I will never forget the day that Fall became magical for me, it was 2015 and I was living in LA, I hadn't felt true crisp-air-changing-leaves-sweater-weather-Fall in years (for those not in the know, LA is pretty much sunny + perfect weather year-round). I had been doing the same thing for years, same routine, same stagnant attitude, same me. On that particular day, which was the first day of Fall, I felt ready for change, and instead of doing my normal routine of going to the beach and doing the same thing I did everyday... I decided to try a new route; I went to an art store and got an acrylic paint set, came home and turned on my now-favorite indie Fall music playlist, and I spent the rest of the day creating Autumn-themed crafts with my 3 year old. Although this doesn't sound like a life-changing day, it was unbelievably so...it was a day of decided change, a day where I chose to make memories, a day where I made one small change and it domino'd into a big deal, that day was a day of positive light, a day of peace, a day I was a better Mom, a better person... it was a day I turned a new leaf, and it is forever tattooed in my mind. Something so simple as a slight change can shift your life.
Every single year now on the first day of Fall, I look forward to hearing that playlist, burning pumpkin scented candles, reflecting on the year, and deciding what changes I want to see in myself from this point forward.
As the leaves of the trees transform into bold & vibrant tones and begin the process of change, so do I.
Although I enjoy the flannel shirts and the pumpkin patches, I feel Fall is so much more significant. and is a time of great transition.
Every New Years Eve, I set a realistic goal for myself that encourages me to evolve in life... getting my real estate license, learning photography, and the very popular lose weight (which happened to be this year's resolution and I knocked it out of the ballpark!). New Years is a great time to revamp and start fresh, but I Fall is a great time to reflect and make goals to work on what's within... a kind of "fill your cup", if you will. I use Fall as a chance to make an internal change, to work on what's inside me that I'd like to improve.
This year, I have made great strides in becoming a better person, I feel more peaceful, content, and pleasant to be around than I ever have... but there is always room to grow. Always.
As we delve into the last leg of 2018, I still see time to work and progress before a new fresh year begins. For myself, I'd like to take these final few months of the year to work on a few things that would bring better quality of life. Although this is quite personal, I decided to share my list in hopes of inspiring you to dig deep and think about what you might like to work on internally. Here's what I will be focusing on for the remainder of this year, and hopefully, will incorporate it deep enough so it becomes part of me.
Slowing down. I sometimes find myself in some sort of urge to hurry up, when in reality, I am a stay at home mom with nowhere to go and nowhere to be. Perhaps it's my military Dad who taught me timeliness, or my own sense of efficiency that I've allowed to dictate me around, but I want to work on feeling like it's okay to enjoy the moment, even if things feel slow.
Filling up my cup before pouring everyone elses. One thing I got really good at this year was 'running on fumes' in an almost robotic routine. It didn't make me tired, or empty, it just made me not feel, and I don't like that. I like to feel, even if it's sometimes uncomfortable. I'd like to try to give myself time, so that I can enjoy those days where my agenda is packed and I'm taking on a lot, I still want to feel. I think making sure I'm taken care of, whether that means going out with friends, or getting some spiritual enlightenment, or going for a blowout at the salon, whatever it is I need... I want to make sure my cup is nice and full so that I can feel enjoyment in all my days.
And lastly, this. This. This blog. This beautiful, wonderful, monumental outlet I've created as a hobby that has taken off like nothing I ever imagined (do you guys have any idea how huge my audience is growing?! I am truly humbled and love each and every one of you!). I want to pour more of myself into this personal space I've created, I want to focus more on it, and allow myself to get real and raw, just as I am now. This is something I truly enjoy doing, which as I mentioned, is also something on my list that I want to give to myself. It all goes hand in hand.
Of course, these are just a few things that I want to work on, but they're all important to me and fit where I am in life right now, and what's important to you may be different. That's the beauty of Fall, every tree has different leaves, and every leaf turns different shades... and we all look forward to seeing the big change in the big picture.
So relax, enjoy this day, enjoy this season of transition, and as you begin to notice changes in the air and in the foliage... take a minute for yourself and reflect on what changes you'd like to see in yourself.
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