Nothing beats a crisp, fall morning. One way to lower your stress and feel more content with your day is to enjoy small moments that allow you to stay in the present. Enjoying a morning routine is one way to do this. I’d like to share some of things I’ve been doing on fall mornings. They’re often the highlight of my day and as a writer, they help keep me inspired and motivated.

I hope these help inspire you to take some time to enjoy the fall days (If you aren’t already. If you’ve got a killer morning routine, definitely let me know about it in the comments!).

Making a morning tea. I admit that I make morning tea during all the seasons, but there’s something extra special about fall. You can look out the window as you sip your tea and see the colourful leaves as the rain patters against the window. It’s one of those settings that calms and inspires me at the same time. Even if you have a busy day ahead, taking a bit of time to sip some morning tea/coffee/hot chocolate can add a dose of zen to your day.

Bundling up with a book and tea. While fall is a season where I LOVE going on walks, there’s no denying that it’s also the perfect season to bundle up and read a book while sipping on a hot beverage. Now that cafes are open, you can head out to your favourite local coffee shop and enjoy a good read there.

Grabbing a hot beverage from a café and taking a walk. There’s just something about grabbing a hot drink and going for a long walk to look at the leaves. Even if it’s a rainy day, it can be soothing to grab an umbrella and go on a leisurely walk. I realize not everyone likes the rain, but I do, so this is the season where I feel most at peace when I go outside.

Going for a morning nature walk. I’m really lucky to live close to a big park – well, it’s about 40 minutes away to walk or I can take a bus which is about the same amount of time to see one of the forests on the North Shore. The forest is never far from where I live and at this time of year, the area can get foggy, which is beautiful and soothing for me.

Taking pictures of autumn landscapes. Whether it’s a sunny or a grey day, those autumn leaves just pop. There’s nothing like stopping and enjoying them – picking up a few leaves and examining the colours, taking photos of them, taking some home to use them for craft projects, etc. This activity can be really meditative and relaxing.

Enjoying a later sunrise. I admit that I’m not a natural early riser (Beauty sleep and later work days are my policy), but every so often, I love getting up to watch the sunrise. The fall months give you a later sunrise so you don’t have to wake up so early to see it. They can be quite striking and they’re, of course, a lovely way to start your day. Your mood will be on a high for hours after seeing one.

Writing in a café. I’ve probably written most of my stories in cafes over the years. It’s a great space to be productive. You’re in public, so you have that feel of going out, yet you’re not directly socializing with others. If a coffee shop has a chill vibe or a unique character, it can be a nice place to write at. This is one of the things I’ve missed the most during Covid time. I got used to writing at home during the pandemic. I look forward to writing in cafes more often again. It’s something I really enjoy.