Back to School

   Hi Friends, it's that time of year again.  The time when our morning commute is now made longer by school busses, our evenings are cluttered with homework assignments (if you have kids or are in college), and our routines are shaken up by change.  Whether you're going back to school yourself, have a child going back to school, or are in the blissful childfree years, fall can be a great time to evaluate your routines, see what works and what doesn't, and build new habits that suit your life and propel you forward.  

  I have a particular love for seasons, because I love fresh starts.  I love being able to clean out my wardrobe, change up my day, and celebrate a new holiday.  And as we go through seasons in life, we have to keep this perspective if we hope to transition smoothly.  If you are starting a new phase, or if you hope to soon, here are three tips for making the switch.

1.  Dress for Success - Sometimes it's easy to get stuck in a routine, with what we wear, what we eat, where we go, who we talk to, and while routines can be great, if you're feeling stuck, it may be time for an outfit change.  Maybe literally, or just mentally.  Have you heard the expression that you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have?  It comes from the idea that you should always dress and carry yourself with excellence, even if you aren't the CEO yet.  If you are feeling stuck, try evaluating your routines.  Would the person you hope to become eat that for lunch?  Would he/she hang out with that crowd after work?  What would the better version of you read, listen to, or wear?  Asking yourself these questions can help you to start behaving like the best version of yourself.  James Clear says in Atomic Habits, "Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become." What type of person are you becoming today?

2.  Maximize your Efficiency - Have you ever tried to start a new habit, and you just couldn't make it work?  Sometimes our problem isn't with doing the habit itself, but with finding the smoothest way to include the habit in our lives.  Play around with your schedule and find the best times to accomplish things.  Maybe you need to move your workout to the evening, or read that book on your lunch break.  Perhaps you know you don't accomplish anything after work (ahem... me) so you need to get up early to get everything done.  Just because someone else does their habits in a certain way at a certain time doesn't mean you have to.  It's your life, design it the way you want.  

3.  Celebrate - I don't know about you, but I get a palpable feeling of joy when I think of fall and the holidays:  Halloween (pumpkin carving, apple cider), Thanksgiving (visits with family, so much food), or Christmas (gifts, time off work) and New Year's (new beginnings, champagne).  But we can also find that holiday feeling when we build habits and routines we love.  I look forward each morning to my cup of coffee and reading.  There's nothing better than my afternoon chocolate cookie dough keto bar at work.  And the peacefulness of doing my yoga practice after the stress of getting my kid off to school is a reward in itself.  While you're changing things up and finding what works for you, remember to build a life you love.  You only get one after all.  

  Whatever you find yourself doing this fall, I hope you take the time to give yourself a refresh, find the best routines for you, and celebrate the little things each day.  Back to school or just back to usual, make the most of this time.  I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W.