There’s something about autumn that feels like a natural turning point.
Summer holidays are over, routines are starting again, the evenings are drawing in and there’s that first sense that another year is beginning to move rather quickly.
And before we know it, the Christmas decorations will be appearing in the shops and December will arrive with its usual mixture of lists, plans, presents, parties and people to see.
But we’re not there yet.
For now, there’s autumn.
A quieter space between the freedom of summer and the rush of Christmas. And perhaps that makes it a rather good time to stop for a moment and take stock.
What can we learn from the squirrels?
At this time of year, nature seems to know exactly what it’s doing.
Leaves fall. Things slow down. And squirrels start gathering and storing what they need for the winter ahead.
We’re not suggesting you start burying nuts in the garden, but there might be something in the idea.
Autumn can be a chance to gather our thoughts too.
To think about where we are, what has happened over the past few months and what we would like the rest of the year to look like.
Not as another list of things we should be doing. Not as a grand plan to change our lives.
Just a little pause.
Where are you right now?
Life moves quickly and we don’t often stop long enough to notice how we actually feel about it.
Perhaps something has been on your mind.
Maybe there’s something you’ve been putting off, something you’d like to change, a decision you need to make or simply something you want more of in your life.
Sometimes writing things down helps.
Our A Place to Reflect notebook was created as somewhere to do exactly that: somewhere to pause, notice what has been on your mind and make a little sense of it, without judgement or any need to find the perfect words.
You might start by asking yourself:
Where am I right now?
What keeps coming back into my mind?
What has felt good recently?
Is there anything I’m ready to let go of?
What would I like to do before this year ends?
You don’t have to answer everything. In fact, you don’t have to have any answers at all. Sometimes simply noticing what’s there is enough. That’s part of the thinking behind A Place to Reflect too.
And who matters to you?
Taking stock isn’t only about what we want to do.
Very often, it brings us back to who.
Who have you enjoyed spending time with this year?
Who do you wish you saw more often?
Who helped you through something without perhaps realising how much it meant?
Who have you lost touch with?
Who keeps popping into your head for no particular reason?
One of the prompts in A Place to Reflect is simply:
Someone who made a difference…
It’s a small question, but it can lead somewhere rather lovely.
Because sometimes when we give ourselves time to think, we realise there’s something we want to say.
Don’t always leave it for later
We’re all very good at thinking I must message them, we really should arrange something, or one day I’ll tell them how much that meant.
Then life gets busy again.
So perhaps before the December rush starts, autumn is a good time to do something with one of those thoughts.
It doesn’t have to be a great declaration.
You might Share a Thought with someone simply to say, You crossed my mind today.
You might send a card to someone you haven’t spoken to for a while.
Or you might write a note, whether you decide to send it now, later or not at all.
The important part is giving the thought somewhere to go.
Reflect. Notice. Say it.
That might be our little autumn ritual.
Reflect on where you are.
Notice what, and who, matters.
And if there’s something you’ve been meaning to say, perhaps say it.
There will be plenty of time for Christmas lists and present buying soon enough.
For now, make a cup of tea, find somewhere quiet and give yourself half an hour.
Download A Place to Reflect, write whatever comes into your head and see where your thoughts take you.
You might discover something you want to change.
You might remember something you’d almost forgotten.
Or you might simply think of someone who needs to hear from you.
And that could be a rather lovely way to begin autumn.
