Using Fall as a Time to Reconnect with Ourselves

I published this article in my last newsletter, but I thought it would be a good post to repeat here. (Be sure to sign up for my newsletter here!)

It’s just recently turned fall where I live (in Washington, DC) and I can definitely say that fall is my favorite time of the year. Time to put away the shorts and tank tops, and get out the jeans, comfy sweaters, and blankets to snuggle under while reading a good book! I love the colors of the changing leaves, the cooler temperatures, and just the overall slower pace of life (maybe that’s just me) as we prepare for winter.

Maybe one of the reasons I like fall so much is because the changing weather is a great excuse for me to stay in, catch up on my reading and to-do lists, and reconnect with my vision for myself and my life. I’d like to invite you to do the same, even it’s not the fall season where you live!

Let’s be honest, any time is a great time to reconnect with ourselves, check in on how we’re doing with our goals, and plot a strategy for the upcoming months before year’s end. Many of you may have set goals that you wanted to accomplish in 2009, and now’s a perfect time to monitor your progress on them and make any adjustments or changes to your goals if needed.

I’m not normally a “set measurable goals” type of person, although I’d like to become one! It's been said that the best goals are the ones that are specific, quantifiable, and measurable, so that you know exactly what you’re going after and will know exactly when you’ve achieved them. Normally I’m more of a “go with the flow” type of person, but I’m going to take some time this fall to come up with some measurable goals that I can go after before year’s end and also in the upcoming year. Heck, maybe I’ll even set goals for my five-year and ten-year plans! It’s never too early (or too late) to come up with a vision for your future and start pursuing it.

It’s also a good idea to periodically check in with yourself and see how you’re doing in the self-care arena. Summer is a time when a lot of people are outdoors all the time and extremely active. It’s easy to neglect ourselves and our bodies during the summer, so the fall is a great time to reconnect with our self-care practices. I’m going to make a firmer commitment to do yoga twice a week, and meditate as often as I can (even just for 5-minute stretches!). Sleep is always important to me, so I want to make sure I’m getting enough every night and on the weekends. What are some self-care practices you can recommit to in the coming months?

I also just signed up for a Conscious Loving & Living retreat with Gay & Kathlyn Hendricks at the beginning of October, which I am super excited about! I’ve been huge fans of theirs for years, and I can’t wait to learn from them first-hand. Personal growth conferences are also really restorative times for me because I get to connect with like-minded people, absorb as much information as possible, and just really get in touch with my authentic self. Are there any vacations you can take or retreats you can attend before winter arrives to help you reconnect with your authentic self?

I know some people don’t particularly like the fall because the leaves are falling off the trees, winter is quickly approaching, and it reminds them more of death or dying than possibility or opportunity. However, for me the fall is a great time to reconnect with ourselves, reconnect with our plans for the future, and take some time to be less active and go inward to find out what our latest inner yearnings are. I hope you’ll take some time to really enjoy the changing seasons, no matter where in the world you are!