I love this little tradition that Emily P. Freeman has started on her blog. Every three months she invites readers and writers to reflect on the things they’ve learned.

“It’s not the experience that brings transformation,” she writes, quoting author and teacher Jan Johnson, “it’s our reflection upon our experience.”

This last three months have brought some big changes (new job!) and also a lot of tender moments of planning and dreaming with Dan and having fun with friends.

Here are 11 things I learned this fall:

1. Play is important

This has been an ongoing lesson that I think will continue to unfold in the coming year, but play is important. One of the reasons I started teaching process art workshops this summer was that I saw a need for more creative, compassionate, empathetic and flexible thinkers in our world, and those types of skills are developed when we engage in the creative process ie…when we engage in play.

What I thought was a message meant mostly for children and those in the childcare industry, though, has turned out to be a lesson for me and you as well: play is important. Let loose. Have fun. Be creative. And not just in the marginal free time of your life, but in all areas of life.

2. Canning is complicated. Making apple butter is not.

About a week and a half before Thanksgiving, we finally got around to making the apple butter. I purchased jars for canning because our plan was to actually can and preserve the apples.

The only problem? I thought Dan was going to read all the details about how to can and he thought I was. We ended up getting in a big fight about it, and Dan made the apple butter by himself while I shut myself in our room and sulked. Later, we laughed about how we fought over apple butter….ridiculous. Luckily, the apple butter came out great and instead of canning the sort of complicated way, we just put the extra in the freezer and decided that next time, we’d be better prepared to actually can.

Pro tip - put your apple butter on cinnamon raisin bread. Yummmmmmm. Trader Joe’s has a great gluten free version.

3. Speaking of gluten-free foods

Trader Joe’s gluten free everything bagels are the best bagels you’re ever going to eat. Thanks you, Kiara, for introducing me to them!

4. Blogging everyday was next to impossible, but totally worth the try.

In November, I set a goal of blogging everyday in the month. I think I only actually ended up posting 13 times. Which, at three times a week, that’s still pretty good! But in the process of trying to blog everyday, I learned that writing every day is the more attainable and important goal.

5. Jennifer Anniston is great

I already knew this, but watching her on The Morning Show and becoming one of her first 2 million followers on Instagram has made me fall in love with her all over again. If you haven’t seen the Morning Show, is highly recommend ignoring the reviews and watching it anyway.

6. Friend trips are a must

In October I took a little girls weekend get away to Michigan and it was so fun. We ate pizza and popcorn, drank wine, went to a thrift market, visited a distillery, and ended with apple picking. It was so Soul-filling and I’m reminded again and again that investing in deep friendships is always worth it.

7. Turns out, I really do like Dolly Parton

The new nine-part podcast, Dolly Parton’s America, has turned me into a fan. Plus, hearing more people talk about Tennessee and Dollywood has just made me nostalgic for my childhood home and has got me thinking, “what parts of my Southern heritage do I want to keep with me and pass down onto my kids?”

8. Having dogs in the office is the best

Before Thanksgiving, my boss brought her new puppy to the office for a day and it was just the best, most cuddliest morning. Then this week, our marketing director was dog sitting and brought the dog to the office on Monday, and I fell in love. He was so old-looking and calm and it made me wish we always had a dog in the office.

9. Small Business Saturday shopping is really fun!

I’ve never actively or intentionally shopped small the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but this year my parents were in town so we took them up to Evanston — the first suburb north of the city (and a place that we love). We spent the day walking around and shopping lots of the small businesses in Evanston, and I felt really happy to be supporting them, especially now that I have several friends who are small business owners and I myself have lingering thoughts of someday launching a business. Shop small, everyone! The extra expense is often worth it.

No photos from small business shopping, but I love this photo from the day before, riding bikes with my parents!

10. Eye cream apparently works.

It’s true...last month I started using eye cream and vitamin C serum. My skin actually looks more even and the dark circles and redness under my eyes has faded. So, beauty industry, way to go. You did it. You made products that really do work.

11. Turkey Trots are still my favorite

Best way to start a Thanksgiving day, hands down =)

What I Learned This Fall