September reset: the month that feels like both a reset… and a goodbye!

September arrives with a feeling of two seasons sharing the same breath—a true September reset that invites both reflection and anticipation. The air turns cooler in the mornings, and the sunlight slants in a way that feels different, softer. Part of me welcomes this seasonal transition. I find comfort in the quiet return to routine, the promise held within the clean pages of a new planner, and the familiar sense of a fresh start.

But with this welcome comes a gentle ache—the goodbye to long summer evenings, the busy rhythms of summer activities with the kids, and the lingering warmth of the sun on my skin. I think of the things I meant to do. The beach I wanted to visit one last time. The local trails I hoped to explore.

It’s not a feeling of regret, but a quiet acknowledgment that life rarely fits into the perfect shape we imagine.

Maybe it isn't supposed to.

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Finding stillness in the in-between.

It has always been a challenge for me to fully live in a season. Perhaps it’s because I grew up where the weather rarely changed, where one day felt much like the next. Even now, I find myself observing the subtle signs of a seasonal transition more than truly entering them. I don't always slow down enough to let myself become part of that change, to embrace the promise of a new beginning.

This September, I’ve decided to try something different. I want to be more present in what it means to leave summer behind and welcome the autumn joys waiting ahead. To feel the shift, to breathe it in, and to let it soften the edges of my routines.

It reminds me a bit of how wedding mornings must feel after months of careful planning, a day layered with both beauty and a quiet list of hopes you don't want to let slip by.

There are small moments you hope to notice: the first cup of coffee before the day begins in earnest, a favorite song humming in the background as you get ready, that deep, steadying breath before stepping into something new.

These rituals become anchors—tiny fall rituals that help us savor the present even as we move forward.

We can’t control every second, but in embracing change, we can choose which feelings and habits to hold onto. We can create small spaces of calm and intention, promising ourselves to make room for more of what matters.

Carrying summer forward.

So, this September, I’m letting the goodbye and the reset sit side by side, leaning into my own September reset as a gentle pause to honor both what has passed and what is to come. A seasonal transition doesn’t have to mean letting go of everything I loved about the last chapter. It feels more authentic, more nurturing, to blend them softly together as I move into autumn.

I will carry forward the comfort of my morning coffee ritual, even as the sun rises later and the air grows crisp.

I plan to make time for sunsets, even when they arrive earlier—a quiet tradition of gratitude as each day draws to a close. I’ll say yes to all the autumn joys waiting in fall rituals both new and familiar: a slice of apple pie warm from the oven, cider donuts on Sunday drives, and the comfort of big, chunky sweaters that feel like home. I’ll treat myself to a Fall Bucket List printable, a gentle reminder to keep chasing those small delights—a walk under fiery leaves, laughter echoing on cooler afternoons, and simple moments that help make the season feel whole.

What small joy or quiet ritual will you carry forward into this new season of change?