The late summer season feels different from the rest of the summer. The evenings become cooler, darkness falls earlier, and nature starts preparing for the upcoming changes.
Instead of planning the last summer days, contemplate spending some time alone. If you dedicate at least a few summer activities to solitude, you will turn them into a kind of ritual.
You will not need any special retreat for this. It can be anything from watching the sunset to writing a letter to your future self.
1. Watch One Sunset Without Taking A Picture
Pick a day to observe the sunset alone. Turn your phone off and do not try to document everything at that moment.
Pay attention to how quickly colors are changing, how the warmth of the sun disappears, and how quiet it has become.
Use this time to think about something that you would like to forget before summer is over. Imagine that whatever you do not want to think about disappears together with the sunset.
2. Take A Walk At The Edge Of Evening
Go for a walk during that time of the day when everything is peaceful. Do not try to choose the best and the quickest routes.
When you walk, take time to observe your environment around you: windows, trees, voices, insects, and the cooling breeze in the air.
In fact, many religions regard walking as a type of meditation because moving helps your mind calm down. When you are walking outside, you can think about new perspectives and solutions to your problems.
3. Write Down What This Summer Changed In You
Get the notebook and write about yourself at the beginning of summer and who you are now at the end of summer. Do not make a list of what you have done.
Rather, think about what happened in your mind. Maybe you stopped wanting something, became close to someone, found out about your new fear, or finally came up with a new understanding of a previous situation.
Late August is the perfect moment for reflection because it symbolizes the ending of summer. In the end, write down what you do not want to take with you into autumn.
4. Have A Midnight Picnic For One
You do not need anybody to have a picnic. Just take your favorite food, find a safe place, and enjoy your meal in the open air.
Even with nothing impressive happening, simply being under a dark sky can be enough to make everyday troubles feel less troublesome for a while.
There’s something very special about creating a beautiful situation without anyone seeing you.
5. Visit Somewhere From Your Childhood
Come back alone to a park, street, or place connected to your childhood. Look at what has changed and what is the same. Memory does miracles.
Instead of getting lost in nostalgia, think of what that person would be surprised about now. Late August is better for this kind of activity because it prepares you for another season of your life.
6. Make A Late-Summer Memory Box
Collect several small items that represent your summer: a ticket or photograph, a dried flower, a note, a shell, a postcard, or a ribbon. Put them in a small box and write the year inside the box.
The objects don’t need to be expensive; their importance lies in what they will remind you of. You can write a short letter about your expectations for next summer.
Transforming memories into objects creates a strange but powerful ritual to acknowledge the passing of another season in your life.
7. Wake Up Before Everyone Else
Make sure to wake up early enough so that you’ll witness one of those late summer mornings before the world begins to wake. Brew some coffee or tea while outside, at an open window, or somewhere that allows you to see the dawn.
Don’t rush to check the phone. The world feels completely different when you are awake while others are still sleeping, allowing you to experience some time on your own.
Use this opportunity to think about what it is that you want from this autumn before others’ demands get in the way. There is no need to think deeply sometimes; you just need to have a quiet moment to do so.
8. Choose A Personal Symbol For Autumn
Find something that represents the person you will become this autumn. It can be an acorn (representing beginnings), a key (representing opportunity), a stone (representing stability), or a piece of jewelry connected with your idea.
The point is not to find a magical object; it is simply a symbol of something important for you. Make sure to place it somewhere that catches your eye in September.
People have been using symbolic things for a very long time because they provide them with real reminders of their goals.
9. Spend An Evening By Candlelight
Choose one evening when your house will be totally dark and quiet. Light some candles, listen to soft music, cook something tasty, and eat, read, or do nothing at all.
The point of the exercise is not to invite people but to feel the difference between the time spent alone and without light and screens.
Candlelight creates a completely different feeling in the houses. Take advantage of this transformation to think about what you have been wasting your time on.
10. Write A Letter To Yourself For Next August
During one of the last evenings of August, write a letter to yourself one year from now. Describe your life the way it is now in all detail: what you like, what you worry about, who is important to you, and what you hope for in your life.
Add some questions for your future self. Don’t make it a mental performance; just ask yourself whether you are happy now, whether you are in touch with your friends, and whether the things that frighten you have become easier.
Born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ever since I was a little girl, my imagination knew no bounds. I remember vividly how I’d scribble down short stories, each page bursting with adventures and characters conjured up from the whimsy of my mind. These stories weren’t just for me; they were my way of connecting with my friends, offering them a slice of my fantasy world during our playtimes. The joy and excitement on their faces as we dived into my fictional realms motivated me to keep writing. This early passion for storytelling naturally evolved into my pursuit of writing, turning a childhood hobby into a fulfilling career.