Hello September!
Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash
Time for a fresh start.
I love September. The light and heat start to shift to keep us a little cooler. It is a great time for fresh starts, to get back into routines, set some new goals, and to refocus on what we may have lost sight of over the summer. And, summer is my least favorite season (the heat, my bad hair!) - so I am always glad to see it go.
While this September is totally different from any we have had before, the hot weather will still give way to cooler weather, schedules will change to adjust whatever school looks like this year, and it is still a great time to assess how things are going for you, and what needs a tweak.
In my coaching work over the years, many people found themselves invigorated to get back to business in September. Until 2020, summer historically represented more freedom and fun, more travel, and more socializing. This summer was the opposite in so many ways and this September may be especially hard as a result. More than ever, so many things feel VERY much out of our control. Therefore, a September restart may be more important than ever.
Challenges are all the same in that they can push us away from being our best selves. We often end up behaving in ways we regret by doing things like overeating, drinking more than we would like, exercising less than we intended, or generally falling out of the habits we were working towards when summer started.
Are you ready for a fresh start with one small thing? Here are some easy ideas; each of them small, doable and if implemented, they will provide you with the chance to bring some ease, control and wellness into your day.
No phone or computer for 15 minutes upon rising in the morning. Read a book, do some gentle stretching, meditate, pray, write in a journal, sip your coffee in total silence.
Spend at least 10 minutes outside each day. Go into your yard, walk your dog, step outside and stare at the sky, take a short stroll.
Declutter one drawer or shelf per week. Start with the smallest drawer or shelf. As you go through it ask yourself: do I use it, do I love it, do I need it, does it make me happy, does it evoke positive energy?
Drink half of your weight in ounces of water (150 pounds, 75 ounces of water).
Plan what you will eat for lunch - in the morning, or the night before.
Whatever you decide to start, give yourself a few minutes to think about how you will REMEMBER to do it. Good intentions are not enough, action is required. Think strategically about HOW you will execute.
Personally, I will be working on streamlining my grocery shopping and meal planning. This involves looking at the calendar and making two lists: one of what I want to cook that week, and a grocery list. I will execute by getting my paper planner out on Sunday and taking a few minutes to make my lists. My process is not complex - I just need to act like a grown up and do it.
Pick one change you want to make and make it as easy as possible to execute. Prove to yourself that you can do what you say you will do.
