How do you cope with the changing of the seasons? I’m slowly crawling out of this week’s black hole – why does the start of autumn always hit me so dang hard?
But I know that this too shall pass and have been leaning into my self-care. My priorities are getting out in nature and spending time with friends. Even if (and especially when) I don’t feel like it. I’ve enjoyed an after-work dip with Angela (and her delicious home-baked banana chocolate cake and a hot cuppa tea).
And an early morning dip with Vibeke and Helene. Definite chill in the air these mornings!
Oh, and listening to audiobooks and good tunes in my ears helps too!
Getting enough sleep, eating well and exercising my body gently are non-negotiables. And cutting out the negative self-talk and thoughts! Love yourself as you are…
I also brought forward my hair appointment. Always feel better after a good chop! Now I feel my energy coming back – yay!
Do you get autumn, winter, or spring SAD? What helps you move forward through it? Share your best tips in the comments!
Hugs
Diane in Denmark
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35 Comments
Add Yours →It hasn’t hit me yet, but I wanted to comment on your hair! I think it looks perfect the way it is, and your face is happy and smiling, and you looked happy…but it looks as though you will be fine, and we all have those times in our lives when we are a little sad.
Please know that you make so many people happy and your outlook is just great. Thank you for all that you do! You are a spark of sunshine to one and all!
Connecting with nature is a big help for me and I agree with your other strategies of good sleep, eating well etc. Anoher thing I do is stay away from watching programs that have a lot of violence etc. I limit scrolling the news. I hang out with positive people . Thanks for being you, Diane!
As I don’t do well in very hot weather, I quite like the late summer and early autumnal weather. I then start to add autumnal hygge elements to our home and activities. I can really do cosy in the autumn. What I really don’t like is the dark weeks from the middle of November, cold, dark and wet.
I went out and bought some fall scented hand soap and am getting ready to put up the fall decor. I’m also doing some thrift shopping for some sweaters as we just moved back to my hometown in Canada and it’s much chillier here! Trying to bring some Canadian Hygge!
I definitely suffer from SAD. I live in one of the foggiest places in North coastal California. Sun might grace us with her presence around 11 am only to leave by 3 pm. Getting outside to walk, row or paddle is very helpful. And I do appreciate not sweating much. 🙃
Summer solstice always causes me an emotional “pause” bc I know the hours of daily darkness will start to grow. January and February turn me into a stay-at-home slug
Your YouTube posts are bright spots in those weeks
Winter brings me SAD. Not enough sun and no gardening. Hair looks great. I recently had six inches cut off and it was a nice reset for my hair.
Hello Diane,
It hits me in November when it started to get really dark. It helps me to keep exercising and getting out to see people. Eating heathy helps because I find my craving for sweets and junk increases too. This year I have new things to look forward to starting in September and I find that helpful. 😀
Dear Diane, I always enjoy your posts.
I don’t mind autumn. It’s at springtime that I get depressed.
In the fall, I think of all the nice hot and comforting food I can finally cook and how nice it is to go for walks without collapsing from the heat.
I hope you get out of the fog fast enough, you seem well aware and that’s an advantage.
Thank you for your new format, I really enjoy it
I absolutely love to watch your videos and look forward to them so much; your positivity is so contagious! Now it is our turn to be your cheerleader. I love to find fun, seasonal events because that makes any seasonal change special! Over here in the US, I think Autumn in the North East allows us so many wonderful things to do. There are steam train rides through the autumn colors, holiday decorating for fall and Halloween, fall festivals (like the Apple Harvest–which is a must if you get to the US during the first two weekends in October), seasonal activities at amusement parks, and pumpkin-spice everything! I focus on the coziness of fall and the chance to drink hot chocolate and snuggle under blankets with a good book. (There is even a decorating style now called Apple Cider Aesthetic–haha!) You are always welcome here in Pennsylvania to enjoy the season! Thank you for all you do!
That sounds so lovely, I want to come over 🤩
That sound lovely! What do you do when winter hits Amanda! I’d love to know!
Are you dreading winter? Or do you not like fall? Last year we did not have a normal winter. It was actually beautiful. I enjoy all 4 seasons. When spring and summer came, I realized I missed the snow and winter. I think from now on I will enjoy my favorite things about each season. I think I might feel differently if it was dark so much of the time, like it is in Denmark.
Having a daylightlamp in the morning and making it cosy in my home with candles and some nice tea.
Hello Diane!
I am glad you are coming out of your blahs. You and your content are so refreshingly uplifting and positive, as others have said, it is our turn to lift you up!
We have had an absolutely suffocatingly hot summer. I live in Indiana. I am glad to see it leave. I feel with the cooler weather I have been revived! I can go out and take long walks along the river or in the parks or in my neighborhood and I can take in big beautiful breaths without feeling like I am wilting while I sweat! During the heat I dreaded even letting the dog out for 5 min! Now is the time to take my morning latte or iced coffee and enjoy the sunrise while I sit on my rocker. Soon I will start making delicious soups and my “grilled cheese bar” ( think charcuterie board but with various grilled cheese items and stuffings and various breads). Soon it will be time for our cozy fireplace and snuggling under one of my quilts. Football season is here (hubby’s fall pastime) and means lots of sewing/quilting time for me as I sit and watch games with him. Also apple picking and visiting pumpkin patches. Also choir has started up again at church so there is regular practice time when I am inside or driving in my car. It is so uplifting going to practice with these dear, kind people.
You are so good at meeting up with your friends and doing self care when you know this is your hard season -keep it up and maybe find a new hobby or join the choir?!🩷😘😘
I find it really comforting that you’ve shared how the beginning of autumn makes you feel Diane, as I feel exactly the same.
I don’t dislike the season as such, but there is just something very melancholy about the passing of summer.
Only a couple of months ago, I was walking my dog at 10pm, wearing just a dress and flip flops. It was still light.with the accompanying joyful and sound of blackbirds singing to their hearts content. I really cherish those precious evenings.
Tonight at 8pm UK time, it’s dark, dank and pouring with rain- I’ll have to put on full waterproof gear and wellies to walk her, such a contrast to those optimistic June evenings.
But, as you’re always saying, I’m going to put one foot in front of the other, and try to see the positives in the change of seasons. Maybe even embrace it ( eventually)!
I guess that at least I won’t have to water my garden plants tonight!😁
Absolutely love your hair by the way. It really suits you and flatters your face shape.
Thank you for being such a motivational influence, you really make a positive difference to so many of us, whilst remaining totally authentic. Definitely a bright spot in my day!😊
I live in Colorado so we get beautiful fall foliage, including aspens🍂. I remind myself frequently of the saying that “fall shows us how beautiful it is to let things go”.
Think letting go of not only stuff but letting go of hurt feelings, negative people, disappointments, etc etc. And let it all go, let it all blow away, along with the fall leaves!!
That quote is so very helpful. Thank you so much for sharing that.
And thanks, Diane, for sharing your struggle. Fall is where it usually hits me too.
My favorite cure for seasonal blues was your autumn prep for Christmas challenge I did in 2023! The focus it provided and your adorable enthusiasm was a huge gift to me.
Hope you bring it back again❤️
Spring makes me depressed because it heralds summer here in Australia, and that’s the equivalent of a bitter, snowy winter where I live. We can’t go outside a lot of the days due to the heat, and everything in the garden gets fried to a crisp. Life is a lot harder in summer, than in winter here. Weirdly, endless blue sunny days, can leave you feeling exhausted and depressed.
That is the case for me too, Jane. I feel almost dread at the approach of summer.
Have to agree with you as well. Even though it doesn’t get quite as hot here in NZ as in parts of Australia, I start to dread the thought of long summer months with humidity.
Such a great post, Diane! Your photos are beautiful! Believe it or not, summer can depress me because of the extreme heat and humidity, and of course the wildfires here in Quebec, Canada, which really makes things worse due to the very poor air quality.
My favourite seasons are winter and autumn…in that order. I love the snow, crisp and cold (not frigid) temperatures and Christmas.
I love autumn…my birthday is in late October. I love the changing colours of the leaves, the harvest or the root vegetables, the crisp and cool air, especially after the very difficult summer we had here in Montreal, Canada both last year and this year.
I find that I am feeling very tired, though. I am sure (and hoping) this will pass.
Thank you so much for sharing. I am a retired lady (68).
After living somewhere temperate for 20+ years we have recently moved to where we feel the seasons more acutely. I garden a bit and I’ve always found autumn quite busy with jobs I enjoy such as preserving some of the harvest and filling a big compost bin so we’ll have great growing medium the following summer. I do feel a bit of sadness at the loss of the light though. Enjoying reading others suggestions here.
Your hair looks fabulous! I have been growing mine and am now on the fence as to whether or not to have it cut back to my usual bob. I love all the seasons, but find winter challenging when I don’t feel safe driving in the snow and ice. Like you, I find that getting out in nature helps my mood.
I start to feel a little sad as the days get shorter and less sunshine during the day. I love the colours of fall 🍂 n Ontario, Canada, but I think the looming of almost 5 months of unpredictable weather and lack of sunny days can cause digress of mood if it starts in early November and goes to March.. However, one must keep on one day at a time. I have learned and practiced some of your Hygge suggestions which help.
Thank you , Diane
I noticed that you didn’t mention summer SAD. I suffer from this really badly.
I often feel very alone in this, as most people love summer.
I hate everything about summer – the hot weather, eating ice cream, BBQs, sitting on a beach & outside,
Autumn is my favourite time of the year. I love it all – the red, yellow & orange leaves, (Not the brown ones tho, as I hate the colour brown) the crisp air, the dark evenings, wearing a jumper & trousers & putting on my winter duvet & sheets.
I find autumn so cosy.
It was a typo: there is SAD for all four seasons. I have many US friends who suffer in summer 😊
I love the Autumn 🍂. I always like the changing of the seasons and feel September is a fresh start as it coincides with the beginning of the school year here. Good time to reset. It’s from November to March I struggle with the dark short days, much prefer cold and sunny days. Getting outside and making home as hygge as possible helps. It’s been an extremely dry and hot summer here in the UK and I’m kinda glad those intense hot days are over.
Let’s switch places 😂 I feel the same when the weather here is so hot and unbearable 🥵 (((hugs))) I’m sure you will find cozy ways to get through – and many magical candle lit swims coming your way 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Hi Diane. Thank you so much for your honest post. You are right, there is a definite change in the air. I can smell autumn outside and the leaves are, ever so slightly, starting to fall 🍃🍂 🍁 I’m looking forward to packing away my summer wardrobe (shorts and summer dresses) and replacing them with my warmer items. Continue leaning into your self care and before we know it, the days will be getting longer again 🤗💚 xx
Diane, you are an inspiration, and I look forward to your posts and podcasts. I agree with Amanda that there is plenty to do in my NJ shore town through the holidays, but once January comes with the short, cold days for the next three months, my sadness develops. I try to focus on an indoor project, even if it’s just cleaning and decluttering.
Please continue to encourage us with your cheerful, energetic presentations!
Lovely Diane! 💗 I hate that you have to deal with this. It’s really far more common than I ever realized. I had dealt with SAD for many years without realizing what it was. Late winter and late summer. I really hate it. Knowing what’s wrong is such a help in dealing with it. 🌻 have a nice cuppa for me ♥️
I get Summer SAD here in Australia having moved to the extreme harsh Summer heat up in Queensland from the cooler south of Victoria almost 9 years ago now.
I’ve learnt so much from people like you Diane who embrace the seasons and celebrate the good in each season as best as we can though and this has helped me tremendously! Summer and extreme heat can be celebrated with refreshing Summer scents for cleaning and doing the dishes, use refreshing body products and scents for cooling showers and bathing, cooling face mists etc. Choosing Summer themed series or vlogs to watch or books to read in the cool of the aircondtioning to help lessen the cabin fever feeling of being stuck indoors during the hottest parts of the day, and obviously going for gentle walks or swims very early in the morning or later evening to keep moving but at the lesser harsh heat parts of the day. Cooler, lighter and more refreshing meals and iced drinks or smoothies instead of the steaming, hot, hearty, heavier meals and drinks that we use in the colder months to warm us up is the other thing that helps too.
I also make a capsule wardrobe for the season too, so for summer it’s shorts, t-shirts, dresses and sandles. Colder weather is the cosy warm clothing. I enjoy shifting these in and out every six months to embrace the change of season. I usually buy an item or two each change in season and swap out the warn out items which helps to embrace the change of season too.
There’s good things to do to embrace in both the heat and the cold so I’m learning to lean in to these things rather than let the negative parts of the seasons take a hold of me! 🙂
I live in Western Canada and I love the change of seasons, especially into fall. Every season has something I truly love: Summer- gardening and eating fresh fruit and veggies; Fall- which I adore, is cooler days and lots of outdoor walking as it is beautiful; Winter- staying cozy at home (eating hearty food), and I do like the snow and being outside; Spring- warmer days and garden prep. I would say that without my garden I would find summer the most difficult for me as I can not handle the heat.