Strategies for September Stress

For those whose lives are impacted by the rhythms of the school calendar, September can be a challenging month. Just like the changing colours leaves remind us, this is a time of transition.

Here are some offerings that may support you through the stress that can surround this time of year.   

Listening to Nature

Autumn is the time of year when nature begins preparing for a time of much needed rest. The plants that have been growing all summer share their final harvests and shed their leaves and seeds. Nature is reminding us that we, too, need to slow down.

This can be challenging when the social world around us is gearing up demands on our lives. There can be a sense of urgency to set up new routines, to get organized and implement systems, to be “on top of” our schedules and the holiday seasons, and to adjust to feeling busy all the time.

When we listen to nature, we can attune to lessons and guidance are right in front of us. Like the trees let go of the leaves, what might we let go of? Like the squirrels storing nuts for the winter, how might we focus on priorities, rather than trying to do it all at once? After a Spring and Summer season of putting out our energy, our bodies are shifting towards a desire to let go of urgency and instead prepare for slowness and rest.

What lesson is nature sharing with you today?

Compassion

When our nervous systems are constantly activated and overstimulated, we are bound to have responses that do not reflect how we want to be in the world. We may snap at people we care about, lose our patience or focus when completing tasks, or find ourselves in hibernation to avoid all the things that feel overwhelming.

Centering compassion means honouring that we are doing our best within the circumstances we are navigating. 

While we often hear about behavioural changes (ex. sleep, food, exercise, grounding exercises, meditation...) that help us to stay regulated, it can be challenging to implement new routines and strategies when we are already feeling stretched thin. Centering compassion means honouring that we are doing our best within the circumstances we are navigating. We will be imperfect, and that’s ok.

Having self-compassion allows us to forgive ourselves when we respond to stress and overwhelm in ways that don’t align with our values. Being compassionate with ourselves, which looks like speaking to and of ourselves with care and understanding, can make it easier to own our mistakes and seek repair if we’ve hurt others. Self-compassion can also look like reassuring ourselves that it’s ok, especially in times of stress, to default to strategies that most easily soothe us. Building our toolkit for getting through hard times is a long term project.

When we hold compassion for others, this can help us practice giving grace and space to those we know are struggling too. We are in this together.

What words of compassion might you share with yourself today?

Sharing Food and Nourishment

There are so many ways that food can facilitate connection, open our hearts, and ground us in a sense that things will be ok-enough. Finding ways to connect with others over food is an opportunity to nourish our bellies and our souls. It reminds us that we are not alone.

The labour of food/meal preparation can be shared, and there can be joy in finding creative ways to connect over food. There are opportunities to connect through PWYC or free community dinners (In “Victoria” you may want to check out Fernwood Community Meal, Queer Community Soup, Trans Family Dinner, Belonging Dinner, to name a few).

Sharing food can be self-organized too. If you have capacity and cooking brings you joy, you can host a meal. If socializing feels tiring, you can drop food off to your unhoused, disabled, and isolated neighbours. We can share this work by collaborating with others to prepare a meal or exchange prepared meals. We can remember to connect with COVID cautious and immunocompromised friends by scheduling times to eat together over Zoom.

What are you harvesting, in your heart and from the earth, this season?