Thank you Camille Johnson for submitting this article! It includes great suggestions for gently working with the seasonal energy. Enjoy!
Most people don’t notice the shift until they’re already off. Too wired in summer, too foggy in winter, too scattered in fall. The calendar might say one thing, but your body? It’s working on a different clock entirely. That’s why seasonal self-care matters. It’s not about syncing with trends. It’s about paying attention. Nature changes constantly. So do you. So why pretend one routine should work year-round?
Start Slowly in Spring
People act like spring means go-go-go, but your body just made it through a long, dull freeze. You’re supposed to feel sluggish right now. Good. Stretch before you run. Let light in before making plans. Toss out junk that feels stale—digital clutter counts. Eat something green that isn’t in a plastic box. This season’s about waking up, not launching a full reinvention.
Simplify During Summer
Hot weather, loud plans, bright nights—summer piles on fast. It’s easy to mistake energy for wellness. But constant motion burns you out faster than you think. You don’t have to do everything. Say no to plans that feel like a performance. Drink water that’s been sitting in the sun, eat cold fruit with your hands, disappear into shade without a single excuse.
Reflect in the Fall
Fall doesn’t ask you to build—it asks you to shed. Most people ignore that. They fill up schedules as the year dies down, then wonder why they feel edgy. Step back. Swap screen time for writing, even if it’s just a sentence on the back of a receipt. Don’t force reflection, but don’t skip it either. Give yourself time to sit in silence without solving anything.
Support Yourself in Winter
No one thrives in winter without trying. The darkness eats at you. You’ve got to create your own light—literally and emotionally. Get outside when the sky’s blue, even if it’s freezing and even if it’s just to grab the mail. Keep warm things nearby: thick socks, slow stews, something soft that smells like eucalyptus. You’re not lazy. You’re adapting.
Create a Checklist You Can Use
Here’s a trick: when things feel overwhelming, write out a seasonal checklist. Not a master plan. Just a few things that bring you back to baseline—open windows, cancel stuff, warm drinks, short walks. Save the list as a PDF so it’s always there when you forget what helps. If your notes are in a bunch of formats, check this out to convert them into PDFs. You don’t need a system. You need something that works when your brain goes blank.
Pause During Seasonal Shifts
Transitions between seasons sneak up. One minute it’s late summer, then it’s October, and everything feels slightly off. These are the moments to stop and ask: what’s not working anymore? What little thing could help? Make a short list—keep it dumb simple. Adjust one thing. The check-in doesn’t need to be deep; it just needs to exist.
Return to Self-Compassion
Plans fall apart. You’ll forget the checklist. You’ll binge scroll. You’ll eat random crackers for dinner and call it a win. Fine. Let that happen without turning it into a whole thing. Self-compassion isn’t some vibe you have to feel—it’s a decision you make when you’re at your messiest. Be kind anyway. Return to your rhythm without fanfare.
You’re not a machine, and the seasons are proof. Some months will stretch you, some will quiet you, and all of them will ask something different from your body and mind. Let them. Build rhythms that change instead of chasing routines that never seem to stick. Self-care isn’t some curated moment. It’s a running conversation between how you feel and what’s happening around you. And the best part? You get to start over every three months.
Discover your path to embodied healing and cosmic insight at http://www.mkirbymoore.com and AstroDharma. Visit now to explore transformative astrology, somatic wisdom, and spiritual alignment with Kirby.
Thanks for reading and hope you come back soon!
Kirby Moore
Meditation Informs Healing Facilitation 