Food & Drinks
Nutmeg and cinnamon fill the crisp fall air. Pumpkin and other squash are incorporated into various dishes and recipes. Fall food means pumpkin everything. Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin scones, pumpkin muffins and maybe some turkey every now and then. Most people tend to go for the warming spices and “fill up” food in the fall such as casseroles, stews and soups. I recommend using a crockpot during this time of year because as it warms your food up all day and it also spreads the smell of whatever your making throughout the house. What beverage do you pair with all that pumpkin? Probably something pumpkin spice. And if you don’t like pumpkin, give chai tea a try for energy that tastes like fall. If you’ve ever had one, you know exactly what I am saying!
Holidays
Some of the most popular American holidays take place in the next three months. Some may say that’s stressful, but I say it’s magical – spending time with family, surrounded by warm colors and warm drinks. Here’s my tip for tackling the holidays. Stick to a budget. It sounds hard and not fun, but you can make it fun! Holiday’s can be very expensive with food and gifts and all the great movies that come out around then. A reasonable budget can help keep all of this on track. Try to limit yourself. Once you have done that, celebrate at the end of each week with something that will keep you motivated; like going a size up on a coffee or get a little treat
Fashion
Bring out your darker clothes because fall is back in session. Ladies, that dark burgundy dress with black boots are here to make a comeback, because fall and winter want to see it! Now is the time for jeans and cardigans. As for makeup trends, winged eyeliner and rich red lipstick never went out of style. Leggings, my friends. Whether it’s your favorite pair or your comfiest jeans, pair either with a sweater or cardigan and brown or black boots and you’ll be putting the spice in pumpkin spice latte. As for guys here’s a tip: you can also rock a sweater and jeans! Warm colors like rustic red and army green are two great sweater options.
Self care
Self care; something we all seem to forget. Take some time out of your day and put a face mask on and rest your eyes (yes, guys too!). Tape a note on your mirror reminding yourself “you are beautiful” and “you are worth it.” A constant reminder can really help. Self care is more than just eating right and drinking water, stress can play a big part too. If you are feeling overwhelmed with the amount of homework you have laid out in front of you, take a break! You and your mental health is more important than biology. Sit back and watch your favorite show and go to bed early.
Halloween
Don’t spend your hard earned money on some Harley Quinn costume that costs anywhere from 20 to 30 dollars more than it probably should. Some of the best costumes are made by hand. Second hand stores and Goodwill can help you make a great homemade costume within a reasonable budget. Every year there seems to be a theme of what is going to be the most popular costume. I recommend going out of the status quo and doing something completely out of the box. The superhero costumes are cool and everything, but last I checked Halloween was about scaring people, not saving the world. If your not a costume guy or gal, then stay at home eating all the trick-or-treater’s candy watching the twilight zone marathon or Scream 4 for the seventh time. Invite over a few friends and tell ghost stories. Just because we’re “adults” doesn’t mean we all still don’t enjoy a classic ghost story
Napping/SAD
We all have those late nights and early mornings and sometimes you just have to lay down and get comfy. Here’s my napping tip: before you close your eyes, set a timer. I know that doesn’t sound as fun, but according to Sleep.org, it is recommended that you nap for only 20 to 30 minutes. It will also improve your focus and leave you feeling refreshed and help destress. It’s like a little mind vacation. While fall brings some beautiful sunshine, here in the PNW it also brings rain. If you’re feeling a little down in the dumps, try taking some vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced naturally by the sun, which is something we here in the Pacific Northwest don’t get a whole lot of. If Vitamin D doesn’t help the gloomy day blues, there is the chance you might have a Seasonal Affective Disorder. I am not a registered doctor, but from what I understand Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is surprisingly common. A mood disorder SAD can leave people feeling depressed around the same time of year (usually fall and winter because of the dark weather). If you feel like this might be something you are going through.
I’m going to travel the whole world, learn everything about it, and then write about it.