With the changing of the season and the dropping temperatures, the scent of autumn is in the air. I'm talking about the scent of falling leaves, misty mornings, pumpkin, cinnamon, and cloves.

As we shift from summer to autumn, consider what to prune and let fall away. The start of the new season is the perfect time to recommit to taking care of ourselves.

Self-care requires daily checking in with yourself and asking yourself how you’re doing and what your body is asking for.

The importance of reconnecting mind, body and soul
Our bodies respond to our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Emotional self-care by connecting and processing emotions in a healthy and productive manner is much more important than we usually think. Accepting negative feelings such as disappointment, anger, and sadness can reduce our stress levels.
Like seasons come and go, like leaves appear and disappear, events change, feelings change, and so, everything in life will pass. However you might feel right now, you are likely to feel differently in the future, perhaps even in the very next minute.

It is okay to not always be okay
Viewing self-care as a luxury rather than a priority leaves us feeling overwhelmed, tired, and sometimes unable to handle some of life’s challenges. We need to accept that it is okay to feel discontent sometimes. It is okay to feel restless. It is okay to be unhappy.

Self-acceptance is essential to self-care, and by accepting the unhappines, we increase our well-being.

Learning to let go
Don't just wait to be happy. Just be. As you are. When you wait for some external event to occur so that you can be happy, you are taking a passive stance toward your own well-being. You will not just find happiness, as happiness is not an object; happiness is surrendering to reality as it is. Let go of expectations of how you should feel.

To be happy for no reason, you first need to be settled down with no expectations and despite external circumstances. Outer circumstances come and go. If the trees fought to hang onto their green leaves of summer, the forest life would be stunted. Nature simply surrenders to the cycle of the seasons. By shedding their leaves in autumn, trees show us how to let go.

With their splendid autumn colors, trees show us how beautiful endings can be. Yet, letting go is not an end. It is simply the beginning.