Oh man, you guys. Fall is in the air. I don’t need to go on and on about how this year is different than previous years. You know that. You’re already thinking about that. Agonizing about the ways in which this year will be different might not be helpful for you (or for me) at this time. So instead of focusing on the obvious, let’s think of ways to make this super weird fall we’re about to embark upon sort of fun, or at least bearable. 

1. Get involved in a fitness challenge. It might be virtual, but it could still be fun, and either way, having a goal is a positive thing. You can still do my 5k on Sunday September 6th if you want, but also pick something for October and November as well. I always do better with my fitness when I have something on the calendar.

2. Get involved in your community, virtual or otherwise. There are LOTS of people in need right now. The election is coming up, and polling centers need volunteers if you’re up for in-person volunteer work. There are Black Lives Matter and Black Voters Matter events. You could do virtual canvassing or volunteer at a phonebank. There are people out of work everywhere who could use help. You could go through your closet and donate old coats, accepted at lots of donation centers this time of year. Get creative. 

3. Rekindle those zoom happy hour meet-ups. At first, it felt like we had a different call with a different friend or group every week, sometimes multiple a week! We felt so popular! And it was so much fun to catch up with friends we hadn’t seen in a long time! Then Zoom meetings became the constant work thing, and sitting on Zoom for another minute, even if it was to see great friends, was less appealing. Think about getting back on the Zoom happy hour train and staying connected to people you care about and who care about you. Reasons we (Husband and I) let it peter out: looking at the computer another second was abhorrent to us; once we got the kids down for bed, we just wanted to sit and silently stare at the tv and not interact with anyone; cleaning our family room so we didn’t look like total slobs seemed like a lot to ask. These are terrible reasons. Come on, Laura. 

4. Get comfortable with being outside in the cooler air. Maybe you’re in the camp that’s tired of hot weather and ready for fall and winter. I am not at all one of those people. I was born and raised in the Midwest, and ok fair, I spent 2 years in Florida and 6 in Virginia, both of which are markedly warmer locations than northern Illinois, but still, you’d think I would be more accepting of the cold. I am not. I rage against the changing seasons EVERY YEAR. But not this year. This year, I am determined to be positive about it. We’re going to hike in some nature preserves. We’re going to tromp through some woods. I’m getting out all of the warm layers to be outside in all of the weathers. We’re getting pumpkins. Like 20 pumpkins. We’re getting a hay bale and some corn stalks for decor. This house is going to be Halloween central, even though I’ve never really gotten into this holiday in the past. But hey, there’s time. Plus, younger son is turning 1 year old in early November, so we’re going to make it the best tiny party he won’t remember. 

5. Plan an adventure. Ok this one might be trickier, but I think it’s worth investigating. I have a friend who is taking her kids on a 2-month cross-country RV trip. That might be a bit much for most. For example, I do not own an RV, so I probably won’t be doing that exact adventure myself, but I want to do something with my family we’ve never done before, like camping … maybe. Or get ice cream in every town in Illinois. Or something like that. I don’t know exactly what you should do for this adventure, but let’s think outside the box this fall. 

Things in the world are difficult and challenging and infuriating right now. Unfortunately, we can only control what we can control. If you have huge influence and can make change on a national scale, that’s great. You should definitely do that. If you have lower level of influence, do what you can, and make the best of the rest. The point of this post is not to say, “Be positive no matter what and hide your head in the sand about world events.” The point is that it’ll be a long fall and winter if we don’t have a change in perspective.

Here are some truths: you and I did not cause this pandemic, but we’re living in it. You and I did not cause racial injustice, but we have to examine our actions and do everything we can to be antiracist in our thoughts and actions going forward. You and I did not cause the political climate to be as divisive as it is, but we have to be thoughtful about finding common ground and solutions. And we’re going to have to live through the next few months before the election and a widely-available vaccine. Facing these challenges with humor and perspective is the healthiest way I can see to make it through the days ahead.