Moving past the heat and shifting expectations as the seasons change
The approaching cooler weather reminds me to listen to my body more closely
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There’s something about the first signs of cooler weather that makes me pause and feel alive again. The days are getting shorter, the mornings feel a little different, and the air finally has a hint of crispness. After months of central Texas heat, it’s comforting to know that cooler weather is on its way.
But the changing seasons also bring a little more awareness of my body and how I feel.
Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) has taught me that change is not always something I can simply move through without thinking about it. Sometimes, I have to pay closer attention to what my body is telling me. I have learned to notice the small things — the days when I have more energy, the days when I need to slow down, and the moments when I have to adjust my expectations of what I thought I would accomplish.
Slowing down for fall
I am thinking about that idea of adjustment as things cool down.
There is a temptation to see a new season as a fresh start and immediately make a list of everything I should do, accomplish, or change. I have done this many times before. A new season can feel like an invitation to catch up, get organized, be productive, and make the most of every day. But MS has reminded me that I don’t have to measure a season by how much I accomplish. Sometimes, making the most of a season looks like slowing down for it.
It might mean spending a little longer wrapped in a blanket on a cool morning. It might mean enjoying a warm drink, taking a walk when my body feels up to it, or simply appreciating that I have made it through another cruel summer. It might mean saying no to something because I know I need the rest more than I need to prove that I can keep going.
Fall also reminds me that change doesn’t have to be scary. We don’t have to figure everything out immediately, and we don’t have to enter a new season as a completely different person. We can carry the lessons, struggles, accomplishments, and memories from the previous season and allow them to become part of what comes next.
The approaching cooler weather reminds me to listen to myself a little more closely and to recognize that rest is not something I have to earn. It also lets me appreciate the days that feel good without worrying about when they might change, and gives me permission to have difficult days without believing they erase my progress.
Fall has always felt like a season of transition. This year, I am trying to let it remind me that transitions can be gentle, too. So as the cooler weather approaches, I am not making a promise to do more. I am simply promising to be kinder to myself, and maybe that is exactly what I need this season.
Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.
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