FALLATHON

hello everyone i know it might be hard to believe but september is fast approaching and with it comes the next installment of fall vibes! As usual, I’m doing the first post about a week early to give everyone time to think about their fall vibes goals and to give everyone equal footing with the ability to have a strong start from day 1. this post is meant to give some fall vibes inspirations, tips and reminders about the upcoming competition, and some general thoughts on fall and fall vibes. 

first of all, your fall is what you make of it – maybe you’re trying to make the most of remaining daylight and warmth before winter by doing lots of activities and getting outside, maybe you’re ready to get cozy and slow down inside with books, movies, arts, and crafts, maybe you’re embracing academics and back to school vibes, any and all of these are wonderful fall vibes and i hope everyone has the fall they’re after with a little bit of everything.

the fall vibes competition is meant to encourage people to enjoy the fall and tune into the change of the seasons. the contest and prizes are meant to cultivate a friendly and playful sense of competition, but the main focus should be around enjoying the fall and sharing our enjoyment and experiences of the fall with each other. as always, the fall vibes website is the best place to get updates, refresh yourself on the rules, and get inspiration for fall vibes activities, movies and shows, and more. last year we had some updates to the rules, but this year i dont have any updates so please refer to the rules page for guidance if needed all of the most current rules will be there. fall vibes runs from the first of september through the thirtieth of november, this year the first falls on a Tuesday so i will do my best to post updates on tuesdays (i realize as im posting this at least a day late that i might not be the most on top of it all the time but please bare with me- im doing my best).

if you’re new to fall vibes or looking to climb in the rankings this year here are some recommendations for how to approach the competition and set yourself up for success:

1. more is more: obviously the more activities, movies, shows, and vibes you submit will get you more points but beyond that – sending more pictures for a single activity will increase your potential for getting the maximum points for one outing
2. dont sleep on outfits, and vibes: many past fall vibes winners have achieved victory by padding their points with many smaller submissions along with a few bigger activities. submitting fall vibes or smaller one-off observations is right at the heart of fall vibes and the points can really add up
3. dont sleep on movies and shows: similarly to the above point movies and shows can really help to rack up the points in a consistent way. it may help to pick a go-to show that has pretty consistent fall vibes such as gilmore girls. also remember that halloween related media is worth double points during october!
4. lean into the change of the season: fall is a transitional time and there’s a reason that the start of fall vibes comes before the true start of fall and that’s because late summer is in it’s own way a fall vibe. keep this in mind while planning your activities and making submissions (an example is a late summer movie like dirty dancing definitely counts for points if submitted in September, but i wouldn’t count it in november) 
5. there are lots of ways to win: each year i try to give as many prizes as possible so if trying for overall top 3 is too much, pick an area you want to focus on and go for most fall vibes or best halloween costume or try to be a weekly winner!
6. feel the fall vibes: more than anything the fall itself can be it’s own reward, really drink it in and enjoy it. if you bring that energy to your submissions you’ll have a great time in the competition 

i love the fall for a lot of reasons and i started the fall vibes competition because the colorado fall can often feel short and compressed and i wanted to find a way to help myself extend the fall vibes as long as i could and not feel like i missed the fall. to me, embracing fall means embracing transition, it means slowing down from the chaos of summer and shifting momentum into a new, focused energy, it means turning inward as the light fades, reflecting and setting new intentions, it means resting and finding warmth inside yourself as the cold settles in. my hope is that fall vibes provides a structure for you to make the most out of your fall, to connect with the earth and feel the shift as we make our way around the sun. fall vibes has also been a way for me to self actualize, to think about the person i want to be and then be that person, live the life i want to live. as you think about your approach to the fall and the contest, that’s probably the best place to start, how do you want to live your fall?

as always, good luck to everyone and i can’t wait to see your submissions!