A Fresh Start

September evokes a very distinct feeling in my soul.

Here in Minnesota, the State Fair always ends on Labor Day, & schools start a day or 2 later.

Cooler mornings & evenings hint at fall weather

A few eager trees & shrubs have already begun to change color.

The angle of the sun is noticeably different from mid-summertime,
& the nights are lengthening.

My fall decorations are out around the house.

Along with recipes for stews, chilis, & pot pies, as well as apple & pumpkin desserts.

I’m ready to start knitting (& wearing) sweaters again.

Something about September is invigorating.

Is it just me, or do you sense it, too?

Many people consider September a month of new beginnings, probably because we grew up starting a new school year each fall.

The change of seasons coupled with a change of schedule imprinted this in our yearly rhythms, and years after graduating, we still sense it.

(If you have kids in school, or work in education, September as a fresh start gets more deeply etched in your thinking.)

We rarely set out to create yearly rituals or patterns.

Daily habits or weekly routines often get our attention and focus.

Monthly practices might even be pondered & evaluated.

But yearly traditions are either handed down to us or seem to develop outside our conscious efforts.

And, because, by definition, a yearly rhythm is only done once a year, it requires a longer perspective beyond daily or weekly habits.

I don’t know many people who deliberately design yearly rhythms.

The funny thing is,

a yearly rhythm can feel like a pattern after only 3 or 4 times,

but a daily one takes much longer to solidify.

I noticed this when I started going to a spiritual retreat on a yearly basis.

After only the 3rd time, I found myself anticipating the event; it was established as a yearly rhythm.

The last couple years brought major changes to our life & it has me pondering what rhythms I want to intentionally establish—from daily to yearly.

Though it might seem more daunting to set up a yearly rhythm, I find it easier than shifting my daily rhythms.

Have you ever thought about your rhythms of the year?

What you’d like them to look like?

Maybe it’s easier to start with fall or September.

Tell me:

What are your current autumn or September rhythms?

Would you like to release any of these, and make space for something new or different?

Or just make space?

Would you like to create any new rhythms?