Everyone in my house loves the fall season, but for different reasons. I love it because of football (of course). Sloane loves it because her favorite holiday, Halloween, is around the corner. My wife loves it because the Atlanta heat finally gives way to cool mornings and crisp evenings. I’m not sure about the exact reasons for the other three, but when I asked everyone their favorite season, fall landed solidly in everyone’s top two. And really, what’s not to love?
For me, fall isn’t just about the weather or the games. It’s an invitation, the final one of the year to take stock of everything I’ve planted, built, and tended over the months, and to create a plan to finish strong. Also, when I think of fall, I think of harvest. It’s the season to gather the fruits of your labor before winter’s rest arrives. But that gathering, like any good harvest, can feel like hard, heavy work.
Years ago, I discovered Emily Freeman’s seasonal guide to soul minimalism, and it’s been a gift. Every season, I use her framework to set my intentions for how I want to show up. This fall, the work of reflection and preparation feels weightier than usual, but it’s still sacred work.
Here’s how I’m approaching it this time around:
Name my posture
How do I want to approach this fall? For me, this step is all about mindset. It’s not about what’s on my to-do list, but how I want to be as I do it.
This fall, I want my posture to be the opposite of busy. Life is full, but that doesn’t mean I have to rush through it. I want to move slowly enough to make memories while doing the important work of living my day-to-day life. That’s a tricky balance, but it’s possible if I practice both/and thinking. Getting things done and being present while I do them. Who says you can’t enjoy a full life?
Create space
What practices, rhythms or routines, will help create room for me to live into this posture? I told a friend recently that once habits are set, they free up your mental and emotional energy to do your most important work. That’s the beauty of structure, it creates freedom.
So I’m asking: What habits this season will create real margin for me?
This also means listening to what needs my attention. Maybe it’s revisiting my daily routines, my meeting schedule, or our family calendar to make sure the essentials are front and center. Or maybe it’s listening to my body—am I more tired, anxious, or short-tempered than usual? Those signals often point to where I need more space.
Choose your absence, plan your presence
What do you really need to say no to? For every yes, there is a no. And you only get a few yeses because your time, energy, and resources are limited. That’s why I love this framing to choose your absence, and plan your presence. What you do with your time is a choice, based off of your values and your vision for how you want to spend your life. If you’ve done the work of deciding, and creating space, this next step is how you protect and enable your decision.
What do I really need to say no to so I can be fully present for what matters most? For example, in our family, when winter arrives, we say no to sports and after-school activities. Spring and summer are our “go” seasons, but winter is our time for hibernation. We trade busyness for rest and connection. So for us, fall is about winding down, not winding up.
Seasons change, but the work of showing up to each one of them never ceases. Fall invites us to reflect, to realign, and to ready ourselves for what’s next. Here’s to each of us leaning into the fall season in the ways that best move our lives forward, together.
SDW3
everyday fatherhood 