I've been thinking about September and how, just like going back to school, even after all these years, it still feels like a fresh start to me.
I always loved back-to-school time.
There were new clothes and new shoes, usually accompanied by the inevitable first-day-of-school blisters and then dragging out the worn-in sneakers to wear for the next week.
New teachers, friends we hadn't seen all summer, and the possibility of making new friends was exciting.
But perhaps my favorite part was the school supplies.
Fresh notebooks. New pens, pencils and markers. Crisp, clean sheets of paper.
If you know me at all, that probably doesn't surprise you.
There was something wonderful about opening a brand-new notebook to that first blank page. Nothing had been written yet. Anything felt possible. And I wasn't behind on my homework... yet!
And when my own kids were in school, the first day of school was a big deal!
And I think September still carries a little of that feeling.
For those with children still at home, back-to-school means schedules and routines begin again. The kids head back to their classrooms and activities, and maybe, just maybe, there's a little more time in the day to think about yourself again.
Even when the children are grown, though, September seems to have a rhythm all its own.
Summer vacations wind down. Calendars become a little more predictable. The days begin to change. And after the less-scheduled pace of summer, there's something comforting about settling back into a routine.
But here's what I particularly like about a September reset:
It doesn't feel like January.
January arrives with BIG expectations.
New year. New goals. New habits. New you.
We make lists of everything we're going to change over the next twelve months, and sometimes the sheer size of it all can feel overwhelming before we've even begun.
September feels different.
There are still four months left in the year.
That's enough time to do something meaningful, but not so much time that our goals feel far away.
You can look at something you've been wanting to do and think:
I could actually accomplish that before the end of the year.
Maybe it's getting back into a walking routine, clearing out the room you've been avoiding (in my case, the big room in the basement), finishing a project you started months ago, reconnecting with Pickleball friends, getting your finances organized, taking a class or finally taking the first few steps toward a dream that's been quietly waiting for your attention.
Technically, September isn't the beginning of a new year. It's not even the beginning of a new quarter.
But who says we need to wait for the calendar to give us permission for a fresh start?
A Moment to Reflect
If September were your fresh start, what's ONE thing you'd love to accomplish before the end of the year?
Not ten things. Just one.
Maybe this week, write it down.
There's something about putting a dream onto a fresh sheet of paper that makes it feel just a little more possible. And if you don't mind sharing, I would love to know!
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