Labor Day signals fall. Not just the shift in weather or the slow creep of pumpkin spice into everything, but that subtle pressure to start “making the most” of the season. Suddenly everyone’s talking about apple orchards, tailgates, soup recipes, and how many decorative gourds they can fit on a porch swing. It’s a lot.

This year, you get to skip it. All of it. No bucket list, no seasonal hustle. Just a quiet little rebellion in the name of peace and sanity.

You’re not baking sourdough or fermenting anything. You’re not pretending to love football or pretending to love people who love football. You’re not hiking for a view you could Google. You’re not buying mums that will die anyway, attending a chili cook-off or hosting one either. You’re not curating a fall capsule wardrobe or buying candles that smell like “harvest.”

And you know what? You’re not missing out.

Instead, you’re leaning into the quiet stuff. The real stuff. Watching the leaves change from your own window. Drinking whatever you want without assigning it a seasonal personality. Wearing pajamas at 4 p.m. because they’re soft and you’re tired and that’s reason enough. (We recommend the kind that feel like a hug and look just polished enough to answer the door without hesitation.)

You’re skipping the orchard. Skipping the hayride. Skipping the elaborate porch decor that requires a ladder and a Pinterest board. No gratitude tree, no tablescape, no saved posts called “Cozy Vibes.” You’re grateful, sure, but you don’t need construction paper leaves to prove it.

You’re not pretending to enjoy group texts about holiday logistics. You’re not attending a candle-making workshop. You’re not trying to be the most festive person in the room. You’re just trying to be the most rested.

This fall, you’re choosing ease. Maybe you light a fire. Maybe you read a book. Maybe you scroll in silence while wrapped in something soft. Maybe you do absolutely nothing, and maybe that’s the point.

The Anti-Bucket List isn’t about being a grump. It’s about being honest. It’s about recognizing that joy doesn’t always come from doing more. Sometimes it comes from doing less. Sometimes it comes from not doing at all.

So if you’re feeling the pressure to “make memories” or “lean in” to the season, consider this your permission slip to lean out. Fall will still happen. The leaves will still turn. The air will still crisp. And you’ll be there for it, wrapped in comfort, choosing rest, choosing ease, choosing yourself.