Back To School

I know I’ve mentioned this before - September feels like a new beginning … That back to school vibe, new classes, new season … New year.

While I’m not making resolutions or panic reviewing my goals for the year … I am adjusting.  

As the days shorten, temperatures drop … it’s that sweet spot … Warm enough to be outdoors without layers of clothing, cool enough to not feel like my head is inside a pressure cooker.  

Sighs.

I love the fall.

It’s beautiful … There are still flowers in bloom, trees are turning colour … Fashion … ah … Fashion gets smart … polished … I love that. 

As we  begin the transition between summer and fall … I like to look at my routines.  In the summer I like eating cold plates … or barbeque … I do love a barbeque.

I digress.

As the mornings get cooler … I like warmer food.  It helps me stay full … no idea why.  But what does that look like?  How do I change the menu while still eating healthy?  Veggies are less 'fresh from the garden' and require more thought … Eating enough vegetables in the summer - easy.  I need more conscious effort to get them when the weather turns. 

There is also movement. 

I can do more outside - outside of the water.  More walking - hiking … Layering that into my strength and stretching routines needs a little thought.  Updating my morning and evening routines needs to happen.  

Some might suggest this is over thinking.  Maybe.  But I need it.  I do better with frameworks … I can pull things in and toss things out … I just need the options to drag and drop. 

Reviewing my routines quarterly seems like good practice.  Changing what needs to change, looking at what’s working and what’s not … Keeps me focussed, accountable.  I like those things. 

If I’m doing this every quarter - what makes the fall so special?  What makes it different?

It feels like the last hustle before the rest.

The build before the climax.

The knowing goals are being realized. 

There is an energy - an excitement.  

Change is afoot.

It's the feeling of new combined with finding your stride … Not easy or mastery.  So, still growing, learning, still on that upward trajectory … Seems counter intuitive to a new school year - where the teachers, classes and potentially the school itself is new, but being a student isn’t.  I’ve had a lifetime of practice … The newness was how you showed up.  The thought that went into your routines, those first few weeks -  before they became second nature.  You were more open - because you had to be … Nervous, sure … but open.  

Maybe that’s what the fall feels like.  That acknowledgement or remembrance of being open - to being open … To new, to different, to possibility.  Scary and exciting - just like learning anything new … You start with nothing or very little and you slowly build.  

Everything about fall is a reminder that life and change are intertwined.

In my opinion - in the part of the world I find myself … The fall is one of the prettiest reminders of that.  And maybe the coziest … because, well, who doesn’t love a cozy sweater?

Small rabbit hole: I love a sundress with an oversized sweater thrown over it … Pretty, stylish and cozy … What’s not to love? 

Fall is also - somehow, more disciplined?  More studious? 

I find I’m more open to learning … New skills, or projects that require more focus - think chess or violin … The brain is somehow aware that it’s supposed to be working - solving complex problems or doing complex tasks, so somehow they feel easier, even though they aren’t.

The harvest period before the winter … The reaping the rewards from all the earlier work. 

What’s not to love about that?  

Growth and goal realization combined with a little polish - I’m all in.