October is upon us, friends!

Hello there, and a very warm, fine, happy October to you. A much less mused month, October marks the onset of autumn. October is the time to dwell into the past, mesmerize yourself by vintage, gothic art, remember all the dead poets, lose yourself into a world made just for you, lose yourself as you awaken your soul sitting under an autumn tree, leaves falling on you, pondering, as Jane Austen compels you to.

Why is October so special? 

October, precisely Autumn is no doubt my favorite time of the year. All the trees are shedding their leaves, it’s orange all around, it’s mellow all around, the weather – be it days or nights or noons or eves – it’s perfect, not too hot, not too cold. There is some melancholy beauty out there. Some sort of sadness in the air, but it’s different. That sadness encircles you like a mother’s embrace, it’s comforting. You wish to be in that state forever. You are ready to leave behind all those things about you that hold you back, ready to present your naked self, preparing for a new matured, grown-up you. As you prepare for a newer self, shed your old thoughts and beliefs, they fall, however, they’re still attached to you. They provide you the winter mulch, shaping and nurturing your changing self. You prepare for what might befall in the future, and that gives you a life for the present (think about this one).

Now, when so much is happening, when so much is changing, when so much is out there and in you, how can it not be special? It’s the season when everything is dying, yet so beautiful. It’s the season you see with different eyes. It’s the season you find beauty in death.

It is a bitter-sweet period, which must be celebrated fully, for all it teaches us, for all it does to us, yet our unaware souls do absolutely nothing. And that’s the purpose of this piece here. Let us welcome an autumn bounty, and prepare ourselves for an exhilarating experience.

How to welcome and celebrate Autumn/October

• Make a gratitude list

Let us start the month with happy thoughts. Take a pen and a paper, and write down everything that you’re grateful for. Your parents, siblings, shelter, food, clothes, education, yourself and your thoughts, any and everything. It’s good to begin a whole new month with some positivity. And it’ll give you a new flood of motivation and satisfaction running through your body.

• Catch up with yourself 

    I want you to ask yourself this – how long has it been since you talked to yourself? Just looked back upon everything that happened, every decision you took, every decision you will have to make. You know, just how you talk with your friends. Make yourself some tea or coffee, and talk about everything that has happened. You’ll feel more connected with yourself after this

• Autumnize…? 

Autumn stands for comfort in pain. It asks you to find comfort in pain. This comfort will perhaps help you mourn for the dying leaves, or help you weep for all those times you couldn’t. And what better way to customize… or should I say “autumnize” (get it?)? Change your bedsheets to new, albeit slightly dull, soft ones, put up some soothing pictures on your notice board or your walls, wear comfy clothes, change your wallpapers, get some cool lightings for your room if you’re rich, anything that’ll make you want to lean in and enjoy.

• Do something for your soul

Nurture your soul during this time. Do something that’ll make your heart go “Wheeeeeeee!!!!!!!” Anything would do. Take up anything – maybe read a book or paint/sketch/draw or start that novel you always wanted to write, meditate every morning, practice mindfulness – anything. Make sure it pacifies your inner being.

• Do something you’ll be proud of

Take up something that you’d always wanted to do, and set a deadline. Maybe a 30-day workout challenge, reading a big book by the end of the month, following a strict schedule, anything that you’ll be proud of at last. It helps to boost your self-esteem. So you might wanna do that.

• Give a day just to yourself

It’s beautiful out there – leaves strewn on the path, empty benches in parks, a brimming cup of tea, iced cold coffee, muffins, old books, isn’t it so tempting? Plan a solo date. Free of responsibilities, regrets, negativity – a day just for you. You could watch a movie, have some ice cream, go shopping, have lunch, take a walk in the park, read books by the café window – anything you like. I swear, once you realize the joy of being alone, it’ll be the best time of your life.

• Clear out your wardrobe – make way!

Fellas, it’s time to clear out your closet again – we’re anticipating Winter!! That’s right, it’s October, and now we’ll have winters soon, hence it’s time to put behind all your summer clothes, and get the warmer clothes out. Eeek I’m so excited about it, aren’t you?!

• Check your house out, fix it, clean it

Since it’s gonna be Diwali soon, I’m sure there must be a lot of hustle going around in the house. We’re obviously going to clean it, so make sure there’s nothing wrong with it… It’s gonna be winters soon and we’ll be spending much more time indoors, so make it perfect, spic and span, just right. Call the plumber, electrician, mechanic, repair any loose ends so you don’t have to worry at last and can have a joyful time with your fam.

• Craft

Don’t you just love orange leaves, maples, vintage lanterns, scented candles, etc.? Well, make some for yourself! Cut out cute leaves from orange paper and stick ‘em to your walls, make some lanterns and use them as wall hangings, buy some lovely scented candles. Get your room all jazzed up!

• Pick up an autumn book

When I think of autumn, I always picture myself by the window with a steaming cuppa tea with an autumn book. Now I’ll give you a list of classics to cozy up with this autumn, choose anything you like, but please try at least one!

1. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
2. Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen
3. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. Anne of Green Gables – Lucy Maud Montgomery
5. Mansfield Park – Jane Austen
6. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte 
7. Dead Poets Society – Nancy H. Klein Baum
8. To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
9. Little Women – Louisa May Allcott
10. Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen 

• Reflect

That’s how I’ll simply put it – reflect. Just look back at the last year, how the lockdown changed you, how it shaped and you and changed you, and nurtured you. Think about how everything just fell into place when you hadn’t the slightest hope of it. Think of all those things that happened in the lockdown, happy or not, and then try to see what lessons it taught you, how much it changed your past mindsets, which you thought were right. You’ve matured so much during this period. You just need to name all of it. I’m sure you’ll be super proud of it.

Whew! That’s it friends. That’s just 11 of hundreds of things you could do this fall, so tell me how you’ll be celebrating it, and tell me how it all goes in the comments below! Hope you liked it!

P.S. – For all the Indian readers, I know we’re deprived of the joy of Autumn in October, but still Octobers are always warm and joyful… We’ve got Navratri, Dusshera, Durga Ashtami, Eid, so many festivals! So, let’s all welcome winters by celebrating a Joyful Autumn/October!

(Oh, look what I got for you)!

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