The summer season is often marked by fun and spontaneity, or through another lens unpredictability and a lack of routine. The turning of seasons and onset of fall can be a breath of fresh air…quite literally, as the heat and excitement are exchanged for cooler days and consistency. Whether the new season is marked by the start of a new school year, or simply the block of time where you can order a pumpkin spice latte, the changing of the leaves can often encourage change and growth in our own lives.

In this season you may have goals for your kids such as their continued growth and development in a new class, perhaps you have goals for your family as a whole, such as more family dinners together around the table each week, or maybe your goals are simply personal to you whether you simply want to spend more time reading or completely revamp your small business. With the falling of the leaves comes the opportunity for new life, perhaps that’s why this season stirs a desire for change and growth within us. The autumn season seems to be a stilled-slow time between the excitement of summer and the chaos of the holiday season, a time to breathe and realign yourself. You may take this time to encourage a new habit, or you may take the opportunity to just BE before life picks back up, to enjoy the quieter days; and sometimes the ability to simply slowdown is one of the most challenging goals to embrace.

It is also not uncommon for this time of year to be a bit of a headache between back-to-school shopping and meet-the-teacher meetings, it’s also possible that you reluctantly exchange your carefree summer schedule filled with spontaneous fun for that of meal prepping school lunches, early morning drop-offs, and nights ruled by angsty and overtired kids as they also adjust to a new routine. If that is you, I encourage you to give grace to yourself and to your kids; recognizing that growth and change are not always comfortable but there is always beauty and grace to be found within the process.