This summer helped me out. During cross-country flights, Care for my fatherand switching between Oregon and New England, I felt stopped. It was like living in two worlds at once, never completely grounded. As the seasons change, I find myself not just welcoming cool air and long shadows, but how to make the crispness of the mornings, golden light spilling out on the streets of Portland and the sunlight waking up. I’m craving a September reset: a return to rhythm, rituals, and a stability that feels like home.
Autumn has always been my season. Summer spontaneity is beautiful in its own way, but it can ignore me and spin from one to the next. This year, my intention is not to go back to who I was before. It’s about rooting, lining up and stepping into a deliberate new person. My September reset consists of small adjustments that will help me find my footing again. These are not epic gestures or sweep overhauls, but they are everyday practices that remind me that I can always start a new one.
How to approach the September reset
A September reset does not mean completely overhauling your life or chasing a brand new version of yourself. After a summer juggling travel and constant transitions, I realized that the most meaningful changes were subtle and small adjustments that helped me feel central and stable. They are the practices that I come back when I want to feel like a real perfect person again. (As an excuse, Kaorical – not someone who progresses through movements.)
Think of this reset as a gentle guide rather than a checklist. The goal is not perfect. It is a sense of reconnection with the real self as the days cool and the seasons change.
10 Easy Changes to Stimulate a September Reset
As I step into the fall, I focus on everyday practices that help me get back to myself. It cleans up spaces, invites presence, and creates the consistency I wanted. They’re not about reforming my life, but about re-editing it in a way that feels manageable, meaningful, and (spoiler!) completely within reach.
1. Clean up space at home
After summer suitcases and scattered mountains, you need blank surfaces and organized drawers. The disruption of caregiving and travel made my home feel more like a storage than a sanctuary. I’m starting to get small: I’m working on 20 minutes of tidying up before bed, working on one drawer at a time, creating a calm pocket.
Try it: Select one surface to completely clear it. This could be your nightstand, desk, kitchen counter, etc. Keep an eye on how those small changes can improve your energy.
2. Reclaim the morning ritual
This summer, my mornings belonged to everyone except me. Early flights (or recovering from the late period), bookings, and unpredictable schedules have intentionally started the day impossible. Now I wake up a little earlier and either make a coffee, a diary, or sit quietly by the window. Even five minutes can hold my day in place.
Try it: Take a deep breath and ask yourself before reaching for your phone. How do you want to move today?
3. I’ll cook during the season
After months of takeaway and eating on the go, I crave a meal that is rooted in me. Not only that, I’m missing out on the way shopping at the farmers market gives me a sense of connection between my community and myself. The September market is full of squash, apples and late summer tomatoes. With these ingredients, the dish feels like reconstructing the roots and nourishing both the body and soul.
Try it: Choose one seasonal recipe this week that will inspire slowerness, such as roasting vegetables or baking bread.
4. Move intentionally
This summer I often pushed fatigue through long, intense workouts, and thought it was the only way I felt that strength above more miles was stronger. Now, when I train for my marathon, I am learning to celebrate moves that feel purposeful and resilient. Intensive running at a comfortable pace, barre classes to build stretch and strength, or walk around my neighborhood carefully. Movement is supposed to experience not only sweat but my body’s presence. It is a habit that challenges me and lays me down.
Try it: Choose one form of movement today. It can look like a short period of time, a strength session or a walk. Ask yourself both in and afterwards: Do I feel stable, connected, and like me?
5. Reclaim digital boundaries
Caregiving required a certain level of availability. Texts, calls and notifications were connected to my phone. This fall I’m practicing simple boundaries. After dinner, a screen-free morning, and after silence of mandatory notifications, I leave my phone in another room. (Ah, and I deleted my Instagram!) y’all present above ping.
Try it: Start with one digital boundary. Try calling time before bed and try delaying your phone pick-up for 30 minutes in the morning, or offline on Sundays. Pay attention to how your attention and mood responds.
6. Dress for alignment
Living from a suitcase, I reconsidered my closet. Now I’m focusing on pieces of feelings like me: soft sweaters, skirts, dresses, and outfits that I can wear comfortably. I decided to look at what I’m wearing and reflect the stability I want to bring in.
Try it: Build simple weekday uniforms with 2-3 outfits you will love. Reduce decision fatigue and think about a more signature style.
Small joy is never frivolous. They are meaningful threads for life.
7. Create a weekly anchor
Without the structure, I can see that the days are blurred together. Small rituals – Sunday meal preparation, midday coffee for the week with friends, Friday flowers – I’ll keep it oriented. They gently mark the time and give me something to look forward to.
Try it: Choose one weekly ritual that you find fun and easy to repeat. Treat it as non-negotiable on your schedule.
8. Reconfigure your rest
Even before this summer, rest has always been alive. Nap between flights, falling into bed after a long day. Now I aim for a recovery rest, prioritizing early bedtimes, reading afternoons, and quiet evenings at home. Icymi: Rest is fuel, not an afterthought.
Try it: Schedule an intentional rest. Block an hour for baths, naps, reading, and anything that replenishes you.
9. Invest in small joys
Small joy is more important than we realize. A new journal just because you bake flickering candles, muffins… all of these remind us that beauty is always accessible. These little joys are by no means frivolous. They are meaningful threads for life.
Try it: To get back to this month, write a list of five small joys. Commit to at least one each week.
10. Set the seasonal intentions
This season I’m writing it down and arguing for how I want to experience autumn. To be clear, these are not strict goals, but emotions: stability, connection, warmth. Intention acts as a gentle guide and helps us move on through life with clarity and attention.
Try it: It takes 10 minutes to look back on this season. Choose three words to capture the way you want to feel and let them shape your decisions. Return as often as you need these words.
Take home
The September reset doesn’t have to be dramatic to be transformative. Embracing small and intentional change – by celebrating cleaning spaces, rejoicing seasonal foods, and reconnecting with your own grounds, you can step into autumn more in line with the person you are becoming. Even one small adjustment can ripple outward, creating shock and ease throughout the season, reminding us that it is always possible to come back to ourselves.
Source: Camille Styles – camillestyles.com
