Getting Back On Track This September.
There were some technical difficulties with Mailchimp. This blog was sent out with the September Offerings blog title in error. I’m resending this blog in case they didn’t receive it.
Hello!
It’s September, and the quintessential response to this realization is typically, “Where did the summer go?” Or perhaps you’re like me and are excited about Autumn. Summer is still officially with us until September 23rd, the same day as the Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and given that it’s 29 C in Picton, I think we can skip putting away our shorts and sandals for a few more weeks.
I love living in a country with four distinct seasons, don’t you? With each season, interests, energy, and motivation differ, and by February, I even look forward to summer, my least favourite season.
September is a time for new beginnings. We are hardwired with back-to-school energy that stays with us long after being students. Even as an adult student, I loved the fresh excitement of purchasing new pens, pencils, paper, and a couple of new clothing items in September. Though I’m no longer an official student, I still feel the exhilaration of Autumn, and my mojo urgently wants to get back on track with the routines that have been missing in action since June.
It's too hot for too much action, but it is the perfect time to ask yourself some prompting questions so you are ready when it’s officially Autumn:
Do you need to get back on track?
If so, what’s most essential for you to now?
Did you set any intentions and goals for yourself in January? Do they still matter?
Did you pick a word you wanted to focus on for 2023? Have you stayed connected to your word in 2023?
What needs a reset, and what do you need to rethink?
Where to start?
September is an excellent time for a check-in, and the above questions will help you figure out what you want to focus on for the rest of 2023. How do you want your life to look on December 31st, 2023? Don’t look for perfection because it doesn’t exist; look for progress. Make simplicity your focus. Can you accomplish these goals in a way that will not stress you out? Can you get super focused and only have 1-2 goals, ensure they matter to you, and forget what anyone else thinks?
From September 6th – December 31st, you have 116 days, 16 weeks, and 2784 hours. If you focus, that’s a lot of time to accomplish your goals.
As much as September can be exciting, it can be a challenging transition for the first few weeks. Here are some suggestions as you adjust to being back on track and preparing for a busy season:
Prioritize yourself!
I say this a lot, but it’s always worth repeating. Nothing is more important than your self-care. So, if it’s taken a back seat to the beach, deck parties, BBQs, and margaritas ease your way back to your self-care routines; return to the gym, meditation practice, or healthy eating. Create some new priorities if the ones in the past didn’t work for you. Schedule your self-care routines on your calendar and set up reminders.
Be selective with your commitments and possessive of your time.
I just looked at our September calendar and shook my head in wonderment at how it got filled up so quickly. We are usually a bit more diligent and try not to overcommit. Does this happen to you? Space out social engagements, and always ensure you have some downtime on the weekend.
Get organized.
Check your home and office if you have one, and is there anything that you can do that will make your life easier? What things that are disorganized cause you the most grief?
Our house could use a deep clean and purge, and it’s probably not happening. However, there are a few areas that we will focus on:
1) There are two of us in our home with multiple devices that need charging. Instead of constantly dealing with flat batteries and trying to find an available plug, we purchased a charging station, allowing all our devices to get charged in one location.
2) I have four pairs of reading glasses and two sunglasses, and I know I would be shocked if I calculated how much time I spent looking for them. One of my goals this Autumn is to clear a drawer just for my glasses.
These simple changes will make life much easier, and I’m looking forward to the extra time we will save daily.
Are your inboxes hitting 9,000 emails? That’s my current number for 3 email inboxes. It is time to purge my emails, files, and pictures.
When it gets cooler, organize your clothes and embrace the Autumn energy by wearing a new sweater.
Save some of the items mentioned above for rainy days to take advantage of being outside. These suggestions are the perfect impetus to focus on getting back on track and connecting to your goals. Nothing gets you back into focused mode quicker than having a goal to work toward. Start small and manageable, and enjoy that accomplishment once you reach it!
I have some work to do if I want 2023 to end with a bang. I chose “Wellness” as my word for 2023 and couldn’t have picked a more perfectly focused word for me this year. Dealing with Lyme and COVID this year made staying healthy challenging, and it will continue to be my main focus for the rest of the year. I must rethink my self-care routines because my early morning rises are impossible due to lingering fatigue.
I also have a few more business and financial goals that are now different than in January 2023, and I need to revamp them.
Whether reconnecting to familiar and comfortable routines or establishing new ones and focusing on your prime goals, know how much you are worth it. There are always opportunities for new beginnings; tomorrow is a new day.
What are you excited about this Autumn?
Be well.
Anita
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