to be of autumn | how to feel rooted in the season

Hi friend.

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of a moodboard. First of all, I think it’s fun to look at pretty pictures. And more practically, I think they’re a really great way to figure out themes and motifs of what you want—particularly if you’re a person who struggles to identify your own wants and needs (guilty!).

It is now September, the start of my favourite season. The ‘Ber Months, as the internet calls them, marks the stretch of September to December, a period of increasing dark and cold. For a bog person like me, it’s heaven. And every year I feel like I miss out on it, too caught up in work to really let myself sink into the season and enjoy its inimitable vibe.

Not so this year.

This year, I work for myself. This year, I’m not beholden to a corporate overlord who demands my every drop of energy (did I allow said corporate overlord to claim my every drop of energy? Yes! Much to unpack!). I get to be of autumn.

The question, of course, is how. And the answer, of course, starts with a moodboard.

There are lots of ways to make a moodboard, and honestly I don’t follow any kind of process—in fact I think the less thinking that goes into it, the better. Personally, I trawl Pinterest for photos that spark something in my brain, print ’em out, and slap ’em into my journal. And we end up with something like this: a messy amalgam of Things I Like.

The magic of the moodboard, I think, comes with the next step: staring at this kaleidoscope of vibes to figure out what it’s actually saying. The visualization is only half the battle—actually putting words to what it represents is when things start to get specific.

Now, a caveat here before I continue. I’m a hesitant person when it comes to woo woo stuff, based on a bunch of personal experiences that we don’t have time to get into. Insofar as it pertains to this convo, I don’t believe in manifestation—at least, not in the way that The Secret and its ilk would have you believe. The universe isn’t bending physics to get you a sports car.

However, I do think there’s incredible value in being able to picture clearly and specifically the things you want out of life. I think the impact is at least twofold: you get a clearer picture of what you want at a deep level and the language to articulate it, and you can then consciously (and maybe even subconsciously!) make decisions that get you closer to that desire. (And I promise to get off my high horse about this but I think that when you hear of successful “manifestation” stories, this is what’s actually happening. It’s not the universe, it’s you. Thou mayest, or whatever).

Anyways, I am staring at my Autumn 2026 Moodboard, and I’m jotting down themes:

Slow, homecooked meals
Cozy sweaters, scarves, and socks
More journaling
Indulging in the harvest
Cozy activities with friends
Letting myself get spooky
Cabin and forest time
And a 1990s Jeep Cherokee but honestly that’s been a mainstay of my moodboards for awhile

Do you see how that takes intangible vibes and turns them into something real? It reads like a to-do list—not in a procedural formal way, but in a way that informs where I should put my energy this season. I’ll feel rooted in autumn by doing these things, and I’ll be taking care of myself by prioritizing time for these things. By going to the farmers market and making a slow dinner with what I buy there; by dressing cozy to get coffee with friends; by snuggling up with a scary book or going on a cheesy ghost walk—these are the things that will make me feel grounded and embodied this fall.

So the second the temperature drops reliably below 15°C, catch me in a wool sweater picking pumpkins.