I 🩵 my doona

I bought a new doona.

Not exciting for some. Life changing for me.

There are purchases that make you quietly nod your head and think… yes, that was an excellent decision. My 80% goose down duvet sits firmly in that category. ( This is not a paid advertisement by the way. This is a genuine appreciation post.)

But with this new level of bedroom luxury has come a very seasonally appropriate inner voice.

“Stay in bed” .

And not just a gentle suggestion.

A convincing, persuasive, wrap-yourself-up-and-don’t-move kind of voice.

Now, for a menopausal PT spruiking movement as medicine, this is not ideal.

We all know the seasonal slogans.

Spring has sprung.

Summer vibes.

…Energy is high, motivation follows. You wake up, throw on your activewear, and get on with it.

Autumn does not quite come with the same marketing campaign.

It is colder than a few weeks ago.

It is darker earlier.

The mornings feel slower.

And the only call to action your inner voice seems interested in is the one telling you to rug up and stay exactly where you are.

And honestly, I get it.

This morning I looked at my perfectly fluffed, hotel worthy bed and seriously considered cancelling my entire morning just to stay in it. It looked that good.

And then it clicked.

I am not alone in this.

I know many of you are spending a few extra minutes under the covers.

Hitting snooze.

Delaying the day.

Telling yourself you will move later.

Maybe.

This is the time of year where habits do not fall apart dramatically. They quietly drift.

A missed session here.

A shorter walk there.

A little less intention around food.

A little more time on the couch.

Nothing alarming. Nothing urgent.

But enough, over time, to shift how you feel.

Less energy.

More stiffness.

Sleep that is not quite as good.

That sense that things are just a little harder than they were a few weeks ago.

And it is not because you have suddenly lost motivation or discipline.

It is because the season has changed.

And your response needs to change with it.

This is not the time for all or nothing thinking. It is not the time for perfection or big, unrealistic plans that rely on high energy and long days.

This is the time for structure.

Simple habits. Clear expectations. A reason to get out from under the doona even when you would rather stay there.

Because movement does not need to be perfect to be effective. It just needs to happen.

A short session still counts. A walk still counts. A few minutes of strength still counts.

And often, once you start, you realise it was the getting out of bed that was the hardest part.

Not the training.

So if you have felt that shift lately, that pull to stay still getting a little stronger, you are not imagining it.

It is the season.

And sometimes the smartest thing you can do is not rely on motivation at all, but create a little framework that keeps you moving anyway.

A small reset. At the right time.