“you are never too old to set another goal
or to dream a new dream” – C.S. Lewis
When the lazy, hazy days of summer come to an end, I am torn between wanting the hot weather to last and feeling the pull of routine, pumpkin spice lattes, and wearing sweaters and jeans. September has that back-to-school feeling that persists long after you have graduated. Remember new clothes, new haircut, new backpacks and new classmates? On the first day of school it seems anything is possible.
As an adult, fall feels like the beginning of a new year, a time to refresh my wardrobe and my life. It is easier to set goals and achieve them when rested from the summer slowdown instead of cold, dark January when you may be nursing a holiday hangover and having difficulty getting motivated.
Fall is the perfect time to recommit and refocus on the goals you set in January and to prioritize and prepare for the last quarter of the year.
Here’s how you can take advantage of this new beginning:
1. Make a conscious decision to make September a time to refresh and recommit. Write down what you want to achieve over the next three to six months in detail. Then, envision it achieved. As the old saying goes, you need to believe it to achieve it!
2. Check in on your progress on the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year. Celebrate your successes, confirm your commitment to goals that reflect your newly formed list, and drop any that are no longer relevant or compelling. Trees shed their leaves so new saplings can grow. It’s time to do that with your goals.
3. Develop the routines and strategies you need for success. Get creative and personalize an action plan for you and your family. Start with the first and last hour of your day. They are what I call the power hours and are the most important for keeping you on track. Look for ways to save time, like online grocery shopping, cooking for the week on weekends, or family clean up days.
4. Live in gratitude. Fall is the season of abundance. Being grateful for what we have creates a positive attitude. When you concentrate on what you have versus what you don’t, you become hopeful, inspired, and motivated. Of course, happiness is a wonderful by-product of gratitude as well!
Autumn is an amazing time of fresh crisp air, beautiful colours, and a return to structure and routine. Take advantage of this energy to set an intention to finish the year strong! Create the life you have always imagined because September brings a clean slate and anything is possible!
Darlene Gudrie Butts is a best-selling Canadian author and Founder of The Clarity Project
WORDS DARLENE GUDRIE BUTTS
IMAGES DARLENE GUDRIE BUTTS
