October Newsletter: A Change of Rhythm- Creating structure that works with your body.

October often brings a noticeable change in rhythm. The days become shorter, the temperature begins to fall and many of the things that happened almost naturally during the summer months require a little more intention. We may spend less time outside, receive less natural light and find that opportunities for movement, social connection and contact with nature no longer appear quite so easily within the course of an ordinary day.

For some people, this transition is welcome. Autumn can bring a sense of returning to routine after the looseness of summer. For others, the darker months can affect mood, energy and motivation more significantly. Seasonal affective disorder is one recognised form of depression associated with seasonal change, but even without experiencing SAD, many of us notice that our energy, mood and habits shift as our environment changes.

I have been thinking about this transition less in terms of creating the perfect autumn routine, and more in terms of rhythm: how we create enough structure to support ourselves while remaining responsive to the body we are actually living in.

Structure as Support

Structure and embodiment can sometimes sound as though they sit at opposite ends of a spectrum. We either discipline ourselves into consistency or abandon structure in favour of “listening to our bodies”. I don’t think we necessarily have to choose between the two.

Structure can be incredibly supportive. Regular meals, predictable sleep and waking times, movement, work, creativity and social plans can give shape to our days. This can be particularly helpful when our energy or motivation fluctuates, or when neurodivergence makes initiating tasks, transitioning between activities or creating routine more difficult.

The important distinction, I think, is between structure that supports us and structure that asks us to continually override ourselves.

A plan does not have to become a rule. We might decide that movement is important to us while allowing the form of that movement to change. We might create protected time for work while recognising that concentration will not look the same every day. We can value consistency without demanding sameness.

Taking Stock of Our Resources

One thing that can be useful as the seasons change is to notice what our environment has been providing for us without requiring much conscious effort.

During summer, perhaps you walked more because the evenings were lighter. You spent time in the garden, sat outside with friends or naturally received more daylight during the course of your day. Maybe there was more spontaneity, more movement or simply more time spent beyond the walls of your home.

As autumn arrives, rather than only noticing that these things are disappearing, we can ask:

What was that giving me?

If being outside gave you a sense of spaciousness, how might you continue finding that? If longer days meant more movement, where might movement fit now? If summer brought more connection, does connection need to become slightly more intentional during the months ahead?

The aim is not to recreate summer in October. It is to recognise the resources that support us and consider how we might continue accessing them as our circumstances change.

Rest and Movement

The invitation to slow down during autumn can be helpful, but I think it is equally important that slowing down does not become synonymous with lethargy and stagnancy.

Rest matters, but so does healthy activation.

Movement, creativity, work, learning, play and connection can all give us ways to engage with ourselves and the world around us. Productivity does not have to mean constant output, and movement does not have to mean exercise. Sometimes it is cooking something, making something with our hands, going for a walk, writing, studying, dancing, tidying a room or spending time with people who bring us back into ourselves.

There may be days when the body genuinely needs less. There may also be days when lethargy tells us to stay still, but gentle movement or connection leaves us feeling better than we did before.

Embodiment is not simply doing whatever the body asks in any given moment. It is developing enough of a relationship with ourselves to become curious about what might actually support us.

A Gentle Autumn Check-In

As we move into a different season, perhaps there is no need for a complete reset or a new routine. Instead, this can simply be an opportunity to take stock.

What has been supporting you recently?

What might become less available as the season changes?

Where would a little more structure help?

And where might your structure need a little more flexibility?

There is no perfect rhythm to find. Our needs change because we change, and the world around us changes too. Perhaps the practice is learning to notice those shifts and allowing the structures of our lives to move with us.

The Healing Practice is now on Instagram 🌿

I’ve recently brought The Healing Practice over to Instagram, where I’ll be sharing shorter, more digestible pieces around education, embodiment and reflection; including somatic practices, reflections on mental health and the ideas that shape my therapeutic work.

If you’d like to follow along, you can find me at @healinginpractice

With care

Preeti