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We landed in Malibu at the beginning of summer, and life has been a whirlwind ever since. Between selling our Austin home, settling into our (still under construction) beach house, and traveling back and forth for work, we’ve yet to experience “routine” in any real sense of the word.
It’s been a beautiful season—full of beach days, house projects, overnight visitors, and more spontaneity than usual. But as fall approaches, I’m craving a different pace. Slower mornings and meals that feel grounding. I want uninterrupted time to get into a creative flow, evenings around the dinner table, and the wellness habits that help me feel my best: sauna, skincare, and a solid eight hours of sleep.
We’re not talking a complete overhaul. If anything, this season reminds me that the most impactful rituals are usually the simplest—the things I can return to again and again, even when life gets full. And I’ve learned that the routines I actually stick with are the ones I genuinely look forward to. I’m not after doing things for the sake of “optimization” if I’m not actually enjoying them.
So that’s the energy I’m bringing into fall: less pressure to do it all perfectly, and more attention paid to the practices that nourish me enough to want to return to them.
Our partner on today’s post, Haven Well Within, is made for this kind of seasonal shift. Soft knits, relaxed layers, and earthy neutrals move easily through the rhythms of my day, from a foggy morning beach walk to dinner outside as the sun goes down. Read on for six fall rituals I’m excited to bring back into my days—and a few ideas for making them your own.
1. Start the Day With a Phone-Free Walk
Every morning, Adam and I take Charlie for a walk on the beach. We leave our phones at home and use the time to connect before the day begins. Sometimes we talk through whatever’s on our minds; other mornings, we barely talk at all. We just listen to the waves and feel the sand beneath our feet.
It’s such a simple practice, but it changes the energy of my entire morning. Before my attention gets pulled toward texts, emails, and everyone else’s priorities, I get a few minutes to notice what’s happening within and around me. The ocean has a way of putting everything back into perspective.
I’ve come to think of this time as “less distraction, more engagement”—a simple choice to be fully where I am before the noise of the day begins. As the mornings get cooler, I’ve been reaching for comfortable layers I can throw on without thinking: a soft sweater, relaxed pants, and a jacket I can peel off once the fog lifts. There’s something about getting dressed for the crisp air that makes an ordinary walk feel like a ritual.
Even if you’re not near the beach, you can leave your phone behind and take one lap around the neighborhood, walk your dog through a nearby park, or step outside with your coffee for ten minutes. The point isn’t distance or exercise, but giving yourself a few minutes of presence before the rest of the world gets your attention.
2. Make a Breakfast That Feels Grounding
Summer breakfasts tend to be cold and quick around here: smoothies, fruit, yogurt, or something grabbed on the way out the door. When fall arrives, I start craving food that’s warm, nourishing, and substantial enough to carry me through the morning.
Lately, it’s a creamy bowl of oats topped with roasted pear, maple syrup, pistachios, and cinnamon. The pear turns soft and caramelized in the oven, the pistachios add crunch, and the cinnamon makes the kitchen smell incredible. It’s cozy but not heavy—and something about eating a warm breakfast from a cozy ceramic bowl helps me slow down.
The key is making it easy enough for a busy weekday: Slice and roast several pears at once, then keep them in the fridge to warm up throughout the week. You can also portion your oats and toppings ahead of time so the entire breakfast comes together in minutes.
3. Wellness Rituals That Work
My approach to skincare has gotten simpler over the years. I’ve finally accepted that more steps don’t equal better skin. I’m less interested in chasing every new product, and more interested in being consistent with a simple routine that actually makes a difference.
In the morning, that means vitamin C, a deeply hydrating moisturizer, and sunscreen. At night, a really good cleansing balm, retinol, and plenty of moisture. Nothing elaborate—just a rhythm I can realistically stick with.
My afternoon sauna has become another ritual I’m excited to be consistent with. It helps me transition out of the workday into a more relaxed way of being: 20 minutes when I physically can’t answer an email, multitask, or keep pushing through my to-do list. I step out feeling like I’ve drawn a line between the workday and the rest of my life.
Fall is also when I bring back the everything bath or shower. I’ll dry brush first, then soak in magnesium salts with a candle burning nearby and apply a nourishing face mask. After a summer of swimming in saltwater and chlorine, I give my hair some extra attention, too, with a clarifying shampoo and conditioner that help restore softness and shine.
4. Return to the Dinner Table
As the school year picks up and everyone’s schedule gets busier, dinner becomes a bookend to the day—our chance to stop moving in different directions and come back together.
We try to eat outside as much as possible. September in Malibu holds onto the sunshine, but the evenings are cooler and the light turns golden earlier. On weeknights, it might be a simple family dinner with whatever I found at the farm stand. On weekends, we’ll invite friends over, open a bottle of wine, and let dinner stretch a little longer.
This doesn’t require a dinner made from scratch every night—the point is good food and conversation. Host a gathering, but feel free to make it simple: send the texts, turn on some good music, and order pizza if that’s what makes it happen.
If family dinners have disappeared from your routine, zero shame—just choose one evening a week and do your best to protect it. Put the phones away and let everyone linger for a few minutes after the plates are empty. It doesn’t have to be anything impressive to be meaningful.
5. Let the Season Inspire Your Dinner Menu
Every Saturday, I go to the farm stand and let the produce inspire what we’ll eat that week. In early fall, the tables begin filling with figs, pomegranates, brassicas, root vegetables, and winter squash. The shifting flavors give me that giddy sense of delight over the changing seasons—hence the whole PSL craze, honestly.
This time of year, I naturally shift toward warming, cooked foods. One of my easiest dinners is a sheet-pan meal with chicken or salmon surrounded by whatever vegetables look best—often butternut squash, cauliflower, carrots, or Brussels sprouts. I add olive oil, sea salt, and herbs, then roast everything until the vegetables caramelize around the edges. A bright sauce or handful of fresh herbs keeps it from feeling too heavy.
Cooking seasonally doesn’t mean an elaborate menu. Start with one thing that looks especially good, then build dinner around it. Roast the squash and serve it with a protein, slice up ripe figs with burrata, scatter pomegranate seeds over a salad. When the ingredients are at their best, they don’t need much else.
6. Find a Cozy Spot for Reading
Reading in the sunshine feels like the ultimate luxury. It reminds me of being on vacation, yet it’s something most of us can do on an ordinary afternoon. All you need is a big beach towel stretched out in the backyard, or a cozy chair in front of a sunny window, to make it part of your routine.
I’m currently reading The Trespasser by Tana French—fall always puts me in the mood for a good mystery—and I can’t wait to read Ann Patchett’s Whistler. On a free afternoon once I’ve wrapped up work, I’ll make tea, bring my book outside, and read until the light starts to dim.
The challenge is giving myself permission to do it. Reading can feel less justifiable than checking something off a list, especially when things are busy. For years, I unconsciously believed creativity only counted when it produced something. Reading reminds me that inspiration needs space where nothing is expected of it—a novel can simply absorb me, open my imagination, and make my inner world feel a little more expansive.
That’s exactly why it matters. Reading gives my mind space to wander, feeds my creativity, and reminds me that not every hour needs to produce a measurable result.
Create Your Own Fall Feel-Good List
A ritual doesn’t need to be elaborate to shape a season. It can be the walk you take every morning, the breakfast you make when the air turns cool, or the few pages you read before the sun goes down. To build your own fall feel-good list, ask yourself: What have I missed? What helps me feel most like myself? What would I genuinely look forward to returning to each day?
It’s not about building a perfect routine—it’s about noticing what makes me feel nourished, connected, and fully present. That’s what ritual offers us: a way to stop optimizing long enough to actually experience our lives.
After a summer spent in motion, I’m ready to build a rhythm in our new home—one simple pleasure at a time.
