Rituals for Transitioning from Summer to Fall
As we anticipate the changing of seasons, it’s common to feel a deeper sensitivity when summer gives way to fall. We’re leaving the months of abundance behind and entering a time of harvest and endings. While the air’s crispness can be a welcome respite from heat and humidity, it can also carry myriad emotions like sadness, melancholy, and longing.
Jungian psychologist Sheryl Lisa Finn talks a lot about transitions and how we really need to honor them and notice how we're feeling and bring all of those feelings to the surface. In a blog post, she says:
“…for Autumn is the quintessential season to illustrate the key features of transitions. Where winter is the season of reflection, spring the season of rebirth, and summer the season of celebration, autumn is the time when we align with the action of nature and ask ourselves the central question of any life transition: “What is it that I need to let go of?”
That’s such a wonderful question to guide this season, both in our writing life and our day-to-day. Consider this post your dose of encouragement to reflect on your own rituals and how you might bring extra intention to your creative practice, no matter what you’re working on.
6 Writing Rituals for the Summer to Fall Transition
As the seasons change, your writing routines can shift too.
Ritual 01 | Beverages
During the summer, I like to brew a bit pitcher of iced tea to enjoy over the next few days. But when it comes to hot tea, I only drink it during an afternoon thunderstorm. There’s something comforting about turning on the kettle when the clouds roll in. But in the fall, warm beverages feel a lot more appealing, so I’ll tend to brew a cup right before I’m about to head upstairs to my office for the morning. A transition ritual would be to go through your tea cabinet—are you running low on a favorite? Is there anything you should use up before ordering more? Do you want to join a coffee subscription service? Take an inventory, and prep your beverage station for the months ahead.
Ritual 02 | Reading
I love lighter reads over the summer, and I don’t necessarily mean light in lack of substance, but just that the pace is quicker and the plot moves along. Contemporary romance, for example, is a genre I don’t write, so reading it feels like less of a load on my brain because I’m not trying to stop and ask how a writer did something or analyze the text or take notes. I’m just in the moment enjoying the book. But come fall, I often gravitate towards memoir, historical fiction, and poetry. To prep your reading life for the fall, look at your holds list at the library and get things organized. If you love reading new books that comes out, find a few ‘most anticipated’ lists online and build your TBR from there. You can also pull the unread books from your own shelf to prioritize.
Ritual 03 | Cleaning
It’s not necessary to do a full closet clean-out (unless the mood strikes) but something about reorganizing a space like your closet, or your desk, can work wonders and shift your mood. We all have spaces in our house that we’re sort of ‘one day I’ll get to that,’ so try choosing one of those spots and take a few hours or a few days to clear it out. I guarantee you’ll feel lighter and more open, and maybe even ready to get back to writing.
Ritual 04 | Calendars
Summer to fall can mean our work and family calendars change, so it’s a great time to think through where your writing projects might fit. Which days of the week can you take to yourself? If not a full day, is there a half-day, or an hour? Essentially, identify where your margins will be. At a bare minimum, you might keep a notebook by your bed and write longhand as part of your evening routine. Even 10-15 minutes will help you make progress and connect you to your creative practice.
Ritual 05 | Movement
Does your movement routine change from season to season? In the summer, I don’t walk as regularly because it’s so hot, but in the fall, I love walking through the neighborhood or driving to a nearby park for some fresh air. Just as you take stock of your schedule and your spaces that need clearing, consider how your movement patterns might change with the weather.
Ritual 06 | Submissions
It must be the back-to-school energy, but fall always feels like the right time to freshen up your submissions spreadsheet and send out some new work. (My absolute favorite resource to help with this is Chill Subs.) A lot of places reopen submissions in the fall, so if cleaning out closets isn’t your thing, you can also use this transition time to research some new journals and polish something to send out. Along with this, you can also reassess how you’re feeling energetically about things like social media or newsletter writing, and just notice if there’s anything that seems like it needs to be altered, and what that might look like for you.
