Change isn't easy. No matter which way you slice it or dice it, change is never going to be a breeze.
So is there ever a perfect time to embark on change? And this isn't some high-level theory of "Start today, there's no such thing as tomorrow." I'm talking about a more practical approach -- what time of year is best?
As it turns out, we're in the sweet spot right now. Early Fall is the perfect time of year to start something new. Here's why.
Everyone's back from the patio/lake/beach and raring to go
For those of you who tried to get sh*t done during July and August, you know this to be true. We tend to put on the brakes during the summer months. We take time off. We enjoy the sunshine and catch up with our friends and family. We attend a wedding or two, and go to more BBQs than we care to remember. But making progress? Not so much. It's not the right season for it. But now it's September and we're back from our summer vacay and ready to lay down plans for the rest of the year. And nope, it's not a coincidence that you've been smokin' busy since you returned to work last week...!
As the seasons change, so do we
Admittedly, this one's a little woo-woo. But you can't deny that this time of year has a different vibe. The air feels cooler, the leaves start to fall and the nights draw in. Gone are the sunny summer days as we welcome in hot tea, crunchy leaves and streets filled with burnt orange and iron ore red. As we notice this change in the seasons embracing us, we feel nostalgic. It's natural to cast our minds back to the recent memories of summer before looking towards the future and deciding what needs to change.
It's prior to 'Holiday Madness'
Once October hits, we're on a one-way holiday-themed street until January. We have Thanksgiving, Halloween and -- dare I say the C word just after Labour Day -- Christmas. These holidays occupy a great deal of our time, attention, energy and funds. It's our responsibility to put a new routine in place before we're struck by Holiday Madness. And for the love of all things holy, don't wait until January. New Year's Resolutions are a waste of time. (If I haven't made my position clear, read my HuffPost article Five Years Why New Year's Resolutions Don't Work). But mid-September? It's the perfect time, my friend.
All that's left is to decide what to change and how to do it. For that, you may need to enlist the help of a friend, mentor or coach.
No matter what, the perfect time to change is right now.
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