The traditional time to think about a re-set is January, a new year and new resolutions. But there’s something special about the shift from summer to Fall that makes it an even better time of year to make positive changes.
In the Pacific NW, we tend to have a lovely season transition this time of year. The sun is often still shining, but the mornings are crisp and cool. The air starts smelling a little different, and the leaves begin to turn brilliant colors. For those with school-age kids, there’s a shift from a less structured summer back to school routines which is a big relief for many.
There’s a dynamic energy to this time of year that can be used to help push us along. Fall is also a time for our energy to start drawing inward a little, helping us pay more attention to our needs as long as we’re listening. All of these things combined make this season a perfect time to try something new and see where it takes you into the new year.
Here are a few things on my list that you might want to consider too!
Declutter something.
This isn’t a novel concept, but there’s a lot of research that more clutter in your space = more anxiety. Decreasing stress and anxiety should always be a high priority. The less clutter we have around us, the more calm and focused our minds are. If you can’t decide where to start and want to also improve your eating habits, start with the kitchen. There’s a study that showed that leaving your kitchen with cleaned-off counters led to less stress AND less mindless snacking!
Do an elimination diet.
During the summer, there tends to be a fair share of food falling under the category of “tastes great but not so great for us” with barbecues, picnics and vacations. Many can benefit from a dietary reset to help get back on track. AND getting back on track now before the holidays will help prevent holiday food traps that are too easy to fall into and are just a month or two away.
You can keep it simple and choose just one food group to eliminate, i.e., alcohol or gluten. Or you can go all in and do an anti-inflammatory diet which includes avoiding dairy, gluten, refined sugar, alcohol and fried foods. This could be for a couple of weeks or a month, depending on how ambitious you’re feeling. The Whole 30 is a classic example of a month-long elimination diet with many resources and recipes easily available. For a more extensive or fasting-style cleanse, I recommend you discuss and receive support from your doctor.
Add something new to your daily routine that’s 100% for you.
This could be anything from adding in movement if you don’t already have an exercise routine to making the time to read a book to simply finding a little quiet time within your day. Making self-care a daily routine doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Start with 10 minutes and then expand from there or not, depending on what you need and/or have time for.
I hope this leaves you with a different way to think about this time of year and provides a little inspiration to hit the reset button now and embrace positive change!
