A few of my favorite rituals for Fall 2025

Each day, week, month, and season calls for a shift.

Fall feels like hunkering down and settling down after a vibrant, adventurous summer. As a student, Fall comes with being back in class, an uptick in sessions with clients, and spending more time around home. I love the energy of being on campus and feeling reinvigorated to move research forward. I always look forward to new seasons with old clients and building relationships with incoming clients. Last year, I pushed. I hustled. I was on a grind.

And I have made a vow to myself not to do that again.

Last year, I was sick more than I have ever been throughout the winter. I caught a cold in September. And October. And November. And continued to feel physically unwell until May. Beyond catching colds, I also went through intense waves of mental illness flare-ups. Despite all the signs my body and mind needed love, I kept showing up for my responsibilities instead of prioritizing my well-being. Fortunately, the shift into summer brought some relief. Those summer adventures also provided an opportunity for me to connect with myself and to learn new rituals that will help me take care of my well-being. To avoid a repeat of last Fall and Winter, catching illness after illness, I am prioritizing maintaining this connection.

I have benefited from incorporating these rituals into my (mostly) daily routines, so I want to share them with you!

Ritual #1 is about my morning coffee (which is now decaf, whoop!). One of the witchy sessions I attended at Held by Sisters offered a simple ritual of stirring intentions into a morning cup of coffee. I often choose to stir ease, joy, and focus into my coffee. It is a simple way to bring a little bit more purpose into something I am already doing.

Once I’ve made my morning coffee, I like to take it outside and call in the four directions and express gratitude to the four elements. For instance, I associate the East with Fire (because the sun rise) and with creative, passionate energy. I associate the South with the Earth, which grounds us, helping us face storms with courage. I associate the West with Water, and the innate wisdom that flows through our veins. I associate the North with the Air that we all breathe and the connection that exists between all of life. I know some of this comes from Indigenous cultures. So, I thank the Indigenous women who taught me this beautiful practice, as well!

Along similar lines, Ritual #2 is about using showers to wash away my day. I visualize the heaviness and stress getting washed down the drain with the soapy suds. This simple practice helps leave what has happened throughout the day behind me so I can settle into my evening, and sleep with a little more ease.

Ritual #3 is setting morning intentions to “let it be slow and let it be simple” as a reminder to focus on what matters most, rather than trying to do it all at once. I had so much on my plate last year. Now, I realize I took on so many tasks as a way to distract myself from other tasks. I literally told someone that I would procrastinate on one priority by working on another priority. This year, I only want tasks on my plate that at aligned with my school and consulting. The simple reminder to “let it be slow and let it be simple” helps put my brain at ease. So, when I have a big writing task on my plate, I can actually focus. In the past, I had a hard time calming my brain enough to choose a task to work on. I was continually overwhelmed. I got work done. But it was far from enjoyable. This little quote now sits on a sticky note on my computer as a continual reminder of how I want to show up when I work.

Finally, Ritual #4 is making time for yoga nidra or guided meditations after each of my workouts. I used to rush from workouts. Then, I would not be able to start my next task. My brain would still be amped up from my lift, so I would sit and scroll for literal hours. I’ve gotten back into a routine of stretching. And then I take 10-15 minutes to slow my mind down - Ally Boothroyd on YouTube has been a fantastic way to bring my brain back to reality to be ready to work. Getting diligent with my cool down has been one of my new favorite things.

So, those are a few of my new favorite rituals. My mind and body feels much more at ease as I settle into September.

Peace,

Karissa