Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall: Coping with the Change of Season

If your favorite months are the warm-weather ones, then the transition into fall might represent a tough time for you.

If you have kids, they’re likely back in school—at least when you aren’t shuttling them between extracurricular activities. Work meetings may be more prevalent as vacations end. The calendar is once again filling with overlapping events, and you may wonder how you’ll fit them all in. You may look longingly at your checklist of summer fun and lament the things you never got to. When you leave your home in the morning or as the sun sets, you may notice a distinctive chill in the air.

End-of-summer sadness may be setting in.

Check In with Your Thought Process

Some people struggle with a “time’s up!” mentality regarding all the plans they had for the season. That scarcity-of-time mind-set can lead you down the road to the blues. Shifting your thoughts to ideas and plans for finishing the year in the strongest, most positive way possible may help you think in terms of abundance instead. What other great things are to be experienced this year? (If nothing comes to mind, plan for something!)

It may also help to remember that without the change of seasons, you could potentially get bored or complacent with the heat and humidity of summer. A period of colder weather gives us a renewed appreciation for summer each year.

People often talk about how sad they are to see summer go. If your inclination is to express despair at the arrival of autumn, check in with yourself. Is that simply an automatic response? Do you have things to look forward to in the fall and winter? While saying goodbye to summer, what are you saying hello to?

Look Forward

Choose to look forward instead of focusing on the rearview mirror. One way to do that is to engage your senses.

Appreciate that new crispness in the air. Relish wearing cozy sweatshirts or favorite sweaters. Discover clothes you haven’t worn in a while; maybe even treat yourself to something new.

Enjoy looking at the seasonal colors surrounding you: the reds, golds, oranges, and browns. The foods we eat tend to switch from light to heartier fare, and from cold drinks to hot ones. Imagine yourself smelling the first fireplace fires of the season and apples baking with cinnamon.

Consider that the new season brings new sports to engage in or watch.

Appreciate the structure that fall brings, and find comfort in that. Also, let the holidays and rituals that coincide with the change in the weather serve as a guide to moving forward and finding fun and enjoyment.

Bring Summer Along for the Ride

Find ways to hold on to summer experiences—frame pictures to remind you of the fun you had, or perhaps display souvenirs to remind you where you’ve been. Download songs that will make you smile when you associate them with time spent with friends.

Look at your calendar and block out certain days, particularly after busy intervals, to ensure that you have time to breathe and regroup. Do your best to keep those days clear of obligations. These can serve as “days of summer” of sorts.

Look at your calendar and block out certain days, particularly after busy intervals, to ensure that you have time to breathe and regroup. Do your best to keep those days clear of obligations. These can serve as “days of summer” of sorts.

Make sure to plan time with friends and family.

Schedule something fun as often as you can so that you don’t find yourself falling prey to winter weather excuses (too cold, too wet, too dark, too tired) that lead to isolation.

Make notes about the kinds of things you’d like to do NEXT summer, so that you can begin taking steps toward manifesting them.

Turn a Transition into a Chance to Reboot

The change of seasons offers an opportunity to reassess and figure out what’s working and what isn’t. It may be the perfect time to begin something new or take on a stimulating challenge.

The fall represents the harvest. Consider the figurative seeds you planted in January and what you’ve since reaped, and how you might improve on your personal “harvest” next year.

As summer ends, another chapter begins, and while there might be angst attached to transitioning into the next phase, there can also be excitement and anticipation of great things—worthwhile challenges, fun times, and new beginnings.

The preceding article was solely written by the author named above. Any views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. Questions or concerns about the preceding article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment below.