Embracing the in-between
Instead of hurrying fall, try celebrating the remnants of summer
It seems like all anyone can talk about this week is fall. Labor Day tends to mark the unofficial end to summer in the United States, and in this past week so much of what I’ve heard in daily conversation is the rush into the next season. Back to school, grabbing a pumpkin spice latte, and watching the weather forecast for chillier temperatures.
But summer isn’t even over yet. We have almost two more weeks left until the autumn equinox and the official start of fall, which is a huge chunk of a short three-month season. So, why are we so eager to bid summer goodbye?
Fall is the come-down part of the yearly cycle, and frankly, I think humans are pretty bad at coming down from things. If we look at our modern culture that prioritizes work and hustle, and intentionally slowing down clashes with how we operate in our day-to-day.
When it come to cycles, the coming down often gets missed in real life. We are often eager to rush from one thing to the next, not taking the time to reflect, grieve, celebrate, or acknowledge.
But no good story ends immediately after the climax. In books and movies, the coming down is that magical moment after the action when things can get wrapped up and reflected on. There’s always a bit more to discuss in order to get closure. It’s not always the sexiest part of the plot, but it’s necessary, and the story wouldn’t be what it is without it. This wrap up is necessary for your story, too.
These last few weeks of summer are that uncomfortable time where we can evaluate how our summers went as a whole, whether good or bad, happy or sad, or something in between. This is something we’ve been taught to zoom right through, to simply hop into the next course of action. Launching into a quieter time is uncomfortable. We have to reckon with where we are and plot for what’s next.
The end of summer is that smaller come down before we launch into a whole season themed around wrapping up. For me, fall always feels like the most uncomfortable season because of that feeling of coming down. The days are getting shorter, not longer. The weather is getting colder, which means staying inside more. It often feels like we focus on what we’re losing, not what we’re gaining.
These last weeks of summer force us to draw inward, balancing a less outwardly abundant time with a more inner journey. It’s our true seasonal time of evaluation — one where a slower season gives us the time and resources to mindfully consider where we are and what we want next. And in our culture of go go go, this isn’t something that’s often valued. No wonder I’ve always considered this a season of loss, even though we have the ability to gain so much on the inside. It simply takes intentional and hard work to create that equilibrium.
There is so much to gain from this time; so much to not zoom right through. But we are so ready to jump into all the things of fall — and why? My thought is that it is something new and exciting; the shiny object that distracts us from that inner work that feels hard as heck.
And of course, being in a culture of action, it’s so easy to burn ourselves out. And summer is exhausting. We run ourselves ragged, fitting so much into this short period of time that it’s natural to be exhausted by the end of it.
No matter how exhausted we are, the energetic shift at the end of it is always a shock; a reminder of the inevitability of moving time, that nothing stays as it was forever. As the days get cooler and the days get shorter, there’s a sudden comedown and tapering off that feels deflated compared to the long days and sticky sweet moments in the sun you’ve come to enjoy.
The popularity of the fall aesthetic (see: chunky sweaters, boots, PSLs, fall foliage, and pumpkin patches) has been marketed to what we’re ready to run into after this. All of these fall favorites are symbols of slowing down — intentionally curated outfits, slowly made drinks, and events that feel cozy. It’s slower, but still in a capitalistic, marketable way.
Now, I’m not saying I don’t get excited to pull out my cozy hoodies and make a list of spooky movies I’m ready to watch this season. But there’s still time for reflection and intentional quiet. That quiet and reflection is hard, and isn’t what’s often valued or obvious in our modern world. But if we’re ready to grow, the reflection has to happen. It’s an important part of the cycle, one that can help us intentionally plan what’s next. And before we head into this fall, we can consider what we want for the season ahead now.
We can be ready to dive into our cozy movie nights and warm lattes, and know that the reason we want that is because our minds and bodies are ready to slow down, and that’s something we can embrace if we’re ready for it. There is always a balance to be sought between the external energy and how we are able to grow on the inside — both in the season of fall, and in this strange in-between summer/fall hybrid we’re in now.
Like I talked about last month, humans feel like time moves so quickly. We love to talk about how fleeting time feels, how kids grow up so fast, how we can’t believe it’s already time to go back to school.
It’s not that time is moving any more quickly for us now than it used to. The difference is that as we move into adulthood, we have fewer unique and novel experiences, and our brains compresses the similar, everyday experiences together. Mindfulness and presence is one way to combat this — finding the new and exciting even in the mundane. In noticing the slowness, the slight dip in energy, the tapering of excitement. A tall order, but one that we can do with due effort. And we can start that by embracing this in-between.
If you take anything away from this, it’s that you don’t need to rush into fall. The autumn equinox is on Thursday, September 22 this year — a solid 11 days away. Those 11 days may feel like nothing, but I recommend taking them in stride and at face value — not as the beginning of the next season. Consider some of the questions and reflections below as you wrap up this season — and then step full force into what’s next.
As we head into fall, we’ll have more reflections to come on how to embrace the quiet this season — no matter how weird or uncomfortable it may be. We’ll consider how to bring balance to the festivities of the season, so you can enjoy the bounty that fall has to offer while honoring the undercurrent of rest.
In the meantime, check out the reflections below + a nice end of summer moodboard. Infusing the beginning of calm fall with the feeling of sticking outside, plus images of the pecans that are falling all over my backyard right now ✨ Hope y’all enjoy.
Reflections and questions for the end of summer
What did you do this summer? Make a list.
What goals did you accomplish?
How did you feel, and what did you embody?
What are you most proud of?
What was the most noteworthy event?
What do you want to leave behind?
How can you embrace the quiet and reflection in the fall season ahead?
Be kind to yourself.
Acknowledge what may be fleeting or changing as we head into the next season. Thank it for serving you well.
If you’re feeling the funk, embrace it. This too shall pass.
Other goodness + resources
If you’re looking to get in the in-between mood, I made a late summer && early fall playlist to check out. Enjoy the vibes.
Some late summer && early fall vibes below in this moodboard, too. Embrace the transition, and be in that in between.
