I’m a ♍️ Virgo, I have always loved September. Birthday, new stationary excuse for a new diary… until 2015 when my Dad died of cancer in my arms, 3 days before my Birthday and got cremated 3 days before my first Wedding anniversary. Never really been the same since no matter how hard I try. Currently in bad mental health blip since April and this year I just want to get to the other side.
I am so sorry for your loss, Jade. That is unimaginably difficult. You are so right to go gently with yourself. It takes such a long time to come back to yourself after a loss like that. My dad died in 2017 after a very long illness and it took me years to even be able to think of him without experiencing physical pain (that's who I'm talking about in the section above about grief). It can be such a lonely road so please keep sharing how you feel because I really think it is key to moving through the episodes of bad mental health. Big love XXX
Thanks Sophie it really sucks the dead parents club. I lost my Mam in 2022 so it’s just me now, and I had Hysterectomy in Nov ‘23 which has contributed. Finding it very hard x
Love it,the September Reset is real for me. I've never lived beyond the school calendar..school to college and straight back to school..this year,instead of telling myself how organised I was going to be, how much work I was going to get done,how my plans were going to be ON POINT and all the children were going to thrive..I chose a word..Just like we did in January..my word for the school year is compassion - self compassion,(for when the organisation and plans go walking) Compassion for my colleagues and compassion for the kids,especially the ones who oppose it the most! I even gave a little wellbeing workshop to the rest of the staff and guided them towards doing the same..thanks to you and Louise my reset has been far more extension focused..❤️❤️
I love this Sinead! I definitely need a word for every season. I'm actually draw a complete blank on what my word for this year was!!! Must dig out the copybook where I wrote all our words down.
I love all of this! I too am a ‘next week things will calm down’ in spite of years of evidence to the contrary. And as a person who has spent too many years in education, I cannot shake the new September new me. Every year I try to buy the jumper that will change my life. But I do like autumn for trying to shed something. So today I decided to put aside my novel in progress because it’s not working and I don’t know how to fix it and I’m kind of disenchanted by it. I’m just going write the other things that seem to be calling to me for now and hope for the best.
A the life-changing jumper I know it well. Despite my scepticism about September resets! Autumn is my favourite season too. On the novel, I think it's really courageous to set aside the thing that isn't working for you. There's a time to push through and there's a time to pause and allow something rest until you're excited about it again. And if there's other things calling to you, I think that's potentially what's going to replenish your creativity.
I adore your point about expansion over change. I used to be a divil for fresh starts in January and September and went hard at it every year. My all or nothing mentality usually saw me flounder mid-February and achieve full regression by early March. This time two years ago I experienced a burnout and was unable to work for months. I had to basically start redesigning how I lived my life from scratch, and it was then I learned the value of habit stacking and making small, gentle phases at a manageable pace, and playing the long game. Admittedly I had the time to figure that out, as I don't have smallies who need me. It's been quite the journey ... but I've bought no new notebooks this month.
I'm so sorry you went through that, it's so so hard to rebuild yourself after the body/mind has failed us. I'm so glad you've learned a way that's better for you and it sounds like you have lots of self compassion which I think we are all on a quest for !
Loved this Sophie! It's haircuts for me. I only get my hair cut about twice a year and each time I'm expecting full, fundamental transformation of my whole self..
Really enjoyed this read today! I do like the feeling in the air and the idea (at the moment) that I will have to get up early for college rather than lying around like a large oaf as I have all summer (happily, I might add). I love Halloween and I'm not opposed to winter but my goodness is it looooooong. At 47 I have definitely realised that striving for consistently is not my friend and that randomly having bursts of Doing the Things is better than never ever Doing the Things for fear of not being able to/because I know I won't stick to them. Always a pleasure :)
Agree so much with this. Reminds me of that quote about how change is not about fighting the old but building the new. Thanks for the reminder and the idea of expansion that seems so much more of a natural trajectory versus the battle that comes with change.
I’m a ♍️ Virgo, I have always loved September. Birthday, new stationary excuse for a new diary… until 2015 when my Dad died of cancer in my arms, 3 days before my Birthday and got cremated 3 days before my first Wedding anniversary. Never really been the same since no matter how hard I try. Currently in bad mental health blip since April and this year I just want to get to the other side.
I am so sorry for your loss, Jade. That is unimaginably difficult. You are so right to go gently with yourself. It takes such a long time to come back to yourself after a loss like that. My dad died in 2017 after a very long illness and it took me years to even be able to think of him without experiencing physical pain (that's who I'm talking about in the section above about grief). It can be such a lonely road so please keep sharing how you feel because I really think it is key to moving through the episodes of bad mental health. Big love XXX
Thanks Sophie it really sucks the dead parents club. I lost my Mam in 2022 so it’s just me now, and I had Hysterectomy in Nov ‘23 which has contributed. Finding it very hard x
I love September! Bright, crisp mornings. Back to school (though every year in my haze I forget about the chaos that comes with that).
I think you’re spot on about September being transitional. I notice the gym is busier this month than in January.
Also, Sophie. I’m pretty sure you manifested your year.
hahahah maybe I did! I'm the reluctant manifester?! I do love the bright crispness, Autumn is my favourite season!
Love it,the September Reset is real for me. I've never lived beyond the school calendar..school to college and straight back to school..this year,instead of telling myself how organised I was going to be, how much work I was going to get done,how my plans were going to be ON POINT and all the children were going to thrive..I chose a word..Just like we did in January..my word for the school year is compassion - self compassion,(for when the organisation and plans go walking) Compassion for my colleagues and compassion for the kids,especially the ones who oppose it the most! I even gave a little wellbeing workshop to the rest of the staff and guided them towards doing the same..thanks to you and Louise my reset has been far more extension focused..❤️❤️
I love this Sinead! I definitely need a word for every season. I'm actually draw a complete blank on what my word for this year was!!! Must dig out the copybook where I wrote all our words down.
Oh love the idea of a word for the year & compassion a great choice ❤️
I love all of this! I too am a ‘next week things will calm down’ in spite of years of evidence to the contrary. And as a person who has spent too many years in education, I cannot shake the new September new me. Every year I try to buy the jumper that will change my life. But I do like autumn for trying to shed something. So today I decided to put aside my novel in progress because it’s not working and I don’t know how to fix it and I’m kind of disenchanted by it. I’m just going write the other things that seem to be calling to me for now and hope for the best.
A the life-changing jumper I know it well. Despite my scepticism about September resets! Autumn is my favourite season too. On the novel, I think it's really courageous to set aside the thing that isn't working for you. There's a time to push through and there's a time to pause and allow something rest until you're excited about it again. And if there's other things calling to you, I think that's potentially what's going to replenish your creativity.
I adore your point about expansion over change. I used to be a divil for fresh starts in January and September and went hard at it every year. My all or nothing mentality usually saw me flounder mid-February and achieve full regression by early March. This time two years ago I experienced a burnout and was unable to work for months. I had to basically start redesigning how I lived my life from scratch, and it was then I learned the value of habit stacking and making small, gentle phases at a manageable pace, and playing the long game. Admittedly I had the time to figure that out, as I don't have smallies who need me. It's been quite the journey ... but I've bought no new notebooks this month.
I'm so sorry you went through that, it's so so hard to rebuild yourself after the body/mind has failed us. I'm so glad you've learned a way that's better for you and it sounds like you have lots of self compassion which I think we are all on a quest for !
Loved this Sophie! It's haircuts for me. I only get my hair cut about twice a year and each time I'm expecting full, fundamental transformation of my whole self..
HA yes the haircuts that have SO MUCH riding on them!!!!
That vision board is looking so good
will remember our witchy nye for ever!
Really enjoyed this read today! I do like the feeling in the air and the idea (at the moment) that I will have to get up early for college rather than lying around like a large oaf as I have all summer (happily, I might add). I love Halloween and I'm not opposed to winter but my goodness is it looooooong. At 47 I have definitely realised that striving for consistently is not my friend and that randomly having bursts of Doing the Things is better than never ever Doing the Things for fear of not being able to/because I know I won't stick to them. Always a pleasure :)
Agree so much with this. Reminds me of that quote about how change is not about fighting the old but building the new. Thanks for the reminder and the idea of expansion that seems so much more of a natural trajectory versus the battle that comes with change.