You guys – it’s September!!!
Here in Seattle there has been a dramatic shift in weather – we had what I hope was the last blast of 90+ degree weather (not so much fun) to literally an overnight switch to cool evenings and mornings and 70 degree days. The air is crisper, leaves are falling. It’s fall!
I love September and the fall in general. It’s always been my favorite month of the year – a nesting time. I get a huge burst of energy. I was one of those geeky kids who couldn’t wait to begin the school year. I’ve always viewed September as the start of the new year – not January 1st. It’s when I step back and decide how I want The Year (defined as September through June and never mind the summer) to go. For many (most?) people, goal setting traditionally happens on January 1 with New Year’s Resolutions, but it just never has for me.
For moms, it’s a reset. Getting everyone back to school means a return to routine. For most, it’s a very welcome change in the rhythm of your own day-to-day and life. Summer is just so all over the place. With kids you would think there would be so much more time to get things done. However, I’ve learned from all my years of being a mom and an educator that more often than not, it’s not the case. No daily structure in the summer means you get an opportunity to brush up on your flexibility skills, but it also means that often nothing goes as planned. Translation: let go of whatever you thought was going to get done.
So here we are. What do you want to accomplish by the end of 2016? Do a brain dump. Write down everything that may have been on your list of goals (if you’re a traditional January 1 goal setter) that you just haven’t gotten to. If you’re like me, it’s easy to overestimate what is actually possible to accomplish. The good news – it’s not too late!
This is the fourth quarter of 2016, which means you’ve got September, October and November. I’m leaving December out because for most, it’s just an insane month when all you can do is tread water. What do you want to accomplish by the end of 2016?
Next, circle the three that are most important to you. Under each one of those goals, write down 3 small action steps you can start right now. Identifying small, doable steps is the best way to start. When you’ve accomplished those 3 action steps, set another 3 steps. Keep going! Stay focused on accomplishing your 3 main goals by keeping your action steps doable and you’re on your way!
New month.
New beginning.
New quarter.
New mindset.
New focus.
New start.
New intentions.
New results.
LET’S DO THIS!!!
Your biggest fan,
Jean
Image: I’ve been lucky enough to experience some of my falls in recent years (mid-October through mid-November ) on big trips in Bhutan and Nepal. The picture above was taken on a trek in the Annapurna Region of Nepal in 2012. We were leaving Muktinath and it was one of the most spectacular fall days I have ever experienced. The image doesn’t begin to give you any clue about why it was so fabulous. Maybe it was the breeze blowing in the leaves. Or the smells of the fires burning in the houses we were walking past. Or knowing I was reaching the end of the trek and by then I had been gone for nearly a month and was really, really homesick for Seattle. Whatever it was, it was … magical.
