If you are anything like me, you might find yourself mid-August, desperately hanging on to summer and dreading September. What if, instead of focusing on the end of something, we looked at September as a way to make a fresh start?
While most people think of January 1st as a good time for a fresh start, psychologists refer to any time when we can mentally shift from our “old selves” to creating a new behavior, as temporal landmarks. Examples can include Mondays, birthdays, January first or the start of a new season.
September is a time of year when kids go back to school, and we leave the casual nature of summer and get back into our routines. The weather shifts, our calendars begin to fill up again and even though we may no longer be enrolled in school, that mentality still exists. It marks a visible transition: from summer to autumn, from spontaneity to routine, from scattered schedules to greater consistency. That shift can make it easier to leave behind habits that no longer serve us and try something different.
Our January new year’s resolutions tend to take on more pressure. We aim for big changes, and dramatic reinvention, whereas September goals can be a little gentler. We can nudge ourselves back into the behaviors that align more with our personal goals.
Some examples of what a September reset could look like:
• going to bed 20 minutes earlier
• taking a walk after lunch
• planning meals for the week
• dining out less frequently
• setting screen-free time in the evening
• journaling for five minutes in the morning
• drinking water before your first coffee
• preparing tomorrow’s to-do list before ending the workday
If you’ve been wanting to build a healthier routine, improve your sleep, move more, reduce screen time, or simply feel more organized, this is a good moment to start. Not because you need to become a different person, but because the season itself supports change.
September reminds us that fresh starts aren’t limited to the new year. Sometimes the best time to begin is simply when life gives you a natural opening.
By Barbara Broggelwirth, MS, RDN, CDN