Finding Your Light When the Clock Falls Back

This weekend is one that many people dread… we turn the clocks back one hour and see the sun set by 5:15. This is always one small adjustment that somehow feels much bigger. The early sunsets, colder days, and fading colors of fall often bring a lot of heaviness and depression to a number of people. For many, this shift can affect mood and motivation, and I’ve experienced that firsthand.

Last year, my first fall as a retiree, hit differently than any time change I’d ever experienced. When basketball season began, I felt the emptiness of not being in the gym on a consistent basis and missed the daily interactions that helped get me through the change of seasons. The combination of fewer daylight hours and missing that sense of purpose was definitely real. But with time (and a few intentional changes), we can all learn that the change of season doesn’t have to lower our energy or —it can actually reset it.

Are you struggling on this Monday to get moving and does your day seem darker than usual? Here are a few things that might help you as we move into these shorter days and possibly some darker days ahead:

• Get outside every day. Even 10–15 minutes of natural light can make a noticeable difference in your energy and outlook. Even if the temperatures aren’t the best, getting the light and the fresh air will only improve your outlook.

• Keep moving. Exercise doesn’t just help physically—it builds our mental health and helps replace lost daylight energy. I found last year, I sat at the computer too much and it affected my physical health (sore hip and leg) because of too much sitting. Get up and move more often even if it is just walking around the house!

• Stay connected. Schedule lunch with a friend, volunteer for a group that needs help, or attend a local game or event. Connection with others beats isolation every time!

• Find your new season’s purpose. For me last year, it became mentoring coaches and helping younger athletes. Having a reason to look forward to each day helps replace what’s missing. This year, I am back coaching basketball and I’ve already noticed having a purpose has improved my mental attitude.

• Focus on gratitude. This is a great time of year to reflect on what’s still good and growing in your life. Gratitude reframes your outlook and helps us focus on the positives and not what could be better. We all have issues we are dealing with but we also have many things and many people that we should be thankful for.

When we turn back the clocks, it’s easy to feel like we’re losing something—an hour of daylight, a season we loved, a situation we were used to, etc. But we also gain something: an excuse to be more intentional about how we spend our time, how we connect with others, and how we care for ourselves.

Darkness will always come earlier this time of year, but the light we choose to share—through kindness, connection, and gratitude—can make these shorter days some of our brightest ones yet. I hope you will take the time to remember that before we hit the joys of the holiday season. Have a great week!

Coach K