The Little Things I'm Looking Forward To This Autumn

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I have blinked and we are already half way through September, how has it gone that fast? In fact, when I look at this past year, every month I have had the same reaction: where has the time gone?! I'm not old but I never used to feel this way as a child and I realise that as a child you are growing up and experiencing life for the first time so naturally you will take everything around you in. However, I also feel that as a result of that, we were not blind to the magic and the wonders that the world/ seasons can give us.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

So far in this month, I have been working a lot of overtime and it made me reflect on time and how we spend it. With autumn being my favourite season, I have been wanting to optimise the season to really take in autumn and the festivities that come with it. However, with work, family and personal life, it can take us away from the little magic we used to see as children. And so, I have come to the realisation that the things you look back on, the things that create nostalgia and fond memories, the things that make you genuinely happy are in fact, the little things.

Therefore, in this week's blog I would like to not only bring myself back down to centre but also you as my reader, to reflect and acknowledge the little things around you that bring you joy in autumn :)

Misty mornings

There is something about waking up and seeing that the whole world outside is covered in mist that makes me feel like I have stepped into a different world. I love those mornings where everything feels a little quieter and slower, where you can see your breath and the trees look slightly mysterious in the distance. It is such a simple thing, but I think this is what I mean when I talk about noticing the magic in the seasons.

Checked coats and jumpers

I have always loved Bella Swan's fashion style, especially that one coat she wears that is checked. I used to work in a charity shop and as I sorted through clothes, I came across this green checked coat from H&M with the letter R on it and it was and still is now, my most prized possession. It's a man's coat and it fits me perfectly, I always feel so cool wearing it because I feel like Bella Swan in autumn expressing her irrevocable love to Edward.

Any Twilight movie

Naturally, this brings me onto my next point. If you need to get into the autumn feels, watch Twilight and it will not disappoint. I do think that I love Twilight so much because it holds such nostalgic value; my first love of autumn began with the Twilight films growing up. The topic of nostalgia is also something I am wanting to add to my personal curriculum this Autumn.

Pumpkin spiced lattes

One of the best things you could ask me would be, "Would you like to go shopping in TKMaxx, Home Bargains and mooch around charity shops this afternoon and afterwards, we'll get a pumpkin spiced latte for the drive home?" Or better yet, we'll homemake cinnamon chai at home and spend the afternoon reading and journalling. Don't ask me to explain it, I think it is a universal drink order for autumn.

The 6pm darkness

Call me weird I don't care, but I much prefer early evenings that late evenings. I just find it so cosy and eery when it gets dark early, it means that I can get into my pjs, light all the candles, put the fire on and make a hot chocolate from the stove.

The thrill of watching horror movies

Now don't get me wrong, I like sleeping but sometimes I like living life on the edge and getting spooked to the point where I am scared of the dark. And as a twenty five year old grandma, this is pretty audacious. I understand where film critics may say that horror films are all the same now and I used to agree, but I like to think that people go to the cinema to watch a horror film to get spooked. I don't think it's about creating something new, just something to spook people for the halloween season right?

Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater is by far one of my favourite authors. I first fell in love with her writing through Lament when I was in high school. It brought this sense of magic, but also an understanding of anxious people, of feeling seen amongst a crowd and of finding your place in the world. I then went on to read The Raven Cycle and the Shiver series, and what I enjoy most about her books is her character development and the thought and research that must have gone into the magical realism woven throughout her stories. I always reach for her books when I am in need of a soft fantasy read, especially during autumn.

Getting out of the shower and putting pyjamas on ridiciously early

After a day of going shopping with your bestie (for me, it's my mother) and you come home, get the shower running, lather on your favourite moisturiser, put the hair into curls and then settle with a cup of tea and a face mask in front of the telly with one of my most favourite people is something I will always choose over going out drinking.

A Closing Thought

I think as the colder months are upon us, I do think it’s important to take this season to slow down and truly take life at a slower pace without feeling guilty or lingering on the what ifs. After all, comparison is the killer of joy. I think for me, I want to work on just simply being, and take in the smaller things in life. You’ll then find what you have been searching for all along.

Thank you for joining me on this week’s blog. This week, I want you to try and spend time acknowledging the everyday things you get up to and encourage yourself to be more present in the moment. And then hopefully, time won’t go as fast!

If you enjoyed this blog and would like to see more, go check out my social media accounts @AStoryToLight for my small business (also available to shop on Etsy) and @Sincerely_Eleanor on TikTok.

Until next time,

Eleanor x