Slow Living Activities for Autumn

Some intentional ways you can embrace this new (and very slow living inspired!) season

Another year passed, another summer is gone, and another welcome to autumn. Today is the first official day of fall. We have entered MY SEASON.

“Notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.” -Friedrich Nietzsche

I truly do love this time of year. I think it’s really the most coziness you can get. Together time. It’s filled with energy around slowing down, coming together, and making magic happen in those simple, mundane moments of the dark evenings and gray days.

Things slow down, the pace changes, we get into habits and routines and just be. And as someone who lives slowly, this is the perfect time for me. I’d trade a summer by the beach any day for an autumn wrapped up in blankets by the fireplace with my friends chatting away and drinking tea. It’s definitely my kind of thing.

I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite things to do for autumn when you’re slow living. And maybe, if you’re used to go, go, go, this year you’ll slow down a bit, embrace the rhythms of fall, and see how it might just change your life.

Visit a pumpkin patch

This one is definitely the first on my list. Growing up, my dad would find a pumpkin patch out in the middle of nowhere, usually a few hours from our home. We would load up the car on a Saturday, bring along any friends that wanted to come, and go find a diner on the way that gave us a good ol’ country meal (we’re from the South). Then, we’d head to a family-owned pumpkin patch and spend hours wandering around finding the best pumpkins we could. I always managed to leave with one of the sadder-looking ones that I thought no one else would love. Then, we’d get home and the younger ones would carve the pumpkins while my mom roasted the pumpkin seeds for a snack. It was the perfect welcome to autumn and is a tradition I hope to carry down in my family for years to come.

Forage for berries

Berries are abundant during this time of year. One great idea is to take a basket outside and wander to your nearest forest (you want to be away from the roads so you don’t get any berries with smog on them) to forage for berries. Fill up your basket and then bring them home, place them in a bowl and fill with water in the sink to make sure all the dirt and little friends pop up to the top, then clean them off and they’re ready to eat or bake with. A few pieces of inspiration on foraging:

• Jonna Jinton’s vlog

• A Beginner’s Guide To Autumn Foraging

• How To Forage Safely

Take a solo trip to find fall colors

I love rooting down in the autumn and really connecting to my inner self. With the days becoming quieter and everyone focused on their own schedules, it’s easy to take more time for me. One of my favorite ways to do this is a solo adventure. I’ll hop in my car and go for a drive, or take the train somewhere new. I always feel like a different person when I’m traveling by myself. A little more confident, a little more in charge. It’s one of my favorite ways to connect to me. If you haven’t ever done a trip by yourself, just try taking an afternoon and driving to a new town. Or, a day trip by train to somewhere you’ve been wanting to go but haven’t had the time for. Little by little, you’ll realize how sacred it is to be alone and you’ll crave it when you need it most.

Craft and DIY

I love getting crafty in the cooler months. Making wreaths, decorating the house, candle-making and knitting. It’s all my favorite. A few crafts, people and DIY’s I love:

• Louise Tilbrook
  ’s Everyday Knitter newsletter

• Knit A Kit From Wool & The Gang

• Anything From Lauren Aston Designs

• Natural Wax Candle Making

• Attend A Wreath Making Workshop or Make One Yourself

• Make A Dried Orange Garland

Pick up some apples from the farmer’s market

I love slow living because it doesn’t just have to be about you but also about your impact on the environment and everyone else around you. One of the best ways to implement slow living in the kitchen is by buying seasonal produce. And the best place to shop seasonally? Your local farmer’s market. Pop over and walk around, meet the farmers, and see pick up some in-season apples to bake or cook with. It’s also a great way to connect with your neighborhood and meet more like-minded people who truly care about where their food comes from. And don’t forget your reusable shopping bags! Some apple-themed recipes:

• This post from

  Langbein
  filled with comfort cooking (and an apple spiced cake recipe!)

• This sourdough galette crust from

  A Sourdough Story
  would taste incredible filled with apples

• Apple Cinnamon Bread

• French Onion & Apple Grilled Cheese

• Chai Apple Cider

• Baked Breakfast Apple Crisp

Enjoy a campfire

One of my clients for photography is a beach bonfire company. So I spend many nights throughout the year out on the beach capturing people enjoying time around the campfire. They roast s’mores, bring down pizza, and it’s just so special to see how happy it makes them. I highly recommend making a campfire, whether it’s on the beach or somewhere beautiful, or just in your backyard, and enjoying together time as the seasons change.

Read by candlelight

There’s something that slows in the air when autumn rolls around. Outside is quiet, the only light we see is from the moon and stars, and I naturally just want to cocoon into it all and embrace the darkness. I spend many nights in the fall curled up on the couch with a candle lit and a good book. A cozy blanket is also mandatory to create the ultimate magical space. Some books on my list to read over these next few months:

• For The Wolf by Hannah Whitten

• Mary Magdalene Revealed by Meggan Watterson

• Maiden to Mother by Sarah Durham Wilson

• A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan

• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

• Slow Living by Helena Woods

• Circle Round by Starhawk, Diane Baker & Anne Hill

• The Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary

Bake, bake, and bake some more

Truly, what says “autumn” more than a kitchen filled with fresh baked goods? Tis’ the season for giving, and my favorite way to show someone I care is by bringing them a treat. I usually spend hours in the kitchen around this time trying new recipes and snacking in between. It’s such a special time, and I love seeing the joy on people’s faces when they come into our home and have something warm to enjoy. Here are some delicious autumn-inspired baked recipes:

• Vegan dark chocolate pear cake

• Autumn harvest granola

• Sourdough pretzel bites

• 1-bowl coffee cake (vegan + gf)

• Chai scones with maple chai glaze

• Earl grey honey scones

• Maple spice cake with maple frosting

• Vegan pumpkin muffins

Embrace more hygge

“At the heart of hygge is a willingness to set aside time for simply being with people, and, ideally, having all the time in the world for them.” – Louise Thomsen Brits

I like to call hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) the gateway to slow living. It’s a Danish word that means togetherness and well-being. To be cozy and content with nothing but the company you keep and the environment you curate. Some of my favorite ways to hygge involve lighting candles and turning on lamps instead of overhead lighting, warm drinks, and inviting a small group of friends over for a meal I’ve had cooking in the crockpot all day so our whole house smells incredible. It’s real-life magic, if you ask me.

And with that, I welcome you to autumn, friend. Let’s savor every moment.