Summer is over. Autumn is upon us. And, for whatever reason, I feel like it’s time to make a few changes. A time to clean out the closets. A time to look inside and take inventory. Usually, I think, this is the kind of introspection and activity associated with New Year’s or the spring. But, as I think about it, there really is no better time than the end of summer to make meaningful change.
It seems like many of us look to New Year’s to make resolutions and attempt some kind of metamorphosis. We usually fail. In a way it makes sense, doesn’t it? Why the hell do we try to start new exercise programs in the dead of winter? Why do we try to overhaul our finances just after the holidays? Why do we look for new relationships when we’re oftentimes at our most vulnerable? No wonder New Year’s Resolutions are a recipe for failure. No wonder they suck.
Starting a new exercise program during the Fall, however, when we can check out the changing colors and appreciate the brisk bite in the air makes sense. Getting the finances in order BEFORE spending on crazy holiday sales makes sense. And, figuring out what our romantic futures hold in advance of the crazy introspection that comes with family get-togethers is a whole different proposition.
Yes, of course, this is an oversimplification of the resolution idea, but just think about it. Good friend and columnist, Nancy Colasurdo, makes a lot of sense when she said, “Haven’t been to school in years, but this time of year still makes me want to break out a fresh notebook & start anew.” Maybe that’s what it is. Maybe that feeling of a new school year is still ingrained upon my psyche. Maybe all this cleaning and thinking is about sharpening new pencils. I can totally buy that.
The light at this time of year is amazing. It glows off of mountaintops. The leaves paint the landscape. Birds chirping seems to echo in the air. There’s simply something about this time of year. THIS is the time to get started on whatever changes you need to make. That way, by the time the cold, dark days of winter roll around, you’ve already developed the habits. It’s difficult to develop new behaviors when the surroundings are fighting against us…and our efforts.
I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the idea of living the life you’ve imagined. When you close your eyes, what is the life you’ve imagined? Are you living it? Why wait until New Year’s? Frankly, it’s probably easier to put your plan into action now. Ready?