17 Things I Hope For You This October

1. If you live in an area where there’s fall foliage – I hope you stop long enough to look at the orange, and yellow, red of the leaves.

2. I hope you stand outside at least once a day.

3. I hope you let yourself shed your own leaves of yesterday so that you can see your own horizon.

4. I hope you delight in all the pumpkin things with unapologetic joy if that’s your thing – there’s worse things in life to be than someone who appreciates pumpkin flavor everything.

5. I hope you call a friend that you’ve been thinking of to have a pumpkin-flavored coffee at the table with you. Or another flavor, if that’s their thing.

6. If the opportunity presents itself – I hope you take the time to sit by a campfire. Wrap yourself with that favorite blanket that makes you feel warm and calm, let the smoke wash over your hair and your clothes, and let yourself be with the ones who make you laugh and feel loved.

7. I hope you let yourself be.

8. I hope you let yourself dream about whatever it is you want the end of the year to bring – and then I hope you take one tiny step towards making those dreams a reality. And then another step. And then another. Did you know that there’s 90 days left between now and 2020? That’s a tremendous amount of time to take plenty of tiny steps. And within those moments – dreams are built.

9. If your schedule allows, I hope you let yourself rest. And if your plans make that harder, I hope you make your rest a priority – even if it’s only five minutes. Five minutes of deep breaths. Five minutes of uninterrupted thoughts. Five minutes of peace. Let yourself have five minutes.

10. I hope you fill the white space on your calendar with social requirements that make your heart happy. You don’t have to go to every Halloween party if you don’t want to – parties are supposed to be fun, not torture.

11. I hope you take the time for fun things. Take the time – or time will take you.

12. I hope you wear black nail polish if it makes you happy.

13. I hope you wear white if it makes you happy, too. Who cares that it’s after Labor Day?

14. I hope you let yourself get overjoyed by the perfect scarf.

15. I hope you let yourself take long walks to break in those new boots, too.

16. Delight in the simple joys of the season – gratitude is beautiful, even if it’s for those little things. Especially if it’s for those little things.

17. I hope you invite people over your home to sit at your table. I hope you cook for them, and share wine with them, and laugh with them, and enjoy their company.