Sometimes we can be caught in a bit of a feedback loop of associating a particular season with negative feelings and emotions, as in the past we did have challenging experiences. The body can be anticipating the same situation again picking up cues from the changing seasons that there is something difficult around the corner.
For me, I struggle with the shift to Autumn and know that there are some past associations there that cause some unconscious uneasiness as I see the season turn year on year. This is a huge part of why I started to tune into the beauty of the shifting seasons and write my blog.
Here are some ways we can start to address getting caught in the loop
Name the pattern
Acknowledging what is going on can be very powerful.
- Remind yourself, “I notice my body associates this season with difficulty and loss. This doesn’t mean this one must repeat the past”. This can create distance between what happened then and what is happening now.
- Ground yourself in the present season, keep coming back to the now – What is different this time? Noticing sensory details around you, exact colour of the leaves, the crispness of this morning’s air.
This helps nervous system recognise – this time is not the same as last one
Create new seasonal associations
Layer up fun things you can do just in this season instead of remembering past negative experiences
- Schedule in fun activities so you know they are coming up and something to look forward to, whether that be seasonal fruit picking, cooking or baking for the season, in the darker months cosy film series nights, gatherings and seasonal feasts, or nature walks
- Focus on the joyful things around the season, so it could be celebrating Halloween in Autumn, Christmas time for Winter, the first warm days out in spring, outdoor gathering and holidays in Summer
Replace old cues with gentler, intentional rituals
This could look like:
- A seasonal activity you only do at this time of year
- Set an intention for a new word and theme for the season different to ones past, for example “cosiness” or “friendship” and each day try to move towards this theme – soon your months will be filled with new association
Micro-choices to help interrupt the cycle
There are some small things we can do to help our nervous system generally and feel better, such as:
- Light exposure – go outside within an hour of waking to reset circadian rhythms
- Movement – gentle stretching, yoga or a walk in daylight
- Connection – schedule some friend check-ins at the start of season to help prevent isolation
Unresolved feelings from the past
There may be unresolved feelings from past difficult seasons still attached to this time of year and that are hiding under the surface but nonetheless still felt. To gently address these you could:
- Write a compassionate letter to past self who was struggling with this time of year
- Acknowledge how hard it has been and how much you have grown, let you past self know that
These are all things I am trying to do for myself to work on really grounding in the present moment and the beauty it brings. I love how the seasons are a cycle and have their own flow, moving gently toward another new season on its own rhythm, turning like a wheel year in year out, nature just doing its thing beholden to nothing and no-one.
By gently noticing these patterns and experimenting with new rituals, we can begin to shift our relationship with the seasons. Instead of bracing for what once was, we open to what is – the small joys, the fresh beginnings, the beauty unique to each time of year. It can become less about repeating the past and more about creating a softer, more intentional rhythm in the present.
