Fall is a time of transition. Many people find themselves craving a break in the routine after the chaos and heat of summer — especially before the cold of winter sets in in so many places.

Brrrrr!

The good news is that you don’t have to change everything come fall to feel refreshed. A few small adjustments can make a big difference in your mindset! If you’re feeling the urge to make some changes, there’s plenty you can do to take advantage of this beautiful season, reinvigorate yourself, and feel refreshed before winter comes.

Here are some ways you can add a few of our bulldog fall favorites into your life, whether you want to make big or small changes this season. 

Explore new places

Fall is a great time of year to travel, especially if you’re coming to the end of a crazy heat wave! There are many locations that are especially beautiful this time of year and that can be reached with a road trip or flight.

Here are some fall favorites for travel destinations in the United States.

New England: New England is perfect for history buffs, and its climate makes it beautiful in the fall. As the leaves change, the rural communities and farms make for picturesque scenes that will look great in your Instagram pics. New England is also one of the best areas to go apple picking in the fall. There are lots of  other delicious seasonal foods fresh from the farm that you’ll want to try!

The Southwest: Peaceful deserts and gorgeous rock formations offer a wonderful backdrop for recharging during the change of seasons. Summer can be chaotic, and taking time to explore the Southwestern United States will help you relax, take in beautiful new sights, and return home rested.

Florida: Known for its beautiful coastline, Florida is super fun for a visit in the fall. While the rest of the country is starting to face cooler temperatures, Florida stays warm and beautiful. If you want to feel reinvigorated, the warm waters and sunny days of Florida are a good place to start.

The Pacific Northwest: It may be chilly in this region in the fall, but visiting at this time of year is a good way to feel cozy and comforted before the cold winter months. It’s still warm enough to enjoy the beautiful outdoors, but cool enough to go back to a cabin and sit by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa at the end of the day.

Experiment with new fall favorite recipes 

Food is another good way to switch up the routine! Whether you’re making brand new foods and recipes or updating your favorite classics, your menu gives you a chance to explore new things this season. 

Fall is a time for hearty, comforting meals, so when you look for fall favorite foods, you’re sure to find recipes that will satisfy your hunger and make you feel good. Here are some suggestions…

Local seasonal produce: Any food fresh from the farm is going to taste better and offer better nutrition. Local farmers markets are a great place to get delicious fall favorite foods to stock your kitchen. Not only will you be able to support your local farmers, but you’ll be able to get the best the earth has to offer this fall. Let the local produce guide your recipes to give you new food experiences.

Hearty stews: Fall is a wonderful time of year for hearty stews full of meat and vegetables. The warm creaminess paired with filling ingredients will stick with you all day! Use seasonal produce from the farmers market to fill your stew. Don’t be afraid to include ingredients you don’t normally use. One of the great things about stews is that you can mix and match ingredients so it’s different every time you make it. Remember that whole thing about variety being the spice of life?

Adapt fall favorite recipes for new flavors: Some foods — like apples — are simply known as fall foods… but that doesn’t mean you can’t use fall favorite foods to make recipes that will become new favorites! Instead of making a traditional apple pie, try making caramel apple muffins. Add your own twist to old favorites. Invigorate those taste buds. You might find something that’s bound to be a hit at a holiday potluck!

Adopt new fall fashion favorites to change up your look

Fashion reboots every season, so use the changing weather as a signal to update your fall look. Peep your local boutiques to get inspired by new trends this season. What can you add to your aesthetic? Even if you don’t go for a full transformation, you can can use fall 2019 fashion trends to give you some ideas to bring home to your own wardrobe.

Western-inspired fashion: From cowboy hats to Western-inspired boots to snakeskin patterns, Western-inspired fashion is among the fall 2019 fashion trends dominating runways and boutiques this season. Take this opportunity to channel your inner rodeo champion and add a few pieces to your wardrobe that bring Western fun to your look.

Hair accessories: Clips and barrettes are more popular than ever this season, and people are also coming back to scrunchies! Scrunchies have (thankfully) come a long way since the ‘80s, and you can now get them in every pattern, color, and fabric. If you want to update your fashion with fall favorites, don’t forget to include hair accessories.

‘70s styles: Boutiques everywhere are offering styles reminiscent of the 1970s — flare-leg jeans, plaid, and oversized belt buckles, plus some looser, flowing silhouettes. If you loved ‘70s style, this fall will be a great season for your wardrobe! 

‘90s looks: The ‘70s isn’t the only decade making a comeback. More current fashions are looking like the ‘90s, too, featuring square-neck tops, oversized denim, and Doc Martens. Draw on your inner grunge and update your wardrobe with hot pieces this fall.

Update your boring exercise routine

It may not be the most exciting kind of change, but making adjustments to your exercise routine is a good way to keep yourself motivated in achieving health and wellness goals. Plus, you can get ahead of all the delicious treats that are to come this holiday by focusing on making good progress this fall. Here are a few fall favorites you can incorporate into your exercise routine this year… 

Take advantage of beautiful weather: It may have been too hot to go on long walks or to jog in the mornings for the last few months, but the weather is starting to cool off, giving you the chance to be outside more. Take daily walks (or runs) or do your normal exercise routine outside to give yourself a change without changing everything all at once. Look for parks or walking paths locally — you can even use the opportunity to see more of what your community has to offer!

Team up with friends for accountability. Even if you don’t exercise with a friend, holding each other accountable can be a good way to make sure you’re hitting your health and wellness goals, including sticking to your schedule. Teaming up with a friend also gives you someone you can talk to about your progress to get encouragement and even help overcome obstacles. You might even find that challenging each other is a good way to help keep you motivated to achieve your health goals!

Look for a new version of your regular exercise routine. If you have an exercise routine that’s working for your body, you don’t necessarily want to change it up and feel like you’re starting from scratch. Instead of fully changing your routine, look for a new way to do what you already like. For example, instead of sticking with traditional yoga if you feel like you’re in a rut, try some sessions with us at bulldog yoga for a totally new experience, if you haven’t already! Use our Yoga Class Calculator to figure out where to start. 

Now take our fall favorites and have fun with them!

Whether you want to make big changes to your routines or you’re only worried about the top fall 2019 TV shows premiere dates, this is a good season for exploration. This time of transition gives you the opportunity to try new things and settle into a new routine for winter before setting goals for the new year. 

You don’t need to change everything you do, but by looking for fall favorites that stand out to you, you can reinvigorate and refresh yourself so that you’re ready for whatever comes your way in the future.

So maybe you’ll have a nice trip… and we’ll see you next fall : )

Tell us about your fall favorites on Instagram (Boulder | Villanova) or over on our Boulder and Villanova Facebook pages! 

***You can get the bulldog experience anywhere, anytime with our online classes or via our app (App store | Google Play)! Don’t forget to subscribe to the bulldog blog so you can get e-mail notifications about every new post.***

Featured image: Jakob Owens/Unsplash; Road image: Joel & Jasmin Førestbird/Unsplash; Apple image: Tim Mossholder/Unsplash

Leaf image: Evelyn Mostrom/Unsplash