Our fast-paced reality certainly presents time as fleeting, a perpetual clock that is measuring our lives in days, hours, minutes, and seconds. Time has thus become a luxe commodity in society; it is something to be maximized and not wasted. Which activities you invest in, who you afford your time to, and how quickly you achieve, accumulate, and move the needle on your life’s priorities contributes to this ever-burning urgency to continuously perform. In this way, the modern workforce as well as modern family life have become engulfed by the same signature element: anxiety.
Anxiety is the result of a complex interplay of physiological, cognitive, genetic and environment factors. Anxiety is deeply felt in the body as well as the mind especially when the system is in a chronic state of overdrive. Enter modern culture where time is of the essence and the internal mix tape of “Are you done yet? Are we there yet?” is constantly on loop. It is no wonder why both in family and in career burnout in our country is at unyielding rates. The notion of rest as something to be socially celebrated in summer quickly evaporates once we enter the back to school/back to work season. Abruptly and without notice, rest gets deemed unproductive and indulging in it regularly harbors feelings of guilt or selfishness. So, what do we do? We keep peddling. We peddle and push through until society deems it appropriate for us to take the next rest stop—six months for some and up to a year or more for others.
Thankfully, every changing season gifts the opportunity to start anew which can include a renewed way of thinking. Fall is one of the most beautiful yet most shortchanged seasons of all. This season often gets overshadowed by back to work/school activities, fall sports, and a sharp severance from summer lightness to the fiery anxiety. My wise Greek mother always refers to fall as “αδικημένο φθινόπωρο” or “unfairly (treated) autumn”. In the fury of organizing everything from calendars to closets, we easily lose sight of this soothing, hopeful, and majestic season and with it the opportunity before us.
Contrary to belief, fall marks the ultimate reset, not January 1st with its resolutions and catch-all goals. Fall is the season in which nature, the great teacher, is modeling for us that change and transition is a sacred process. Summer does not become winter automatically. Fall is the ultimate usher. The fall season is there to help us acclimate for the upcoming change by dropping the temperatures slowly, shortening the days little by little, watching blossoms change in color methodologically, and witnessing nature prepare for stillness and rest until the spring. And throughout this slow moving yet steady change we find some of the beautiful colors, tastes, and sights of any season. Harvest season.
Nothing in nature teaches us to thrust from the ease of a summer tempo into a frying pan of high anxiety. Although we adopt this lifestyle as normal, it does not have to be at all. In fact, fall teaches us the opposite: that opportunity unfolds slowly. Our Greek culture and heritage teach us the same. In Greece, the end to summer is a slow-moving train. As tourists exit the busy months of July/August, locals savor the beautiful mild weather of September and October, and they reclaim their beaches, cafes, and market places. They exhale from heatwaves and wildfires. They gather intergenerationally for harvest. O Trigos. Fall is filled with gratitude and provision.
This fall, let’s take a page from the ancient Greeks who believed time is not only sequential (chronos) but also opportune (kairos). What are the opportunities this fall can bring to your homes and your families? How can you ease into this transitional period (eukairia) with calm, wisdom, and clarity?
Here’s a simple start:
Savor the slowness of nature. Harvest the beautiful views, colors, and tastes. Fall is the season of comfort. Take time to enjoy the comforts of fall weekly, and I guarantee this will decrease your anxiety.
Embrace the opportunity that intergenerational gatherings bring—our culture is rich in gathering across the generations (from young children to the elderly). These connections afford positive health outcomes including better immunity, heart health, and positive emotions for both young and old.
Give yourself permission to rest. Rest is a supercharger for creativity and productivity. Rest reminds us that we need the simply joys to find rhythm in our lives so that we can walk towards our larger purpose.
Forgive. Often relationships, like the leaves, go through a pruning process. The ones that no longer serve us will fall off or may need letting go. Honor this process with love: forgive shortcomings and give thanks for the purpose it once served.
To a cozy, warm, and opportune Fall!
Xo,
Dr. Evelyn
Evelyn Bilias Lolis, PhD
Dean, School of Education & Human Development, Fairfield University
Educational Psychologist & Mental Health Advocate
Vice President, Hellenic Professional Women, Inc.
Founder, HPW Women’s Wellness Series
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