How To Make October Feel Like October

#MondayWithAimée

Lovely Monday morning sweethearts!

Has October treated you kindly so far or are you finding yourself sad and unmotivated a lot? For my part, I would say it is a good mix of both. I have more or less settled in my routine and I am mostly on track, my mental health staying quite stable despite everything. One thing I find important is to still find a way to make time for Holidays and important moments for us. Even though they will certainly not look like our usual celebration, we should make time for it. It will give us a slight sense of normalcy and a big sense of comfort.

October is my favourite month of the year. It has everything I love. It has the crisp weather, the cosier clothes, the candles, the leaves changing colours, the tea, the blue sky with the warm sun on colder days. Everything about fall, and mostly October, makes me very happy. So to make October feel like October, I thought of a little list for you and me to celebrate this amazing month.

Go Outside and Look Around

If you are like me and are fortunate enough to have a forest nearby, please take full advantage of it. The amazing walks I had in nature, seeing the leaves change, feeling the warm sun on my face while cosying up in my jacket were blessed moments. Paired with an audiobook, it was a lovely moment. Especially when you need a time out, some fresh air or just a moment to unwind – walks outside are amazing, especially in the crisp weather, will do you so much good. I know it is a very easy tip everyone knows, but I feel like we don’t do enough. I have been walking outside a few times a week since October started and I deeply enjoyed it. I wanted to make the most out of the pretty colourful leaves before they fall. I encourage you to go outside even just to read or drink your morning cup of warm beverage and get some sunshine in. Fresh air and sunshine are such a mood booster and it will brighten your day. Any time outside is a good time.

Take the Time For The Small Things

There are so many self-care or fall routine videos on Youtube that can inspire you on small steps to feel a bit cozier. Whatever makes you feel like you’re in a warm hug, do that. It could be lighting a candle while you’re working, making yourself a special type of tea or coffee, wrapping yourself in the softest blanket while you read a good book, doing a facemask, or doing more important tasks you’ve been putting away. Sometimes we assume boring things will be long and we put them away because we are scared, nervous or just bored. If you take the time to sit down and get through those tasks that are heavier on you, you will discover it is not as bad as you initially thought. You will also feel way lighter and proud of yourself for doing those things. Taking care of yourself is also doing the hard tasks.

Whether they’re fun or harder steps, little things build up to a greater environment for you and they will contribute to make your month feel better.

Do Fall Themed Activities

Fall is amazing because there are a lot of fun activities to do with your family and friends. However, this year, those things are mostly cancelled or harder to do. As we are trying to emulate this sense of October, there are things you can do that make you feel like you’re doing fall activities. Going on forest walks, lighting a fall scented candle, decorating your space, watching fall themed videos. There are even ambiance videos on Youtube where it mimics a coffee shop, a library or an office space, with nice soft music or just rain sounds. It is immensely calming and perfect for a good reading or studying session. I’ll link my favorite down below. All of those small things can mimic that cozy, comforting sense of October we miss so much.

Take it Easy

If you are like me (and the other writers of this blog), you might be in your midterms, or approaching them. Midterms can be heavy on you. It is an overload of work and it can come with a lot of stress. My tip for you to still find a way to enjoy this season is to plan well and take breaks. With a good planification, you know exactly what needs to be done and you never miss out on anything important. You know exactly what each day holds for you and where your mind needs to be. Instead of keeping the tasks in your head, put them on paper. Seeing your task and checking your list is not only satisfying but also helps ease your stress. Planning ahead will help you enjoy your time and stress less. Adding to that, taking breaks from work and studying is important. You should have moments where you don’t think about school constantly and you can relax. Do whatever makes you feel better. Taking breaks will allow you to be way more productive once it’s time to start working again.

Share and Encourage

I know this time of the year can be harder. The weather is getting colder, days shorter and gloomy. Paired with midterms, it can be tricky and heavy. One thing that has been motivating me a lot during those times is to watch study vlogs. There are plenty of Youtubers filming their process in University and for some strange reason, seeing them study and do their homework really motivates me to do the same. I always loved to romanticize my life and act as if I was the main character of a movie, so imagining a satisfying montage of someone working makes me dream I am doing the same. It makes my studying look good and romantic and for me, it’s enough to motivate me. You can even watch a study with me video and do your homework at the same time as the person on the screen. You feel way less alone. I’ll link a few of my favorites down below.

I encourage you as well to share your thoughts and feelings and frustrations. It will help you get the burden off your chest but also show you that you are not alone.

I hope you find ways to make October feel like October and let it treat you well. We are making the best of what we have right now on the B0ld blog and we thank you for hopping on that train. Feel free to check out the Facebook and Instagram pages and reach out to us. We always appreciate it so much!

Pumpkin kisses and scarves hugs,

Aimée.

A few links:

·         My favorite Ambiance video so far: Cozy Fall Coffee Shop Ambience: Relaxing Jazz Music & Rain Sounds For Studying, Relaxation, & Sleep – Calmed By Nature https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMAPTo7RVCo&t=12694s

·         The audiobook I’ve been listening to on my walks: Letter Of Note : Love

(It is a compilation of love letters written during the last centuries and read to you by talented actors such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Jude Law and Louise Brealy.)

·         Some of my favorite Youtubers for study vlog:

Yoora Jung (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6HBCx9VU3k),

Kaitlyn Films (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ekGb_qS_hs),

 Hannah Elise (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKkSr2ItvB4&t=310s)

Linh Truong (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VF-PllA3Dg)