are, if you get rid of the things that really don’t get wear and tear, you won’t even miss them. Might as well surround yourself with the things that mean something to you and hold value.

By: Corinne K.

Corinne K. works with stressed, busy and driven women. Through energy healing and soulful coaching, she helps them slow down and feel better physically and emotionally. She helps them get real about what they need to feel more free, inspired and empowered in life.

When she’s not working she’s probably sitting on a patio somewhere with a glass of wine or a London Fog, traveling or wandering the city. For more about what she does, check out corinnek.ca.