by Kathi Szabo

Thursday is the Autumnal Equinox, the official change of seasons from summer to fall. Day and night will be of equal length. The Sun will cross an imaginary extension of the Earth’s equator, what is called the celestial equator. Nights will become longer than the days as fall sets in. And we begin to make preparations for the upcoming winter. The last bounty is harvested. Nature begins to shed her summer bouquet and the rich colors of fall will prevail.

This time of year lends itself perfectly in shifting our energy from outward connections to inner connections. While Spring and Summer are seasons of outward beauty, outward movement, outward connection, Autumn allows us to bring our senses inward, an invitation to surrender to our own thoughts and our own desires.

I think of fall as a time for quiet introspection. To rediscover what ignites the fire in us. To listen to our inner voice. Finding purpose and meaning in our daily lives.

Fall is a time for renewal.  Although we can choose renewal at any time, making a dedicated practice of Autumnal Renewal can be a tradition, ensuring you take time for the three aspects of YOU:  your Self, your Soul, your Dreams.

Your Self

Making time for your Self is something to focus on year-round. But if we have been absorbed in the frenzy of summer, the first day of Fall is the perfect day to mark your calendar for some quality ME time.

Me time is necessary to fill our own cup so that we can give to those we love. To find compassion for the world. And to ensure we don’t feel burnout.

What is burnout?

Burnout is when the things we loved, things we enjoy, the life we are living, no longer excites us. No longer brings us pleasure. So many women, and men, work tirelessly at their careers, careers they once loved, but they have given so much, that it no longer is enjoyable. It no longer makes one feel good. It is a chore. A job. Something that must be done.

We feel burnout because we do and do and go and go and don’t take a moment to rest.

As fall brings darkness earlier and longer, rest. Take time for you. Make time to rejuvenate your Self.

Schedule all those doctor appointments you may have been putting off. Or perhaps restart your yoga or meditation practice if it moved to the backseat during the summer.

Get back to the gym. Read that book that’s been sitting on your shelf. Sleep in, or maybe instead, go to bed early. Say no to something that you feel obligated to do, but does not bring you joy. These are all options to care for your Self.

When we take care of our own needs, when we fill our own cup, we are actually better able to take care of those we love.

Your Soul

Your Self is your human experience. It’s your emotions, your body, your activities.

Your Soul is your spiritual existence. Your reason for being.

I’ve witnessed many forget this part of themselves. They lump it in with the Self. But the Soul, it has it’s own needs.

Your Soul needs purpose. Your Soul needs connection to a higher power. Connection to a greater good.

Science tells us, that everything has a cause and effect.  For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction.  There was a cause, you could say an action, here in the universe, that created a reaction – creating you and bringing you into this world.   That reason could be anything! And it doesn’t have to be to change the entire planet. Our life may simply touch another life and change it for good.

I believe there is a reason for each of us to be here. We are all unique beings, and our purpose is something only we can fulfill.

If we can find that one thing – have clarity on this one thing, we then become aligned with what many call our spiritual vision, or simply our Why.

Each of us has a purpose, to give a meaningful contribution to this world.

Your meaningful contribution is your Why, your guiding star.  It is what keeps you from doing certain things and yet doing other things.  It is how we see the world or want the world to be.

When we start with the WHY – our lives have more meaning and the What we do is much larger.

A Mission Statement

In my coaching practice, I ask each client to write a mission statement. Your mission statement is your Why.

If you have a mission statement already, use the Autumnal Equinox to reflect on it. Make changes. Update it based on where you are today. Our Why is fluid. Not static.

If you don’t have a Why or a Mission Statement, check out my Treasure Hunt Meditation to discover what lights you up!

Your Dreams

Your Dreams are your desires for your Self and your Soul. It’s the connection of how we want to live our lives in order to fulfill our meaningful contribution. A life not only filled with happiness, but also with purpose.

When we care for our Self and we have clarity of our Soul, we then begin to Dream, to consciously create a life that we love! To live our best lives!

During the Autumnal Equinox, we can take the shift of energy from outward connection to inward connection and create pathways to bring our Self and Soul aligned in the way we live our life. To Consciously DREAM.

Decide
Release Doubt
Empower the Self
Action
Mindfulness

This is my definition of Dream.

What Dream is awaiting You?

Renewal

In this season of vibrant color and renewal, go inward and reconnect with these three aspects of you: your Self, your Soul and your Dreams.