Slowing Down as the Leaves Change

Treatment asks the body something similar to what fall asks of the trees. It asks for rest and a slower pace than most of us are used to. Many patients tell us they feel pressure to keep up with work, family, and errands at the same speed as before. This time of year is a good reminder that slowing down is not the same as giving up.

If you want an easy way to notice the season, Brooklyn has you covered. A short walk around Prospect Park Lake shows off some of the best colors in the borough, and the path is flat so you can go at your own pace. The fall paths at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden offer a similar experience in a smaller space, with benches if you need to rest.

Your energy can change during treatment, and it is completely fine to skip the walk on days when it feels like too much. On low-energy days, finding a cozy spot with good light can give you the same feeling with little effort. Sitting by a window at a local tea shop or café, enjoying a warm drink and watching the street can be another way to enjoy the season.

On days when your energy is low, having something small to do with your hands can help. Making a pot of tea and sitting down to enjoy it, instead of drinking it while doing something else, can feel surprisingly nice. Spending a few minutes with a journal, writing down one thing from your day can help too. Simple projects like sorting a drawer or starting a small knitting project are good too. They are low effort, but still give you the satisfaction of completing something. None of these activities need to be productive in a big way. The main goal is to have something quiet to focus on.

You do not need a major outing to feel connected to fall. Sometimes it’s watching the tree at the end of your block change to a color you cannot quite name, or the smell in the air on a cool morning that only comes around this time of year. These small details are easy to notice and do not require much from you.

While you slow down, we do not. Your care team keeps working in the background, checking labs, coordinating appointments, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks, so that resting does not mean worrying. Slowing down is easier when you know someone else is keeping things moving.

As the days get shorter and everything slows down, we hope you feel free to slow down too. Rest is not going backward. It is part of how healing happens.