Posted on Tuesday, 25th September 2018

I have read so many pieces about a new season being upon us and all the joy that brings. New wardrobe, new stationary, new colours in nature. With all the positivity around this new chapter in the year, it can feel like no room is given or allowed for any less positive feelings anyone may be feeling about this change in season.

Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed the recent colder temperatures, mixed with the bright sunshine, and admiring the orange leaves on the ground. But I am aware that anything linked with change or new beginnings can mean heightened anxieties, worries, and insecurities for many people.

For some of you, this time may signal a big change for you. The university graduates among you may have enjoyed your last ‘summer of freedom’ and may now be thinking seriously about starting a new job, perhaps in a new location. This can be a huge change! Entering the working world, moving house, taking on new responsibilities can all be very daunting and evoke many different emotions.

For others, a new season may mean reflecting on the one just passed. This can be a valuable and therapeutic exercise to engage in, however sometimes it can leave you feeling deflated. You may feel that you haven’t achieved as much as you’d hoped, haven’t met certain goals, or just haven’t progressed much since the last ‘new season’. While this in itself can be really valuable learning, it can be a difficult pill to swallow. Not to mention chances are you are probably being too hard on yourself.

For some of you, the colder seasons present a very real problem if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. There are definitely things you can do to try and help this- I may write a post just about this in the near future. But for now, a particularly helpful tip can be to try to expose yourself to as much light as possible. Either by getting outside when the sun is shining or investing in a ‘SAD lamp’.

To sum up, there are so many positive things about entering a new season, and if you can embrace and enjoy these, then great. But a new season can bring its challenges and no one can be happy and positive all the time. If you’re finding this transition period difficult, for any reason, then that’s OK. Be kind to yourself. If you think you would benefit from talking through anything then do get in touch, I’d love to hear from you.