August, though it’s the end of the summer, also very much feels like the heart of it. The sun keeps shining brighter and hotter and you can feel a seasonal shift about to start. The sunsets get a little bit earlier, you start to hear from your kid’s school administration, and you’re internally toggling between last vacations and prepping for the fall. It would be easy to dive in headfirst to fall. But there is another option to linger in summer while easing into the next season with a sense of purpose and ease. The final stretch of summer doesn’t have to be a gauntlet, it can be an easy shift and a moment to reset.
So in today’s journal, we’re sharing a few end-of-summer rest and reset self-care routines to help guide you as you wind down the season, shift gears to what’s ahead, and make sure you don’t miss any of the present moment in the meantime. Think of it as your ritual for re-entry. Wrap up in your favorite washable silk kimono robe, grab your favorite tea, and settle in for a routine that grounds you instead of flustering you. Your summer (and you) deserve it.
Photo by Ashley Streff
Stick With Your Meditation Practice (Even When the Tempo Picks Up)
When the fall routine speeds everything up, your mind doesn't have to match it. Now’s the time to stay with your meditation practice, even if that means evolving it. Maybe your mornings are more rushed or shorter, or your evenings are a blur and you slam into your pillow before you can say the word ‘meditate’. Embrace whatever moment you find yourself in. You can do this by anchoring your meditation to something tangible. For instance, connect your meditation practice to the moment your washable silk kimono robe slides over your shoulders. Or, when you’re at the sink with your face stone roller, or slipping your washable silk sleeping eye mask over your eyes, take just a few minutes to breathe in, breathe out, and meditate.
Summer’s slower pace may have made it easier to sit in stillness as a practice, and fall may require a little more intention. But the benefits — clarity, calm, focus — are not seasonal, you always need them. So slip into your washable silk kimono robe as a luxurious meditation uniform and invitation to turn inward.
Photo by Ashley Streff
Change Up Your Movement Routine to Reflect the Season
Your exercise and movement regimen can shift with the seasons, too. The sun-soaked tennis courts and hours-long nature walks of July might soon transform into indoor dance cardio sessions, cozy yoga flows, or even strength training under string lights in your backyard. Allow the shift in season to give you permission to listen to your body as it tells you what it needs. Ask yourself if you crave more high intensity sweat or more consistency? Do you need a rhythmic routine or planned restoration? Pull on your maxi kimono dress after a slow-flow yoga class, or drape yourself in your kimono clothing while stretching in the morning light. You’ll feel more energized and more confident in your own body when your movement reflects your mood and works with you to create the life you want each day.
Photo by Augie Chang
Reset Your Routines and Space After Traveling
Even the best vacations leave a bit of a mess with suitcases half-unpacked, laundry piling up, and your morning rituals forgone for cleaning out the refrigerator and other tasks that need to get done. Rather than rushing to catch up, take this time to intentionally reset your space with the same ease and elegance you express in your style. Renew the feel of your bedroom with fresh linens, open the windows throughout the house each morning, and set the tone in your bathroom with items that feel intentional: a face stone roller at the sink, your favorite washable silk kimono robe hanging as a piece of art on the back of the door, and your matching washable silk sleeping eye mask tucked into a drawer for moments of deep rest. Revisit your daily routines like you revisit your wardrobe as the season changes: keep what works, let go of what doesn’t. Let your space reflect the structure and serenity you need in this new season.
Photo by Ashley Streff
Start a Sleep Routine That Aligns with the Fall Schedule
Let’s be honest: your sleep schedule probably went haywire over the summer. And if you have kids going back to school, your own rhythm is about to get a major makeover, as you well know. Don’t wait until the night before the first day of classes to make the shift, start in early August. Set a gentle bedtime, ideally an hour earlier than your summer norm, but you can start with just 15 minutes at a time. Encourage yourself towards sleep by slipping into your favorite kimono clothing to signal your brain it’s time to wind down. Use your face stone roller with a cooling serum before bed, and slip on your washable silk sleeping eye mask to block out lingering light and give your body the permission to let go into sleep. Let the ritual feel luxurious so you’re more apt to stick with it. Think of your sleep routine as a return to the version of yourself who feels most restored, most grounded, and most at peace.
Photo by Ashley Streff
Take Intentional Mid-Day Breaks (And Actually Rest)
It’s tempting to go straight from one task to the next, especially once the fall hustle kicks in and you’re jolted back to the reality of emails and schedules and deadlines as everyone comes back from vacation. But your brain and body need regular breaks to function at full capacity. Carve out 15–20 minutes during your day to take a pause. Your pause isn’t a time to scroll your phone, it’s a time to sip something warm and delicious and take a short stretch. It’s a time to reapply your facial mist and take 10 deep breaths. It’s a chance for you to lay down with your washable silk sleeping eye mask for 10 minutes and feel a wave of calm come over you, even if you don’t fall asleep. Wrap yourself in your favorite kimono clothing, even just for a moment to remind yourself how to let go. Let that midday pause be a conscious choice to recharge.
Your end-of-summer rest and reset self-care routine doesn’t have to be arduous and all-encompassing. Just a few moments of intention (and your favorite maxi kimono dress) can go a long way to refiling your cup.
