With my kids back in school (albeit online) and the leaves changing colors, it definitely feels like the beginning of fall. The change in seasons feels like a natural time to reassess what is and isn’t working in my daily routine. Since change is in the air, I’ve been thinking a lot about a few habits I’d like to refresh for better natural living.

Whenever I take stock of my habits, I reflect on them by asking myself these four questions:

What is the habit I want to change?
What does this habit give me?
What can I replace it with?
What actions will I take to enact this change?

Here are a few simple but powerful habits I’m refreshing this fall in order to adopt a more natural lifestyle. I hope these changes will help me reconnect with nature, calm my mind and body, and make environmentally-conscious choices.

Instead of... immediately grabbing my phone as soon as I wake up.

I’m going to... journal and enjoy a cup of tea.

I’m definitely guilty of checking my phone as soon as I wake up in the morning. It’s terrible! But as soon as my alarm goes off, I grumble about getting up early, roll over, grab my phone from the side table, and check my email, any messages I may have missed overnight, Instagram, Facebook, and my news app. This all happens in the span of a few minutes, but it’s a habit I can’t shake off!

Scrolling through notifications and reading texts gives me the feeling of energy and connection, but flooding my brain with all this information right when I get out of bed actually makes me feel stressed out and overwhelmed. To replace this habit, I plan to leave my phone in a different room when I sleep and create the new habit of journaling and enjoying a cup of tea in the morning. This way, I can start my day feeling energized, grounded, and connected to my thoughts -- before I check my phone.

Instead of... sitting at my laptop all day.

I’m going to... schedule breaks to go on walks.

In the time of near-constant Zoom meetings, emails, and remote work, I find myself working at my laptop nearly all day, every day! This certainly gives me the feeling of productivity and flow, but I feel so drained and zoned-out by the end of the day.

I love running my small business from home, but in order to feel more awake throughout the day, I’ve decided to schedule small breaks to go for walks around my neighborhood. By stretching my legs, enjoying the crisp fall air, and reconnecting with the beautiful Carmel nature around me, this new habit can help me feel more motivated, refreshed, and productive when I return to my desk.

Instead of... using traditional household cleaners.

I’m going to... switch to effective all-natural alternatives.

My cabinet is full of typical cleaners like disinfectant wipes, cleaning sprays, and synthetic laundry detergents. I love keeping a fresh and clean home, but after learning about the harsh ingredients present in many of these cleaners, I wanted to find alternative cleaners that are truly safe.

This fall, I plan to make my own household cleaners using simple ingredients like white vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap. I feel particularly inspired by Good Housekeeping’s list of homemade cleaners, which are highly effective and scented using plant-based ingredients. I’m excited to get into the habit of keeping a fresh and clean home the natural way!

Instead of... buying and preparing the same foods I ate all summer.

I’m going to... embrace seasonal produce.

Don’t get me wrong, I love eating cucumbers and peaches in fall and winter as much as anyone! Summer fruits and vegetables taste so bright and sunshiney, they’re hard to give up as the days grow shorter.

The problem is, the cucumbers probably traveled 3000 miles from a farm in South Florida and the peaches may have been shipped from somewhere as far away as South America. Unfortunately, when we eat out-of-season produce, more miles means more pollution from transport vehicles.

Eating seasonally is closely tied with eating locally. If you’re buying produce that’s grown near where you live, you’re likely buying produce that’s in season! One major benefit to this is increased nutritional value. Another is diversity in your diet, which can be a fun way to embrace seasonal changes. And of course, eating seasonally and locally helps support local farmers in your community, especially if you shop at your local farmers market.

This fall, I’m embracing squash, leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and more — here’s a handy guide to autumnal seasonal produce.

What habits do you plan to refresh this fall? Let us know in the comments below!

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4 Simple Habits for Natural Living This Fall