This morning I stepped outside into the cool, brisk air of an autumn morning. Finally, fall is here, and I’m all for it. It’s my favorite season of the year for so many reasons, including the trifecta of family, food, and football. On a deeper level, fall represents a season of taking stock of the year, celebrating the harvest, and honoring the wins. It’s how we prepare for the coming winter by finishing strong. Because fall is the last full season of the calendar year it feels climatic in some ways, like the year has been crescendoing to this moment. The trick is learning how to embrace the fall (pun intended).

One of my personal practices with each season change is borrowed from Emily Freeman’s soul minimalist guide where I ask myself a series of reflection questions. I’ve shared these questions on this blog before, but just in case here they are again:

Pay attention: What was life giving and life draining in the past season? If you’re like me, sometimes this list gets long. But identifying what is life giving will help you to plan your prsence. Likewise, identifying what has been life draining will help you to plan your absence.

Name your posture: How do you want to approach this upcoming season? For me in this season, I’m focusing on mindful action, really making sure that as I push to close out the year, I’m acting out of a sense of grounded-ness rather than false urgency.

Create space: What practices, rhythms or routines, will help create room for me to live into this posture in this season? For me this looks like continuing to make time for the things I love about the fall… hikes outdoors, appreciating the fallen leaves, riding my bike, early morning quiet times, curing up with a good book, morning writing by the window.

Last weekend, my wife and I sat down and shared our answers to these questions together as we mapped out our next three months. For us, this is a life giving practice (and a life saving one!). My hope is that it helps you as well to make the most of the season. After all, isn’t this the most wonderful time of the year?

SDW3