A Cosy October To Do List
As I am writing this blog, I have just lit my most favourite (and best selling) scent, The Blanket Burrow. We have them as wax melts now and I am so proud of them because they are so strong! It will fill an entire living room and even outside the room! It is the perfect cosy, sitting by the fire scent for a cosy rainy evening reading :)
Anywayyy, I have been reflecting recently of why autumn is my favourite season and to put it short, I love it because I think it looks the most beautiful at this time of the year as arguably it is the most colourful. There is something about the mist and the pitter patter on the fallen leaves that encourages you to slow down. Things are dying and animals are preparing for the colder and darker months. It is like autumn is giving you permission to slow the pace of your life down and just simbly be.
Therefore, I want to embrace my most favourite month of the year to the fullest so on here, I will share a monthly to do list to help you get into the spooky and autumn spirit and to help you be more in tune with yourself and the season.
Get in tune with the season
I know I have said this about a hundred times, but going on walks in nature really does help lift your spirits and soul. I might be feeling crowded in my mind one day and going on a walk somehow helps me to clear it and feel more at peace. So the next time you go for a walk, purposely spot the first signs of autumn, I picked up my first conker the other day and I kept for good luck. It is currently sitting somewhere safe, and I am hoping it brings me all the luck in the world!
Make it a little witchy
October is the perfect excuse to embrace your inner little witch, don't you think?
I have in mind researching British and Irish folklore, learning about the history of witches and discovering where our Halloween traditions actually came from. I love the idea of spending an evening going down a historical rabbit hole and emerging three hours later knowing all sorts of things I never knew before.
Of course, we cannot forget the little seasonal rituals. Paying attention to the full moon, lighting candles in the evening, keeping a notebook of interesting folklore or visiting somewhere historic are all lovely ways to make October feel a little more magical.
Bring back the analogue autumn
I think when you have the physicality of things or activities, it makes you feel more grounded and more present in the moment. One example that I have been doing is I have bought a sudoku, crossword and wordsearch book to do in my spare time; this helps my brain to stay active and not feel the need to doom scroll but it also disrupts the cycle of overthinking thoughts and anxiety. Try it, it's fun. Other analogue activities to get you in the autumn mood are writing a spooky short story, write a letter by hand and send it to your friend, spend the afternoon in a library, deliberating go out into town and make a conversation with a stranger! They are simple things but it is what helps me feel more drawn back down to earth.
Make home feel like October
You do not have to tell me twice! My bedding is already changed to autumn, the pumpkins are hung around my bookcase and I recently bought a little black cat decoration. Not only this, but it is also with the food that you make that can be seasonal. Things like soups, apple crumbles, in fact just baking for the fun of it! Having afternoon tea without a care in the world and reading by the window with a candle lit whilst it rains. Maybe you want to rearrange a corner in your house or have a candlelit dinner even if it's just you. The aim is to create an environment that makes you feel excited and comfortable to come home to and to settle down in.
Do the nostalgic October things
I do not care how old I am, I am carving a pumpkin. This year, I want to visit a pumpkin patch and take cute pictures, I never said I wasn't influencial okay! Make paper decorations (especially if you have children), make hot chocolate, watch a horror film at night with all the lights off!
I think we sometimes grow up and forget that we can still do the things that made us excited as children. We don't need to wait for someone else to organise something or for a special occasion to come around. We can carve a pumpkin on a random Tuesday, bake Halloween treats just because we fancy them and make an ordinary evening feel a little more special.
And if that isn't a good enough excuse to buy a pumpkin, I don't know what is.
Be intentional
When you next get a moment to sit down, instead of going on your phone, pull out your journal and write about how you want to feel this October. What have you enjoyed so far in September, and what would you like to bring to the darker months?
I think it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new season and feel as though we need to do absolutely everything. But I don't want October to become another month where I am constantly making plans and ticking things off a list without actually enjoying any of it.
So, here are a few things I would personally like to tick off my October to-do list:
I want to write more diary entries, I am hoping everyday and it doesn't have to be long, I like to document what I did that day because it helps me to see things in a different light.
I want to finish the Crescent City series before Acotar 6 comes out! I have two more books to finish, now call me crazy but I have calculated that if I read 60 pages a day, I should finish the series on time. So reading in the evenings is going to be a must!
Another thing is that I want to get back into crocheting again, it is a hobby I do just to simply enjoy it and make a project out of it. I am wanting to make a book sleeve for my kindle!
And lastly, I want to write an autumnal short story and sell it on my Etsy. I'll be honest, I feel like I am in a transitioning period with my brand and business; I like to write stories and I would like to sell them as monthly snail mail but I think I may settle on selling them as stand alones for now.
Not only that, I am planning on posting a video everyday in October, kind of like Vlogtober because October is my favourite time of the year and like Vlogmas, I want to start a vlog everyday in October to document it and also, find out what kind of content I like to make. So if you would like to be apart of this series, go check out my socials @AStoryToLight on TikTok and Instagram!
So, here's to October. To the changing leaves, the old stories, the little adventures, the candles burning in the evening and the memories we haven't made yet! Thank you for spending a little time here with me, I hope October brings you plenty of little things to look forward to.
Sincerely,
El
Comments