8 Cozy Fall/Winter Activities
As the weather gets colder, all I want to do is spend my days enjoying all things cozy—baking sweets, cooking warm meals, getting lost in the fun of creative projects, and cuddling up under a thick blanket with a great book. But without any fun activities in mind, the shift from warm and sunny to windy and cold can feel flat out depressing. In order to combat this seasonal sadness, I made a list of cozy activities to make the most of the chilly months. It’s these quick little lists that make me feel so inspired to do something different and exciting with my day, rather than get lost on autopilot in my daily routine.
8 COZY THINGS TO DO THIS FALL/WINTER SEASON:
Cook something!
I read somewhere that the cure for feeling like you’re getting nowhere with your day is to cook something. It’s a simple, low-stress practice that you get better at with every try. Bake a pie, make a stew out of fall-inspired vegetables & spices, or whip up a batch of warm, fluffy pancakes for yourself; the key is to make it fun and enjoy (eating) the outcome of your efforts!
Recreate your favorite holiday candy
The cozy fall weather is THE perfect time to make a batch of homemade candy! If you’ve never made your own candy, go ahead and toss out everything else on this list of fall activities and make this your number one priority. Homemade candy is a lot easier to whip up than you’d think, and the outcome feels somewhat like dumping your entire pillowcase of Halloween candy out to sort through it after a long night of trick or treating: REWARDING.
Growing up, I would go out of my way to snag as many peanut butter cups as possible on my trick or treat rounds, so these Homemade Reese’s Cups are my favorite fall recipe.
Cozy slippers, fluffy socks, and soft sweatpants!
I hear you...this is not necessarily an activity, BUT there is an undeniable excitement about layering up in warm and cozy clothing for just about every activity when it gets cold. I always keep a stash of fuzzy socks nearby, and I highly recommend it.
Read a book
Reading a book (or listening to an audiobook) is one of life’s most simple pleasures. Just one book can bring about so much positive change, with such little effort. In just a few hours of reading, you can absorb the knowledge or storytelling of someone that may alter your perspective forever. One of the most intriguing and mysterious things about books is their ability to alter your life in a way that you won’t know until you’re done reading it. Even if a book isn’t remarkable to you, there will always be something hidden inside of it that may change the way you see the world.
Make homemade candles
When I was a little girl, my dad and I used to make homemade candles before the winter holidays. It started with simple candle-making kits, which quickly turned into fun little pieces of art. We would make all types of candles and decorate them with roasted coffee beans, dried flowers, or cinnamon sticks. We’d even fill old glasses and goblets with different colored jelly waxes to create “wine candles.” If candles are even the slightest bit your thing, this is a must-try.
Take the time to see the leaves change
There’s only a few times during the year that the trees make such a remarkable change: the first flower blossoms of spring and the turning of the leaves in the fall. It’s one of earth’s greatest “shows” and we might end up missing it if we don’t make the effort to pay attention to it. Take a second to stare at the leaves when you’re driving, while you’re grabbing the mail, or on your evening walk with the dog. The show will be over soon, and you don’t want to miss it. 😉
Make a list of things you’ve been putting off and just get ‘em done.
This one deserves a star next to it, because this is the one that’ll give you the biggest bang for your buck. When you make a list of things you’ve been putting off and just get them done, you not only get your to-do list taken care of, you also create a new form of confidence to push through the things you keep putting off. Even if you only do 5 minutes of a task, it makes a difference in how your brain processes getting things done and makes it easier to push through procrastination. Completing just 5 minutes of a task tells your brain, “Hey we did a good thing! That actually wasn’t so hard.”
Forgive someone and/or yourself
At the risk of diving off the deep end with this one, the year is coming to an end and now is a better time than ever to forgive yourself or someone else for disappointing you. Feel free to let go of toxic people in your life, but don’t forget to let go of the chip on your shoulder as well. Life is too short to hold grudges.
No matter how you spend these days, the most important fall activity is to take care of yourself and be mindful of the things that make you feel happy and fulfilled. At least once this week, take the pressure off of yourself to accomplish everything you “need” to get done, and ask yourself what you can do to tend to yourself and your overall happiness. Enjoy the cooler days, relish in the moments cuddled up under a blanket, and soak in all of the changing beauty of autumn.
Kirsten Ahlmark
Look, Kirsten is a pretty cool person. But don’t take it from us, read this short description of her and decide for yourself.
Kirsten is all about chasing your dreams, laughing ‘til it hurts, and being yourself, even when you’re not sure exactly who that is. She’s been about that ~natural life~ for several years now and loves geeking out on ingredient lists. When she’s not writing copy, you can catch this girl making YouTube videos, howling with her (really cool) chihuahua, or whipping up somethin’ in the kitchen.