When I say glow I’m not referring to that sun-kissed face. I’m referring to our energy, which is really what we mean when we say that someone is glowing. After all, you don’t have to be tan to be told, you’re glowing! It’s something unseen but perceptible, radiating from the inside outward.
Our heightened sense of freedom (summer vacations) and increased amount of time spent outdoors (beach, boats, pool) both contribute to our summer glow. Being outside renews and refreshes our energy. And often our busy, responsibility-filled schedules ease up just a bit to allow for some summertime relaxation and fun.
As summer comes to a close we begin to experience shifts in our routines and activities (even if the weather still feels summer-like). Our mini-reprieve from the daily grind is coming to an end as fall gets closer. Summer vacations are over, and it’s back to school or to reality for many. We begin spending less time outside. BBQs in the back yard are replaced with reservations at a restaurant. Corn on the cob is replaced with canned corn.
Thinking about summer ending can evoke mixed emotions, even sadness. Any transition, big or small, affects our energy and our mood. It is related to our root chakra, feeling a sense of safety, security and belongingness. While the changing of a season isn’t a serious threat that affects our well-being, it does affect our energy. When our mood is down, we’re definitely not glowing.
As you experience the shift from summer to autumn, use the seven steps below to balance and boost your energy…to maintain your glow!
1 – Tidy up your house
Doesn’t it feel amazing when you walk into your house and it smells and looks clean? That’s because everything is energy, including our homes and property. Just as our energy impacts other people, the energy of a physical space affects us. Have you ever walked into a messy, chaotic room? I bet you felt uneasy inside. So while organizing or cleaning your home isn’t glamorous, it can make you feel grounded and even happy after you do it. According to feng shui, sweeping your house clears the energy in it, allowing for new blessings to enter!
2 – Eat veggies from the earth
Go buy some root vegetables – beets, carrots or yams for example – and make a hearty soup, juice or a veggie stir-fry. Root veggies help us feel grounded because they come from the earth and carry that grounding energy with them. Of course, if you can walk to a farmers market to purchase them, even better. However, grocery stores will do too! Or if you’re like me and never cook, go to Whole Foods and buy some prepared veggies!
3 – Buy red flowers
Red is the color of the root chakra. Surrounding ourselves with the color red helps us balance our sense of security and belongingness. Wear it or look at it. Burn a red candle. Treat yourself to some red roses. Put a red flower on the wallpaper of your laptop. Anything red that you can think of will do the trick!
4 – Exercise
We already know that exercise is amazing. What you might not know is that exercise clears our energy body. Go for a run, take a walk, or head to a class. Taking a class provides a sense of community. Double win. Getting outside for a run or a walk provides another opportunity to be in nature, possibly with a buddy. Another double win.
5 – Find the positive
Make out a list – in your journal or in your head – of things you love about fall. Share it with a friend or a spouse. What traditions and rituals do you enjoy? Pumpkins? Cider? Foliage? Football games? Good sleeping weather? Personally I love fall fashion because of the jewel colors. I also love baking, which always feels like a fall activity to me. Focusing on the positive of autumn helps shift our energy to a happier vibration.
6 – Plan something fun
Plan some fun adventures, outings or get-togethers that put a smile on your face when you think about them. For example, if you love pumpkins, plan a pumpkin carving party and invite some good friends over. Having activities to look forward to also boost our energy, whereas feeling sad over the end of the summer dims our energy. Like attracts like, so what our energy is giving off we get in return.
7 – Spend time outside
As you’ve read several times by now in this article, spending time outdoors is fantastic for our energy. Go to an outdoor football game instead of watching it on the TV. Step outside of your office for a few minutes, find a patch of grass, take off your shoes, and let your feet touch the grass. Take a walk on the beach (without your shoes on) for 30 minutes after dinner. Rake leaves with your kids. Anything you enjoy doing outside will leave you feeling great after!
