201.Fall into Mindfulness: Harnessing Autumn's Wisdom for Personal Growth

Are you feeling the shift in the air as autumn settles in? 

Join Dr. Adrienne Youdim on this week's episode of Health Bite as she explores the profound lessons we can learn from the changing seasons.

In this episode, Dr. Youdim reflects on the natural wisdom of fall and how it aligns with various spiritual traditions. She offers practical strategies to help you embrace change, release what no longer serves you, and prepare for personal growth in the coming months.

Discover how to harness the energy of autumn to reset, reflect, and rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit.

What You'll Learn From This Episode:

• The significance of the "Winter's Arc" - the 90-day span between October and January
• How to align your personal growth with the natural rhythms of the season
• Practical ways to let go of what no longer serves you and create space for new opportunities
• The importance of celebrating your achievements and practicing gratitude
• Why slowing down and prioritizing rest is crucial during this time of year

"Fall, with its beautiful transformations, teaches us to embrace the cycles of change, honor our own growth, and prepare ourselves for the months ahead with introspection and intention." --- Dr. Adrienne Youdim

Ways that Dr. Adrienne Youdim Can Support You

1. Join the Monthly Free Mind-Body Workshops: Participate in engaging mind-body practices designed to help manage your stress response. Register here.
2. Sign Up for the Newsletter: Stay updated with valuable insights and resources by subscribing to the newsletter. Sign up here.
3. Freebie alert. Register for our monthly free MindBody Workshop and receive a downloadable guide on emotional labeling to help you manage your emotions effectively.

Connect with Dr. Adrienne Youdim

• Website :https://www.dradriennespeaks.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrienneyoudim/

Transcript

A few Octobers ago I had the opportunity to give a keynote in Boise Idaho. It was beautiful to experience the changing seasons- colorful trees, the sea of of leaves blanketing the ground, the crisp weather. Even in LA where we don't get this stark seasonal change, the air is cooler and our trees are a little more bare. It makes me wonder what this time of year asking of me. What can I learn and how can I incorporate this change into my life. 

Welcome to HealthBite, the podcast where I offer small actionable bites to greater physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing. 

I'm your host Dr Adrienne Youdim. I am triple board certified an internist, obesity medicine and physician nutrition specialist and I have learned in working with patients and clients for nearly 20 years, that good nutrition is not just about the food that you eat, but all the ways in which we can nourish ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally. Together we will explore the intersection of science, nutrition, health and wellbeing in the pursuit of living well. These quick bites will leave you feeling motivated, empowered and inspired.

As I mentioned in a recent newsletter, we are in the midst of the Winters Arc, the span of 90 days between October and January, when the seasons are changing and we are being called to reflect on our lives, to perhaps shift our mindset to focus more on ourselves, on our health and well-being.

This is a time of transition and reflection. It coincides with a slowing down of the season, hibernation of plants, and animals and us humans begin to experience a slowing down as well. As the days grow shorter, the temperatures get cooler, and nature prepares for winter, There’s a natural shift from the outward energy of spring and summer to a more introspective, grounded time. we see nature shedding what is no longer needed in order to conserve her energy. 

This time of year also coincides with some spiritual practices the Hindu holiday of Navratri, a time of rest and rejuvenation, Bahaulla, a Baha’ holiday that celebrates the rebirth of the world though the love of God and the Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur, which is a time of introspection and contemplation. 

I love when the rituals and religious traditions align with the natural rhythms of the seasons. It speaks to a universal wisdom that is present for us all regardless of faith and background. We dont have to practice religion to understand what this time of year is calling for us to do. 

So how can we take these themes and incorporate them into our own lives in practical and meaningful ways ?

### 1. **Let Go and Release**

   - Just as trees let go of their leaves, autumn invites us to release things we no longer need. Think whether there are habits, relationships, or mindsets that no longer serve you. What might be weighing you down? I encourage you to think about this mindfully. Identify what is heavy, taking your energy and , getting in your way. What is no longer needed. make an intention to let it go. By shedding what is no longer serving you, you create space for something new and preserving energy to put towards meaningful growth in the future.

### 2. **Embrace Change**

Change feels hard. I experience this with my youngest daughter regularly. For example, she experiences loss at the close of every school year. She doesn't want her class to change, her teacher, or her classmates to change. But invariably every new year brings about another teacher that she loves just as much as in fact more aligned with where she is right now. A person and circumstances that Better able to help her grow in this chapter of her life. How can you use the change in seasons as a template in your life? Can you redefine change how you view change and experience the invariable changing seasons of your own life not as a loss but as an opportunity?

The changing colors of autumn leaves are a reminder that change is natural and can be beautiful. We resist change, but embracing this shift can bring about a sense of freedom and growth. What is weighing you down right now? What can you let go of and so that make room for something more beautiful and aligned to evolve?

### 3. **Harvesting and Celebrating Achievements**

 Fall is harvest season, a time to reep the rewards of your past efforts. It’s a good time to reflect on your hard work this year. What were your accomplishments? Acknowledge them and celebrate your successes, both big and small. This acknowledgment helps you embrace gratitude towards yourself and reep a sense of fulfillment which can fuel forward momentum in the year to come

Be ok with Rest 

Fall is a natural time when nature starts to slow down, preparing for the dormancy of winter. We, too, can start shifting toward a slower pace, focusing on rest, replenishment and self-care. It’s a time to be mindful of your energy and to prioritize how you use that energy by preserving your energy and engaging in practices that nourish you physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Cultivate Gratitude and Appreciation**

 The abundance of the harvest season reminds us to appreciate what we have. Practicing gratitude can deepen our sense of contentment and help us recognize the richness of our lives. There is alot that we are grappling with in the world. Alot that is not going right and it is natural to fixate on that, on what is not going right. But lets remember that for each of us there are things that ARE going right. Gratitude is a powerful way to stay grounded and positive focusing on what is good in our lives without remaining overly focused what is negative or not going our way.

Fall, with its beautiful transformations, teaches us to embrace the cycles of change, honor our own growth, and prepare ourselves for the months ahead with introspection and intention. These lessons align well with the goals of nurturing our potential and addressing our deeper needs.

I encourage you all to take this time to slow down, introspect and set intentions that will guide you in the coming year.

When we do this deep work for ourselves, the effect ripples to those around us and has the power and possibility to shift the world.

While we navigate our tumultuous politics, hurricanes, financial uncertainty and feelings of helplessness over world affairs, this is one thing we can do to bring more agency and intention into our lives. And in doing so, extend and ignite the our inner wisdom and the wisdom of those around us.

Friends you would like to take this work further, I invite you to join me in a personally crafted and curated group called Resilient Minds. These will be small intimate groups where you can interact with me and other participants live. Over 6 weeks I will teach you evidence based skills that will transform how you interact and respond to life’s challenges and demands. You’ll learn the tools and skills that will teach you how to pause before reacting, assess what’s truly needed in your life and respond with intention, not impulsivity. Having led these groups, I can tell you with certainty, that it is a life changing experience. If you are interested in learning how to participate in these interactive groups, please head over to the show notes or to dradreinneyoudim.com and sign up for my weekly newsletter where you will get exclusive information on these transformational groups. 

I hope you take some comfort in the season with the actionable HealthBite I have shared with you during todays episode and I look forward to seeing you here again next week on HealthBite. 

//