The "Fall Back" time change is coming.  It's a seasonal change that I always find challenging and this year with all the upheaval I'm dreading the early onset of darkness. Seasonal Affective Disorder is real for a lot of folks and we hope our tips can help. 

We've put together some tips to help make this transition as easy as possible with the reminder that we are all unique.  If you feel pressured to be productive and busy maybe give yourself permission to get cozy with a book or go to bed early.  Self care is recognizing what works for us and it changes from person to person and over time.  If we take care of ourselves we'll have the energy to take care of others and our planet.

We are super excited about our Fall Back Care Pack.  I love bulbs and always spend autumn days planting for spring beauty.  I also force bulbs indoors but typically wait until the holiday season.  Not this year, I've started a bowl of paper whites to hopefully be ready to bloom and spread cheer when we turn back the clock.  Our care pack has 4 paper white bulb with easy growing directions and a seasonal Botanical Oil blend called appropriately enough Shine On.  A cheerful and uplifting blend of essential oils to take you back to a sunny summer day.  This is the perfect gift for anyone you love and cherish-yes- including yourself.

If you are having trouble sleeping as you adjust to the time change try making Insomniac Granola.  Maggie Hennessy blogs about her struggle with sleep since the pandemic.  Between 2:30 and 4:45 she lulls herself by watching Pride and Prejudice.  But after 4:30 if she falls back asleep she has a groggy difficult day ahead of her so she gets up and heads into the kitchen to make granola.  Her blog has a great recipe and a few useful tips.  My next batch will be baked on parchment paper to help it not turn into caramel.  Another tip is don't bake the fruit including raisins, cranberries, etc.  Right now I'm eating a high end lovely granola except for the tooth cracking fruit that I pick out and feed to my chickens.  Spending time in the kitchen making nourishing food is a great way to beat the fall back blues.

A blog I follow regularly is Modern Mrs Darcy.  Often on FaceBook she will post well researched reading list.  Books are a great way to transport yourself, its a way to travel, escape and channel emotions- become that bad ass warrior if only for a few hours.  What I especially enjoy about her book list is she uses themes and introduces me to authors I would never know about unless I spent the time she does researching.  Indie book shop and libraries are also great places to find new books. 

Go back to a happy time with music.  The other day, Carly was having a great day but it all went down hill because she listened to the wrong music.  That got me thinking and I went back in time to high school.  Every song that was on the playlist made me feel energized and positive.  High school was so long ago, even the bad memories didn't seem that bad.  Don't listen to music that makes you sad- your divorce /break up songs should be avoided at all costs.  Stay away from any decade that was a struggle unless you really want to cry.

Indulge in a detox cry, for us brought on by a super sad movie.  Drink some wine, eat some chocolate and weep.  It helps. We usually go for P.S. I Love You but welcome suggestions. 

We'd love your suggestions, tips, ideas and recipes to power through the changing seasons and shorter days.  

SHINE ON