A new season is just around the corner.
Fall can be a wonderful time to slow down, notice what’s changing around us, and take in something pleasant. Even a brief moment of noticing what feels good can support the relaxation response and help calm the nervous system.
That alone can help support the relaxation response.
Fall in Ohio, where I grew up, is a shower of colors and cool, refreshing air—Mother Nature’s reward after a hot, humid summer. When I was a kid, we lived next to a school with a big sports field, so fall was also accompanied by the sights and sounds of young teens having football practice. They seemed to double in size in their football uniforms—big, bulky shoulder pads, jerseys, and helmets, running and grunting as they tackled each other to the ground.
I feel nostalgic when I see kids practicing now on the football field near my home.
Fall is here in the San Francisco Bay Area, though with a more subtle touch than what I knew as a young person in Ohio. This is such a rich time to notice changes in the environment. You can feel it—in the air, the light, the colors, the foods at the market.
And we might notice changes within ourselves since we are, after all, a part of nature. Perhaps you’re going to bed a little earlier, feeling a shift in your energy, or noticing changes in what you want to do with your time.
Take a moment to pay attention to the changes and invite curiosity about what is here.
Notice What’s Pleasant
I encourage you to notice the season’s changes and take them in through all your senses—smell, taste, touch, sight, and sound. Play. Get outside. And notice what’s going on inside as well.
Noticing moments of pleasure can support the relaxation response. Even in the midst of challenge, we can see a moment of what’s working, what might be going well, or something we appreciate.
This doesn’t mean denying the challenge. It means recognizing that the challenge is not all there is.
When we notice a pleasant moment and allow ourselves to stay with it, we give our attention a chance to rest somewhere other than the source of stress. This can help calm the nervous system and support our capacity to respond to challenges more skillfully.
Relaxation Response: Try It
- Pause and notice your environment.
- Rest your attention on something pleasant—a tree, a picture, a sound, a bird, a smell, the sky, or anything else that catches your attention. If nothing shows up, don’t push it, just acknowledge your experience.
- Stay with it for a few cycles of breath.
- Notice sensations in your body, along with any thoughts and feelings that arise. Then, if it feels pleasant, stay with the experience for about 30 seconds.
- Then proceed—take your next step with clear intention.
This is a simple mindfulness practice you can use anytime you need a moment of stress relief. You don’t have to change what’s happening. Just pause, notice, and allow yourself to take in what’s already here.
More Mindfulness and Stress Management Resources
- Workshops for you and your organization
- Schedule a free 20-minute Chat with Terre Passero, founder of Mindful Stress Management
- YouTube for guided mindfulness practices and talks about stress, the brain, and the body