Autumnal reset

I've always loved autumn. Cosy jumpers, leaves crunching under my boots and the gorgeous colour palette of chocolatey browns and burnt oranges. I love those nights when you can hear the rain crashing down, while sitting next to an open fire cuddled up in a blanket reading a good book.

Autumn doesn't actually start until Friday 23rd September this year in England. But as soon as September begins I get inspired.

As a kid I would always associate autumn with going back to school. This isn't surprising as if you put on any teen drama I can guarantee the opening scene will be something along the lines of a new kid wearing a checked jumper and dashing through leaves as they arrive at their new school on their first day. And much like myself, the kid in the tv show would have fresh new school shoes, a new school bag and a smile filled with hope on their face. The possibilities were always endless on that first day of term. Was this going to be the year I made a sports team or was I finally going to become 'cool'? No one knew, and that was where the excitement lay. Looking back now that first day of school filled my heart full of hope every single year, as the year just had so much potential. It was a reset, everything was new again.

The idea of autumn being a reset and offering new beginnings continued with me as I grew up. When I was sixteen I changed schools for sixth form. This added an extra layer of excitement and possibilities as it was no longer just a case of new items, but a new place full of new people. Then at eighteen I moved cities to go to university, which offered even more promise in the form of a new location.

Now as an adult I don't get anything new in autumn; but as soon as I see those brown crunchy leaves start to fall to the ground I can't help but smile. I smile, as the light of new hope fills my heart once again. So comforting, like a warm cup of coffee on an autumnal morning. Strange isn't it, what we hold onto from childhood?

So you might be wondering, how do I have an autumnal reset now? As it's not like anything changes for me now when Autumn begins; and much to my displeasure, no one buys me new shoes. Well now I have to light my candle of hope inside of me by myself, by doing what I like to call an 'Autumnal Reset'.

In order to perform an autumnal reset you must be aware of two things:

First of all, this reset is about you and only you. Remember you are the main character in your own life. Whether you are single, married, something in between or way too young for any of that to matter, this is about you and no one else.

The second thing to remember is, this isn't a new years resolution. It is not about creating goals or writing lists of what you want to achieve, it's about putting yourself in a better place. Yes, it is always good to have goals and ambitions, but right now we are trying to reset and refill our hearts with hope, not to be super humans. But if you do this right, you may end up feeling like a super human and smashing your goals.

How to Autumnal Reset

I like to break this into three parts: mind, body and self. The mind is a type of mental reset, the body is a physical reset and self is something you feel that you personally need to reset. The last one is the most personal and can come in a variety of forms.

You need to begin by clearing your mind. This allows new ideas and hope to flow through you. Think of your mind like a wardrobe, if it's full of messy clothes, you can't put new ones in tidily. There are many ways to clear the mind that I have read about over the years, such as: mindfulness, yoga and breathing exercises. If one of those works for you, great! If not, allow me to teach you mine. I tend to sit down in my bedroom and have no sound. And yes that does mean pausing Friends that you have playing for the 100th time in the background. Sit down and be still and silent. Now take five long and deep breaths. With me now. In. And out. And you just feel light.

Now the mind is clear, we can move on to the body. Again if you have a sport or exercise that you enjoy you could use that for your body part of the reset. If you do not, you can follow along with me again. I like to reset my body by going on a short walk of about fifteen to twenty minutes with no music, just nature. Listen to the birds chirping, inhale the smell of the freshly cut grass, see tree leaves starting to crisp and feel yourself filling up with new hope, energy and promise.

That is your mind and body taken care of, but now we need to do the final, and probably most important part of the reset: self. The self part of the reset is the most challenging as it's about identifying what area of your or your life really needs a reset. You might need to organise something, you might need to heal with someone or you might literally just need new shoes, like me at school. You should be clear enough in your mind and body to know what is best for you. However, if you are still unsure let me tell you about a couple of my previous resets. Last year my reset was organisation, as I had a chest-of-drawers that would just not close. This prompted a draw reorganisation and a bag of clothes for the local charity shop. Resetting my internal candle of hope with the spirit of giving and a clear home environment. In previous years, similar to school, I've realised I don't actually have basic items that I need. For example two years ago I realised I didn't have a big thick winter coat, so my reset came in the form of preparing myself for the year ahead by purchasing one. I suppose my point is, the final part of the reset is unique to you as an individual and what will light that candle of hope and promise again inside of you. As when that candle is lit, the world will always shine that little bit brighter.