September will forever be one of my favorite months. The start of the school year always felt like a new beginning to me, much more so than the New Year ever did. I depended on September to deliver excitement, new friends, adventures, and endless possibilities. With Labor Day marking the unofficial end of summer and ushering in the final chapter of the year, I always find September to be a great time to pause, reflect, and reset.
Pause
Yes, the Queen of Getting Shit Done is asking you to stop. I know it’s hard. If you are anything like me, it is downright painful to interrupt your flow of doing but it’s also essential to your mental health. Taking time (yes, 3 minutes a day counts) to pause and just breathe works wonders to reduce stress, decrease anxiety, and improve your overall happiness. Need some help (I know I often do)? Try using an app like Calm or Ten Percent Happier to help you relax and meditate.
Reflect
Let’s be honest. This year has been a real shit show. A pandemic shut down the world. Civil unrest has shaken our country to its core. Natural disasters have been plentiful. And to keep things interesting, it’s an election year. Let’s not reflect on those things. Instead, let’s focus on you, your personal growth, and the joy you experienced throughout your journey. Grab your favorite journal or paper from your kiddos’ school supplies and start writing…
Here are some ideas to get those thought juices flowing:
Reflect on your summer adventures. What activities did you do that you loved?
Surely, mystical silver linings occurred. What unexpected events brought you joy in 2020?
What new things did you try that worked?
What didn’t work?
What is one goal that you set out to slay that you achieved?
In what ways did you fulfill your passions this year?
How did you purposefully make time with family and friends more meaningful?
Reset
Now the fun begins. Revisit the unreached goals you set for yourself earlier in the year (hopefully you had written them down. If not, this is a must for effective goal setting!). Get clear on what goals you want to achieve by the end of the year. You only have four months left so be bold but realistic. Consider what you want to do, feel, and be by December 31st. Now, what do you have to do to make those ambitions your reality before the ball drops?
Some see a glass as half-empty. Others see that same glass as half-full. I see that glass as a sign it’s simply time for a refill. However you see 2020, aim to fill the rest of it with positivity, joyful experiences, laughs, excitement, simple pleasures, adventures, family you love, and your tribe who supports you. Don’t let your circumstances determine your quality of life. Reclaim your life for YOU!
