By Justine Clay
“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” Nora Ephron
How do you feel about the end of summer? Are you buzzing with excitement about the prospect of new opportunities, collaborations and projects or do you have that dreaded ‘back to school’ feeling? There’s no wrong or right answer – you feel the way you feel – but this month I encourage you to take stock of how you’re feeling and recognize what emotions serve you and which ones could use a tweak. I truly believe that we bring about what we think about, so I have a few tips on consciously preparing for success as we head into Fall.
1) Get inspired
Now that you’re not racing out of town every Friday afternoon, get inspired by all the things going on in your town or city. Whether it’s signing up for a new course, attending a performance or exhibit or simply reading the September issue of Vogue – do something that gets you excited about where you are and what’s to come.
2) Dream and plan
Now that everyone’s back at work, think about projects you’d like to work on, people you’d like to meet and improvements you’d like to make in your business and/or life. Next, write a list of things you’d like to achieve between now and Christmas. Lastly, write a list of things you need to do to achieve those goals.
3) Get stuff done
Start each morning by listing 3-5 things you can do that day that will get you closer to your goals. Set yourself up for success by making your tasks realistic e.g. instead of ‘rewrite website copy’, aim for one element of the website copy such as re-write ‘about us’ section. What doesn’t get done is rolled over to tomorrow’s list.
4) Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
It’s human nature to shy away from things that make us uncomfortable, but in my experience, growth and success have always come at times of extreme change or challenge in my life. Instead of seeing discomfort as something to be avoided, welcome it as a sure fire sign that you’re moving in the right direction.
5) Build in down time
Burn out is a bore so make sure you build in quality time with your family and friends. Also, be sure to get enough exercise and sleep – it really is critical to brining you’re a game.
And so, I wish you a happy and successful September. I’d love to hear about your plans and successes, so please feel free to share.
See you next month!
