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Welcome, Autumn!
Technically, we still have a few more weeks until the season is ACTUALLY autumn, but we’re into Labor Day weekend and Pumpkin Spice Lattes are officially available, so I’m calling it fall! It’s time for cozy vibes, crisp air, football … it’s the perfect time for small joys and a full, rich, seasonal dopamine menu. Sarah did an AMAZING job setting the stage with her dopamine menu earlier in the summer – I felt inspired to give it an autumnal makeover. (BTDUBS, You can also revisit our other posts on the subject – dopamine decor from Sarah and dopamine office decor from moi). This version includes all the best fall has to offer – treats, activities and mindful ways to enjoy the best season of the year (or maybe second best?) without dopamine overloading.
The Fall Dopamine Menu
I have thoughtfully organized this plentiful menu into topical sections for readability:
Food & Drink: Seasonal Snacks That Boost Mood
One of the very best things about the transition from summer to fall (IMO), is the food (and drinks!). Here are a few options in that category to add as standbys for your fall dopamine menu.
Coffee:
I’m not a huge PSL gal, but you can bet your sweet bippy I’m making my own pumpkin concoction at home without all the weird stuff. All I do is grab some heavy whipping cream, pureed pumpkin and some cinnamon + nutmeg, mix them all together in a large measuring cup … then, whisk, baby, whisk! I use this little handheld frother from Amazon and she works like a dream. Then, simply pour the mixture into your hot coffee, and voila! Extra bonus points if you use a seasonal coffee, like this Autumnal Equinox Blend from Sightglass, which is absolutely divine.
Tea
We love to kickstart the cooler weather in our house with a daily cup of tea (after school or right before bed are the best times to enjoy these, but in true dopamine menu style, please feel free to indulge WHENEVER you feel the need – these are caffeine free, so restrictions do not apply!). Because both pumpkin AND apple are seasonal faves, this sampler from Yogi covers all the bases.
Other Beverage Options:
If you’re not in the mood for coffee or tea, apple cider is always a good choice for your fall beverage dopamine hit. But just in case that’s too “been there, done that” for you – How Sweet Eats was kind enough to put together this amazing list of fall mocktails and bevvies to try. Definitely pinning on my Pinterest board to try a few of these in the upcoming months myself! Hocus Pocus Punch? Yes, please.
Snacks
My general experience with fall snacks that you can buy is that they are full of sugar and/or ingredients that I’m not too keen on consuming. One exception for this year will be some amazing pumpkin spice bread from my client PACHA – it goes live in a day or so, so definitely keep an eye out and snag some if you’re gluten-free OR just like bread without a ton of crap in it. But other than that, we like to make our own fall snacks around these parts and Ella is really into baking right now (we just finished watching a whole season of the Kids’ Baking Challenge with Duff Goldman, so she’s feeling inspired) and muffins are her current specialty. I can’t wait to try out pumpkin/apple muffin recipes with her that don’t include a ton of added sugar! These from Cookie & Kate look like the perfect place to start.
There’s also biscotti, baked donuts, pumpkin-flavored granola – so many options to indulge in the season and grab a little hit of dopamine at the same time. More ideas from Fannetastic Food and a fall snack board from The Baker Mama (you know how much I love those!) have got my inspiration up and at ’em.
For the record, while I do try to avoid making food a “reward” or a source of dopamine, these are a bit of an exception in my mind because it’s the creation and sharing thereafter that’s the true dopamine hit for me. Not to mention, enjoying mindfully.
Self-Care: Cozy Mood Boosters
Baths!
While a bath is always going to be a staple on any dopamine menu for me (yes, I totally indulge in them EVEN during the summertime when it’s hotter than all get out!), something hits different about a fall bath. Let’s see, what do we need?
Let’s start with a fall bubble bath, right? This one from Dr. Teal’s should do the trick. Or for something a bit more indulgent, try this Cinnamon Bun “flavor” from Philosophy.
Then, of course, we need to scent the air! Fall candles are always a good choice, and you can’t go wrong with Pumpkin Snickerdoodle from Bath & Bodyworks. This Capri Blue Pumpkin Spice is even more aesthetically pleasing.
If you ever need any extra inspiration for a fall-themed bath, look no further than TikTok and prepare to be influenced.
Cozy Couching
Whether you’re settling in with a good book or journaling all the things you’re grateful for about fall, there’s no better way to amp up the dopamine dose for either activity than to add a cozy blanket (ooooh, with the windows open and a breeze sailing through the whole house?). I’ll admit that I already have several throw blankets on my couch, but if I were going to add another? Definitely something in the way of faux fur, like this one from Amazon. I also adore this oversized option, also on Amazon.
And whilst you’re under that blanket with that book? Why not make it a book that’s PERFECT for fall? I’m starting to fill my book-inspo Pinterest board up with thrillers and cozy “Gilmore Girls”-esque romcoms for fall, because it turns out that reading with the seasons is something I really enjoy! You’ll see these in upcoming page turner posts of course, but here are a few on my fall, dopamine menu TBR:
With a Vengeance and House Across the Lake, Riley Sager: I loved The Only One Left, so I’m psyched to get into a couple more thrillers by this author.
The Last Ferry Out, Andrea Bartz: I’ve actually had this one on my list all summer, but it looks like it will work out perfectly for spooky season!
The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, Laurie Gilmore: I mean, it’s all over TikTok. I have to!
Two of my absolute favorites from last year?
The September House, Carissa Orlando: This one was just the right mixture of gory, spooky and suspenseful, if you ask me.
The Sun Down Motel, Simone St. James: Well-written, tons of twists and turns … VERY scary in the best way possible.
In this section, I’ll take the time to say that it can be tempting to crawl under your blanket just for work time on the couch. I say: don’t do this. It’s for the same reason I don’t read in my bed (though my GOODNESS, how badly do I want to!?). I don’t do these things because then your body and mind gets wired to do more “stuff” like that in those places. So, if I work under a cozy blanket on the couch, it’s no longer as much of a dopamine hit when I’m there for a movie or book. It’s more stressful, if only just slightly. Don’t crash your own dopamine party!
Movement: Small Fall Wins for Energy & Mood
Walking
This is ALWAYS a good choice for dopamine, if you ask me (obviously!). A walk is a walk and that’s great, but a walk (or a hike!) in the crisp fall air with leaves falling all around? That is true peak dopamine. Here in North Carolina, we’re lucky enough to live near amazing mountainous regions where we can plan trips for hiking to enjoy gorgeous foliage. The Blue Ridge Parkway is littered with gorgeous trails and I’ve been ogling some options on TikTok that we can do with the family this fall.
Yardwork
Does yardwork count as movement? Absolutely, yes. Mowing, raking, leaf blowing – all things that require an enormous amount of physical effort! But more importantly, the dopamine potential is huge. Crafting your landscape with your bare hands and enjoying the fruits of your labor are immensely rewarding. I personally am planning a fall refresh of our raised beds with lots of leafy greens and some fall flowers. I can’t wait to rip out the dried out, dehydrated stems from our hot summer and get some new soil and seeds in there.
Fun & Entertainment: Fall Movies & Shows
Movies
Just like seasonal reading, movies (and shows!) are a great way to lean into the season for an extra dopamine boost. Whether it’s a romcom or a scarefest, here are some of my faves for fall:
When Harry Met Sally: This is obvious and is on almost every list you’ll find on this topic.
Dan in Real Life: This is a lesser known film, but that is a crying shame because it is AMAZING. Watch it today, please. It is the PERFECT transition movie for summer to fall as Steve Carrell and Dane Cook help their parents close up their summer home for the fall and winter season.
The Blind Side: Football, fall = peas + carrots. This is one of my all time faves because … Tim McGraw.
Nightmare Before Christmas: After years of debate, we have decided that this is a Halloween movie, not a Christmas movie. It’s a great way to kick off the fall (OR you may want to wait until closer to Halloween – that’s what we do).
Psycho: The OG one. With Janet Leigh. It’s hands down my favorite scary movie of all time.
Gilmore Girls: Another obvious one – everyone cites this as a great fall staple, with good reason. I’d certainly love to live in Stars Hallow in the fall!
One tip I just heard in researching the newly popularized “dopamine detox” is that you should avoid dopamine stacking. So in this section, that means staying off your phone while you’re watching a movie. This is a good tip for me because if I’m on my phone, I cannot possibly understand what is happening in the movie.
Momming Dopamine Hits: Joyful Parenting in Fall
The fall can be hit or miss in terms of having joyful kiddos, but here are a few things that can help (especially in early fall, when you’re all still dealing with the back to school chaos!).
- Hype Fall convos with your kiddos: Whenever the mood gets a little dicey or glum, we talk about my kids’ two favorite fall topics: Halloween costumes and what’s on their Christmas lists. I believe this is rooted in science because I hear all the time as an adult that planning something fun provides almost as much (or perhaps more?) of a dopamine hit than the event itself. Why should kids be any different? We all love something to look forward to!
- Seasonal outings: Pumpkin or apple picking (though around here, you have to book them in July or else you’re not going to get a slot!), hayrides, local fall festivals (we’ve been wanting to go to the NC State Fair in Raleigh every October since we moved here), outdoor movies (see list above for inspo to look at for showings) and leaf peeping hikes.
- Mini wins at home: Baking those pumpkin muffins together, hauling out the fall decorations, grabbing some seasonally charged books to read together (I’m reading the first Harry Potter with Linus right now and it is JUST as fun as I remember it being with Ella – the movie comes next!).
The items on this list are meant to be mixed and matched (very similar to the apps-dessert menu Sarah created in her dopamine post), so you could pull from one category or all of them, depending on just how much fall dopamine you need that day! I’ve created “the ultimate fall themed dopamine day” below, in case you’re in dire need. Happy fall!
Less & More: The WFH Mom Edit 
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