Rituals of Transition: Embracing the In-Between

September has always felt like a month of transition to me — a time of returning routines, but also one of lingering late-summer warmth. It’s that in-between space that I find so full of possibility. Long before I had a daughter (and the classic back-to-school rush), I still felt the pull of fresh notebooks and renewed focus in September. There’s something about settling back into rhythm after the chaos of summer social plans, about letting go of the pressure to “make the most of every sunny day” that comes with living in rainy Vancouver.

This year, my focus is balance: finding ways to regulate my nervous system while still soaking up the last of the bright evenings.

Embracing the In-Between

For me, that looks like re-establishing routines but leaving space for intuitive detours. I might have meal-prepped for the week, but if the sun is warm I’ll still grab takeaway and head for a quick ocean dip. I may have splurged on a new gym membership, but if a friend suggests a hike while there’s just enough daylight left — why not? I might even find myself saying yes to one more patio glass of natural wine when the late-afternoon light is too beautiful to resist.

In-between. Blurry lines. Transition. Call it what you will — it’s where the season comes alive.

Grounding Fall Rituals

Of course, balance doesn’t come from spontaneity alone. It also comes from a few intentional rituals that help me feel grounded and sharp through the busy fall months. Instead of building a rigid schedule, I focus on a handful of practices that ripple through the rest of my days:

• A good breakfast. I’m an overnight oats girl through and through. There’s something magical about waking up to a meal that’s already waiting — like someone else got up early to make me breakfast. They keep me full until lunch, support my digestion, and just make my mornings smoother.

• Breathing breaks. Whenever I feel scattered or overwhelmed, I pause for a quick reset: in for four, hold for seven, out for eight, repeated three times. It only takes a minute, but it clears away tension like a reset button.

• Restorative sleep. I’m not reinventing the wheel here — no screens before bed, dimmed lights, a little meditation, a few pages of a novel. Baths often make their way into this routine too, especially as the weather cools and evenings stretch out. Sometimes I’ll add a scoop of our Bloom Soaking Salts — the lavender and bergamot are especially grounding this time of year.
  
  

The Seasonal Shift Bath

Baths aren’t something I reach for in peak summer, but September always calls them back in. Not the long, cocooned winter soaks, but something I think of as a seasonal shift bath — perfectly suited to September’s in-between energy.

Here’s how I create mine:

1. Adjust the Temperature
   September evenings can swing between sticky warmth and crisp breezes. On hotter nights, I run a tepid bath to cool my body before sleep. Once temperatures dip, I shift to a warmer soak that calms my nervous system and sets me up for rest. The goal is consistency: ending the day with a balanced core temperature.

2. Choose Transitional Scents
   For lingering summer heaviness, I love our Thrive Soaking Salts. When I’m leaning into fall’s grounding energy, the Bloom Bath Milk with rose and bergamot feels like the perfect bridge.

3. Moisturize
   Summer leaves skin sun-kissed but often parched. After the bath, I seal in hydration with our Body Oil — richer textures feel right as the air cools.

4. Add Seasonal Touches
   A cup of herbal tea (chamomile, rooibos, or cinnamon). A candle to echo the shortening days. A journal nearby for jotting down intentions for the months ahead. And, of course, salts or bath milk to make the soak itself feel like more than just a bath, but a ritual.
   
   

That’s what I love about September: it teaches me that balance isn’t about rigidly choosing one thing or the other. It’s about embracing the blur — holding onto late-summer spontaneity while rooting into the grounding rituals that carry me into fall.

If you’re craving a ritual to help you embrace this in-between season, my favourites right now are the Thrive Soaking Salts, Bloom Bath Milk, and Body Oil — small but grounding tools to support the transition.

Image by Cristina Gareau