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Writer's picturePatrice Mann
Nov 26, 20232 min read

3 - Step Cure for the "November Scaries"

You are probably familiar with the “Sunday scaries,” but have you heard of its cousin… the “November Scaries”?


Text written over an autumn left in front of distant brick building and fall scenery. “November Scaries” = “OMG the year is over!” + “What have I been doing all year?”

If the calendar flipping over to November 1st fills you with a spike of despair…you may be suffering from the “November Scaries.” This is a common condition where the leaves start to change colors, pumpkin spice flavoring appears on the menu, and your stomach drops a little…


You start thinking “Ugh... The year is over!”, “What have I been doing all year?”, “This was supposed to be MY year!”… You know the thoughts I’m talking about.


Well if you can relate, read on to learn my 3-step cure to this common mental trapping!


 

Text written over an autumn left in front of distant brick building and fall scenery. Step 1: Determine if the year is over. 1. What is today’s date? 2. What is the date of the last day of the calendar year? 3. Are they the same?

Determine that the year is, in fact, not over! Yay!













 

Text written over an autumn left in front of distant brick building and fall scenery. Step 2: Determine if you have, in fact, done anything this year. Good news! If your eyeballs are even functioning to read this caption, you were doing something to stay alive at least

Try one of these methods to reflect on the year to date:

  • Journal about the year so far using the rose, thorn, and bud approach. Do this by listing positive things that happened (“Rose”), difficult things that happened (“thorn”), and things you are still looking forward to this year (“bud”).

  • Make a list of things you have done, including wins, things you tried (regardless of outcome), challenges you faced, and ways that you’ve maintained positive gains from previous years. 

  • Look back at your planner or calendar, read through your journal, or scroll through the photos on your phone.


 

Text written over an autumn left in front of distant brick building and fall scenery. Final step: Accepting that the past is spoken for, ask yourself “what do I want to do in this moment, today, this week, and year?” (You know the year that we just confirmed is NOT over!)

From this point, I recommend that you:

  • Take a deep breath. (Really, take it!) 

  • Use this moment to (re)commit to doing this moment of this day, with our increased present awareness. 

  • Remind yourself that change happens in the present moment. 

  • Go forward, extending grace to yourself and others, and begin again, and again, and again…





 

I hope this practice will help you move through the reminder of this year with an attitude of increased mindfulness, acceptence, and grace.


And for more mindfulness inspired tips and musings, follow the instagram account, where I share insights from clinical theory, research, and practice... combined with pop culture, lived experiences, and art!



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