My 3 Favorite Fall Things (Right Now)

Dear lovely Collective members,

as most of you are in the Northern hemisphere as well, I hope that you're enjoying the very October-esque weather that we've been having! It's a bit grey, with the occasional ray of sunshine or splash of rain, the leaves are definitely falling, and I've started to pull out the knitwear.

I decided that for this month's Collective blog post I would do a little roundup of 3 of my favorite fall things! I would also love to hear what you enjoy doing around this time of the year. There are so many great things to do - I sometimes wish I had a few extra days every week to squeeze them all in.

So, without further ado, here it goes:

1. Riding my bike to soak up some of that fresh fall air

I've been making a conscious effort to get outside every day for the past month or so. Now, between running a small business and a family, there's usually no time for longer hikes or walks, but I've been really enjoying my daycare drop-off bike rides and occasional longer ones (like the roundtrip to the pediatrician today)!

It's a great way to enjoy the crisp fall air without it taking up too much time.

If I can't get outside on the bike during the day, I nip out for a 5 - 10 minute walk around our "Kiez" (Berlin language for the area you live in) in the evening when Aurin is in bed.

2. Wearing those sweaters that are really only good for 3 to 5 weeks a year

I love, love, love a good 3/4 length sleeved sweater. I have quite a lot of them (my Coloring Book Raglan by Aimee Sher is a firm and forever favorite), and yet they didn't get worn a lot.

During the last winter, I finally realized why: I get too cold without long sleeves when the weather has gotten frosty.

So this year, I'm making a conscious effort to wear these 3/4 length sleeved sweaters during the first colder fall days, when I crave something hand knit to keep me warm, but am okay with shorter sleeve lengths. It makes me really happy to finally give them the time and attention they deserve!

3. Allowing myself to get cozy

There are always a million things to do. Being a business owner means that work just never stops - there's always something that you could work on, and the same holds true for any household I believe. There's always laundry that could be folded, or a room that could be tidied up.

I have gotten quite good at prioritizing rest because I know that I can't be a good boss / Making Stories owner / mom / partner / friend if I pour from an empty cup.

However, this fall, I am adding a layer to this: When I sit down after a long work day, I ask myself what I could do to make the evening really cozy. Some days, it's lighting my current favorite scented candle and watching the rain patter on our balcony; others it's watching an episode of a dear friend's podcast and knitting on something that's calling my name. Yet other days, it's watching an episode of Sex Education (so good! so sad it's almost over!) or playing a video game.

How about you? What are your favorite things to do this fall?