An Analog Autumn: 10 Small Rituals for a Slower Season

Autumn's warm glow and cooler weather are something I embrace every year. It's the season that begs us to slow down, to do things by hand, and to notice the changes around us and in ourselves. In my experience, a calmer mind leads to new dreams and fresh excitement over what I already have in front of me.                                                                     
But all too often I miss this chance to reset. School schedules and the busyness of the holidays creep in, and my good intentions get dicey. What helps me most are analog things: simple, screen-free habits that cue me to slow down. Disconnecting from the noise around me is what lets me see and enjoy each season. So here are 10 analog autumn rituals, simple fall activities I use to breathe deeper and notice the season settling in around me.

10 Analog Autumn Rituals

1. Handwrite a Letter

This is something I've always loved, no matter the time of year. I've always loved getting real mail in my mailbox. It's as if someone slid a little slice of themselves into an envelope and came to sit with me and my cup of tea for a few minutes. It takes conscious effort to sit down and write to someone, but when I write a letter by hand, I slow down enough to say what I've really been thinking instead of dashing off a hurried digital message.

2. Take a Nature Walk 

Noticing the changes in nature on an autumn walk can help us feel more okay with the changes in our own lives. Trees can be green and beautiful for months, burst into a riot of color, and then stand barren for months on end. Watching that cycle reminds me it's okay to have seasons of productivity and seasons of rest in my own life, too.

3. Plan a Slow Weekend

Setting aside a weekend to "take it slow," with no plans, good food, and the people you love, is a luxury we don't carve out time for often enough. Resting and doing simple things instead of planning complicated activities can give us a reset and help us avoid burnout. If you'd like help, I made a free resource, the Slow Weekend Planner. You can get it by signing up here!

4. Set the Table in the Middle of the Week

Don't underestimate the power of using the good china! Or maybe not even fancy china but dishes that you love the color of or the design on them. Every time you pull out and use the things you love, you're telling yourself and your family, "We have a good and beautiful life, and we're enjoying it to the fullest!" This simple act breeds gratitude and contentment in what we already have. 

5. Read One Whole Book in a Month

There is nothing like a real paper-and-ink book. Nothing says analog and slow living more than reading and writing. Entertainment has become so video-heavy that it's hard to imagine things for ourselves. Use your creative muscles by reading something you've never seen as a movie, and let the words on the page guide your own experience of the story.

6. Wrap a Gift Even When You Don't Have To

Have you ever had someone take special care over something just for you? It makes you feel special, doesn't it? When someone wraps a gift for me in pretty paper, I feel like they're excited to give it to me. Even a small gift gets elevated by the effort, and doing the same for someone else brings a glow of kindness that's hard to beat.

7. Send a Card "Just Because"

You never know what someone is going through. If you've had someone on your mind, maybe there's a reason. So often, I'll have someone pop into my mind and then I'll find out later that right when I would have been thinking of them they were going through something. Reaching out on beautiful stationery with a simple "I've been thinking of you" or "How are you doing?" can make a world of difference.

8. Begin a Simple Journaling Habit

I'll be honest: I've never been good at keeping a daily journal. I forget, and before I know it, it's sitting on the shelf half finished (honestly, not even half). Lately I've been thinking about an "overview journal" instead: sitting down once a week, or once a month, to write down the highlights. I suspect it will help me remember what I've been up to rather than letting everything pass in a blur.

9. Cook Something That Takes a Long Time

Slow-simmering sauces, tender roasts, homemade pasta… I rarely make things I know will take a long time. But when I do, the satisfaction runs deep. The flavors are rich, the smell tantalizes me all day, and somehow it makes me feel I've lived the day well. When I have the time, I love making Cornish pasties, the perfect cozy autumn meal, especially around a campfire. Here's the recipe I use.

10. Have a Conversation with Family and Friends

Your loved ones are the best thing in your life. Make a pot of rich hot chocolate with real whipped cream on the side, gather around a crackly fire, and talk about the things you love, new things you've learned and how your latest projects are going. Keep it simple and save the deep life conundrums for later. Just enjoy each other, the cooler air, the beautiful light of autumn, and the fact that you get to live it all together.

Embrace an Analog Autumn

Slipping into these analog habits is a gesture of love toward the life we have, and it brings daily contentment in a subtle, unforced way. This autumn, we can head into our days knowing there's always something to look forward to when we look up and notice the good that's already around us.

I'd love to hear what you decide to do this autumn to slow down, see the season, and enjoy yourself right where you are. Comment below to tell me what you're doing (or thinking of doing).

May your autumn be full of everyday magic,