Fall Capsule Lifestyle: Back to the Basics Edition
π AKA "The Highly Sensitive Person's Guide to Autumn." Let's dial it back to the essentials.
Welcome to The Seasonalist, a happy place to land, where youβll find all things seasonal and seasonal-adjacent (books, movies, food, and fun) from Austin, Texas. π€ If youβd like to subscribe, click below.
βI am struck by the simplicity of light in the atmosphere in the autumn, as if the earth absorbed none, and out of this profusion of dazzling light came the autumnal tints.ββHenry David Thoreau
The latest entrant into the Attention Economy is unfortunately, seasonal living.
My raison dβΓͺtre is to spread the joy of seasonal living. Except. Is anyone else feeling a little bit icky about this autumn season being βtoo much?β Seasonal living is my passionβbut as a highly sensitive person (HSP) with ADHDβmy mind is spinning with information overload.
Shall we reclaim the Autumn Season on our terms? Slow, Simple, Joyful.
Iβve already written about under-consumption this fall, but I think the next step is taking things off of the calendar. Rather than trying to check off the β100 Things to Do This Fall!β lists circulating βletβs pick a few things, actually experience them, and most of all, find meaning and joy.
Iβm picking a few areas to focus on for my autumn experiences. Letβs circle back to the βcapsule wardrobeβ movement, but make it an autumnal capsule lifestyle. Fewer, but better.
The Seasonalistβs Autumn Capsule Life
Wardrobe
Living in Austin, Texas, my fall wardrobe is summer clothing, but in fall colors. I pull out the brown, green, yellow, and orange t-shirts.π€£
Books
I love all the book lists, but Iβm overloaded. Pick 3 books you want to read this fall season, and leave it at that. Iβm not into magic and witches, so this is my short and doable list. βCanβt Help Falling in Loveβ by Sophie Sullivan, βPumpkin Spice & Everything Niceβ by Katie Ciatelli-Kuc, and I am just now starting one of the books of summer, βGod of the Woodsβ by Liz Moore.
Movies/Television Comfort Watches
Confession: I have never seen Dan in Real Life (remedying immediately), I havenβt seen When Harry Met Sally in 20 years, and I watched the Gilmore Girls the first time around, so itβs been awhile. All 3 are on my To Watch this fall.
Food
My goals are to make the worldβs greatest pumpkin cookies (link below). I make a giant bowl of soup every week (follow along every Friday with the recipe and report), and I will dabble in some chili this fall, accompanied by this cornbread.
Experiences/Play
The plan is to stop by a local Oktoberfest celebration, buy a pumpkin (and cook it!), and visit a spooky bar.
Music
Music is my love languageβso my Spotify feed will be full of fall vibes and spooky playlists.
Are you with me? We can fight back. Stop scrolling, stop buying, and start experiencing the autumn season. Stop watching strangers make elaborate desserts and start making cookies yourself. Share them with friends. Listen to music, curl up with a book, and watch a movie. Enough is enough.
Letβs take back Autumn from the Attention Economy.
Whatβs on your tiny Autumn Capsule Experience list?
One of my favorite Substacks, Brittanyβs Notebook, has started a new series called A Simple Thingββa weekly series designed to introduce small but impactful actions we can implement to enhance our day-to-day lives.β YES!
I was motivated to watch βDan in Real Lifeβ by summer watching: the perfect film for turning towards autumn from Seasonal Things.
Fight back! Lost in the Scroll: The Hidden Impact of The Attention Economy.
The mother of the capsule wardrobe movement, Project 333.
I appreciate this so much! I donβt need a list of 100 things Iβll never get to, I need just those few things that I will actually do. My fall basics will be a walk by the Mississippi when there are peak fall colors, rereading the Night Circus, making my favorite autumn salad, and now youβve just inspired me to add pumpkin cookies to the short list. Yum!
I love this slow, simple, joyful inspiration! I'm newish (last couple of weeks) to finding your Substack and have been so enjoying reading your words. While I love all of the seasons and am thankful I live somewhere (NS) that gets to experience all of the seasons, there really is something about Fall! ππ₯°