Shifting into Fall

The changing light and the last blooms in the garden are signs that fall is here.

Along with the shift outside, there can be a noticeable change of pace in our lives too. Fuller calendars. More structure. The return of routines that may have loosened over the summer.

And sometimes, a desire to get a few things back on track.

Maybe you want to move your body more regularly. Pack lunches instead of grabbing something on the go. Drink more water. Get to bed earlier. Or make a little more space in your week.

If there’s something you’d like to begin, or return to, this fall, here are a few things that can help.

Start small and make it specific

Rather than “I’m going to exercise more,” decide what that actually looks like: I’ll walk for 20 minutes after lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Research on implementation intentions has found that making a specific plan for when and how we’ll do something can make us more likely to follow through.

Connect it to something already in your day

New habits are more likely to become automatic when we repeat them in a consistent context.

Fill your water bottle while the coffee is brewing. Take your vitamins with breakfast. Pack tomorrow’s snack while you’re cleaning up from dinner.

Using something you already do as the cue can make a new routine easier to remember.

Leave room for real life

One of the more reassuring findings from habit research is that missing an opportunity doesn’t undo the process.

A busy day, a late night, a missed workout, or a week when everything gets away from you doesn’t mean you need to start over.

You can simply return to it.

As we shift into fall, consider choosing one small thing that would help you feel well and supported in the weeks ahead.

If making a little more space for yourself is one of those things, I’ll be offering a series of Sunday morning Mini Mindfulness Retreats this fall. These three-hour sessions are an opportunity to slow down, reconnect, and spend some time in practice together.

Upcoming dates: September 27, November 1 + December 13

Learn more + register

It doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul.

Small things, repeated over time, can make a meaningful difference.