Fall Sips: Sitting With Emotion

Sitting with our feelings in cozy spaces can help

Any change of season opens up a different level of introspection for us. As the crisp air rolls in and leaves begin their slow descent to the ground, fall offers us a natural opportunity to turn inward. The season itself is a quiet nudge toward reflection — a pause between summer’s high energy and winter’s deep stillness. With that pause often comes emotions: old ones surfacing, new ones whispering. Instead of brushing them aside, what if you chose to sit with them?

Here are five compassionate ways to sit with your emotions this fall — no fixing, no forcing — just being.

1. Take a Walk Sitting with Your Emotions

Not all emotional processing needs to happen in stillness or even in quiet. A slow, mindful walk through nature can give your emotions space to breathe. You could prioritize going somewhere special or if that feels overwhelming, take a nice stroll through your neighborhood or office. As you wander through fallen leaves and under golden canopies, let your thoughts rise without judgment. The goal is not finding answers — just practicing presence. Feel the wind, notice the smells of the season, and let your emotions walk beside you like a quiet companion.

Try this: On your next walk, pick one feeling you’ve been avoiding. Silently name it. Let it join you for a bit.

2. Journal in the Glow of Candlelight

There’s something grounding about writing in the dim light of a candle. Journaling can be a sacred space to pour out what’s sitting heavy on your heart — especially during a season that invites introspection. Take the pressure off, again, of finding answers and more approach it as a time to be curious about your emotions.

Try this: Set aside 10 minutes on one morning or evening. Light a candle that is super cozy. Ask yourself, “What emotion has been trying to get my attention?”  or "If my emotions were colors, what would they be?" or "If my emotions were animals, which ones would be the biggest/calmest/loudest?" .

3. Name and Normalize What You’re Feeling

One of the most powerful tools in emotional wellness is simply naming what you feel. “I feel sad.” “I feel anxious.” “I feel tender.” By naming your emotions, it clears the cloud of confusion that can hang around certain experiences of emotion. Giving your feelings a name takes them out of the shadows and brings them into your conscious care.

Fall can stir up grief, nostalgia, or even loneliness. That’s okay. Those are valid responses to change — and change is the very essence of fall.

Try this: Keep a list of feeling words nearby (search for an “wheel of emotion" if needed). When you feel overwhelmed, pause and pick the one that resonates. Say it out loud.

4. Use Seasonal Rituals to Anchor You

Drinking tea, lighting incense, baking something warm — these small rituals can become anchors when emotions feel big. You don’t need grand gestures; you need rhythms. Emotional waves feel less destabilizing when you have grounding rituals in place.

Try this: Pick one ritual to practice daily — a morning chai, an evening stretch, a five-minute breath session by the window. Let it become a container for whatever you’re feeling.

5. Sit in Stillness — But Not Alone

Sometimes, the hardest part about emotions is feeling alone with them. Consider sharing space with someone you trust. This doesn’t mean venting or problem-solving. It means sitting side-by-side in mutual presence. A shared silence. A simple acknowledgment. Watch a movie, make dinner together, do homework. Something that brings community while not having to be focused on emotions unless it comes up naturally.

Try this: Invite a friend or partner to sit quietly with you — no phones, no talking, maybe just tea. Let the silence be a form of support.

Fall doesn’t ask us to bloom. It asks us to let go, to turn inward, to slow down. It’s the season of permission — to feel, to grieve, to notice. Sitting with your emotions doesn’t have to be a heavy or dramatic act. It can be gentle. It can be quiet. It can even be beautiful.

So this fall, may you create space to meet your emotions like old friends returning home — not to fix, but simply to sit with them.