Do you live in a climate or culture that is totally opposite to what you grew up in?

I didn’t grow up in Savannah, Ga. I grew up in Cincinnati, Oh. Every year when I flip the calendar over to October I find myself a little homesick for fall. As a kid I remember October in Ohio to be magical, and I find myself wanting my kids to know and experience that same magic. I remember visiting a new farm every weekend, taking hayrides, sipping hot apple cider with a chill in the air, and colorful leaves surrounding you. However, fall in the deep south is well, different. My kids experience a very different type of fall and I am realizing that I should be embracing this “season.” I’m learning that there are new traditions and memories that can be created with my family that are unique to us, and that can be magical too.

Last year in an attempt to do something that reminded me of Ohio fall, I dragged my family 2 hours north to the most authentic farm I could find. It was supposed to be less than 90 degrees too, so I thought I was winning. When we arrived, the magic stopped when I saw a line as long as the eye could see waiting to get in. As we waited, I could feel the temperature rising quickly and I had to slowly start peeling off my fall farm gear. Away went my scarf, I questioned my choice of boots, and then my flannel shirt ended up around my waist. I wanted to cry. This isn’t what fall “should” be, but I put on a happy face and tried to enjoy this “fake fall” farm experience.

This year, while I may still drag my family to the most authentic farm experience I can find, I want to experience southern fall a little differently. Last weekend, instead of fighting the 90 degree weather we decided to go to the beach. As soon as we stepped onto the sand, a sweet thought came over me…this is the magic of fall in the south, less crowds, and low…er humidity. Oh my gosh, I almost shocked myself with that thought…I was enjoying southern fall!

Later that week, I was listening to Lindy Green Johnson, A Therapist and Trauma Educator that I follow on Instagram talk about your “Inner Voice.” She says,

“we all have an inner voice that may keep us stuck if we are not aware of it.”

Everyone has an inner voice (not talking about hearing voices which is something different), are you paying attention to what your inner voice is saying? It got me thinking, oh my gosh…my inner voice is very negative about fall here in the south. Then I thought, what have I missed seeing/experiencing that is special and unique to fall where I live because I’m so obsessed with the way fall should be? I needed to start being more aware of my inner voice, particularly checking to see if it was negative a lot. I want to be proactive with my thoughts, and not allow untrue or negative thinking affect my attitude. A few things came to mind that I thought were unique and special to fall in the south: like oyster roast season and festivals every weekend.

And so, I made a conscious decision to make fall more about creating new memories and traditions with my family. I’ve lived here for 6 years now, it was time to embrace where I live, and learn some new fall traditions. So, this fall i’m going to learn how to throw an oyster roast…it’s something that is unique to where I live and something I want to learn! (Fun fact: oyster roast season is basically any month with an "R” in it. Usually September-April.)

How about you, have you been feeling down about where you live? What is unique to your town, and how can you embrace it this fall? Do you pay attention to your inner voice? Is your inner voice keeping you stuck because you aren’t aware of it?

Will you join me in looking for beauty where you live this week? I’ve created a hashtag for social media (#lsblovewhereyoulive) so we can all share what beauty we have found in our town, and be encouraged and inspired to do the same.

You can find it on my social media pages:

Instagram

Facebook

***Seasonal changes can be hard. If you find yourself emotionally or mentally stuck and unable to get unstuck, the bravest thing you can do is to seek out professional help. Start with talking to your Primary Care Doctor about how you are feeling.***