Cooler weather, changing leaves and your favorite comfort foods are just a few things you can enjoy each autumn. Fall is a beautiful time of year, and we’re here to help you make the most of the season. Keep reading to learn three simple ways you can spend time with your loved ones and support your whole health this fall.
Get Outside and Enjoy the Weather
We encourage you to enjoy the outdoors, breathing in the fresh air and soaking up some vitamin D without the intense summer heat. Here are a few ways you and your family can make the most of the cooler weather outdoors this season:
- Attend a fall festival
- Attend a football or soccer game
- Build a bonfire
- Go apple or pumpkin picking
- Go for a family bike ride, hike or walk
- Have a picnic outside
- Plant fall flowers in your yard
- Take a camping trip, or set up a tent in your own backyard
- Visit a corn maze or go on a hayride
- Visit a petting zoo
You can also check your city’s word-of-mouth social media pages to find other seasonal events happening in your area.
Host a Potluck
Socializing with loved ones while enjoying good food is a great way to boost your mood and enjoy the season. One way to enjoy the comforting flavors of fall is to host a potluck. Invite your friends or neighbors to gather together and cook up some fall classics, like our three bean chili, herbed turkey breast or baked vegan mac and cheese.
If you’re looking for even more recipe inspiration, check out our full list of recipes.
Write a Gratitude List
In Proverbs 17:22, the Bible says, “A merry heart does good, like a medicine,” and scientific research agrees on the positive power of expressing gratitude.
Expressing gratitude has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including:
- Aiding in stress regulation
- Boosting immunity
- Decreasing depression and anxiety
- Improving gut health and digestion
- Improving mood and sleep
- Lowering blood pressure and heart rate
During this season of giving thanks, sit down with your family and develop a gratitude list. Here are a few ways you can express gratitude as a family:
- Group thinking: Come up with gratitude points together and designate a family scribe to jot down your combined list in a journal.
- Get creative: If you have younger children or just want to channel your artistic side, you can draw pictures of what you’re grateful for rather than write a list.
- Keep it audible: Sit in a circle and take turns sharing things you’re thankful for with your family members.
- Mealtime: Instead of coming up with a list all at once, you can start a new tradition with your family and each name one thing you’re grateful for each evening during dinner.
- Reflection time: Give each member of your family a paper and pen, set a timer for five or more minutes and spend some quiet time thinking of your personal gratitude points. Once the timer has gone off, come back together and discuss a few items from each list.
Once you’ve compiled your list, you can frame it or put it on your refrigerator to keep gratefulness at the top of your mind all season long.
Supporting Your Family’s Whole Health
We’re here to help you achieve your wellness goals and support your whole health — body, mind and spirit. Learn more about our wellness care.
