“Becoming your best self this fall.” A sentiment that’s all over my Instagram feed, YouTube recommendations, and even featured in clickbait email subjects in my inbox. While this idea of a “fall reset” might seem like just another micro-trend, this concept outdates even the beloved pumpkin spice latte. In fact, when applied healthily, taking steps to “become your best self” during autumn is entirely realistic and highly beneficial.
What does a “fall reset” mean?
The concept of resetting during autumn has been given many names. Recently, it’s been described with phrases such as “getting a head start on New Year’s” or “glowing up during the fall season.” Even though influencers use catchy hooks and titles to engage their viewers, making the process seem slightly complicated, it’s really rather simple. Change with the season. Set goals and start them at the easiest time of the year.
It seems representative of the changing season that is fall. The leaves naturally change color, and the weather gets cooler and more comfortable. Interestingly, 39% of American adults say fall is their favorite season. Compared to the other three seasons, the survey results showed that fall got the most votes. This further supports the idea of a fall reset, as people are generally more productive when they are happier or experiencing positive emotions.
Due to this, dedicating the fall season to start your “New Year’s resolutions” will be much more effective than starting in the middle of winter. I mean, come on, winter is the season where everything is dead and it’s way too cold. That’s not the time to try to change your life.
Why fall?
Why not summer or spring? The answer to that comes from the history of a fall reset; this is a much older concept than many think. For most, this idea comes from the back-to-school season. For at least 18 years, it’s been ingrained in you that fall is the time to end your summer fun and re-focus. As the school year starts, many people have ambitions about grades, clubs, and their social life. You’ve probably set a goal or two during the fall, even if you didn’t write it down.
For me, however, my familiarity with a fall reset comes from more than just back-to-school. On the Hebrew calendar, Rosh Hashanah, the first of Tishrei, marks the new year. The funny thing is, Tishrei isn’t actually the first month of the year on the Hebrew calendar. Nisan, the month that houses the well-known holiday of Passover, is the first month on the calendar. It’s definitely a little complicated. Simply, Tishrei celebrates the year’s number increasing, while Nisan celebrates new festivals and Kings. This calendar system preserves the ancient practice of centering the new year on agricultural practice, and for Jewish people, celebrates the start of creation.
How do I apply this?
If you’re interested in implementing a fall reset, there are a couple of things to remember. Most notably, you don’t truly want to treat this the way influencers are. More often than not, social media content features this trend with overtly ambitious goals, doing a complete 180 on your life. “Getting disciplined” is a common theme surrounding these types of videos.
However, that is not realistic. Just like trying an intense diet, attempts will often lead to failure. It’s not because the goal or the diet is impossible, but rather it’s not a manageable change from your starting point. Not only that, but life shouldn’t just be about becoming your highest, most perfect, and disciplined self. When you chase the idea of perfection in yourself, you’ll be stuck in a loop of wanting more and not acknowledging the real growth you’ve made. This leads to burnout.
A healthy reset comes from honesty. If you go to the gym maybe once a week, starting 75 hard out of the blue won’t be sustainable. To “build a better self,” you have to make small changes, build routines that you can actually keep, and improve your life.
I’ll be the first to say that I will never be part of the 5 a.m. club. Waking up at 5 a.m. keeps me exhausted all day. Personally, what works best for me at this point in my life is at least ten hours of sleep and waking up no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Instead of trying to force myself to become a morning person for the sake of productivity, I balance my schedule and my goals around my routine. However, what works best for me might not work for you. Find what’s right for you.
But I understand the desire to be ambitious and really change your life. Everyone has those big dreams. When you think about where you see yourself in ten years, there’s a lot you want to accomplish. When setting goals, especially overarching year-long goals, people tend to be a bit ambitious. Even I’m guilty of it. I’ve had “write a novel” on my goal list for the past 3 years. Have I written a novel yet? No. That’s because my goal is too big compared to my current writing habits, and I don’t know where to start.
So, what’s the happy medium?
In my opinion, the best way to use a fall reset is to combine your dreams and your reality by integrating New Year’s back into the equation.
During the fall, set your big goals for the year. However, set SMART goals. Using this sort of template for your goals helps make them a little less broad and a little more attainable. By making your goal seem approachable, you’re more likely to take the steps to achieve it. Then, when New Year’s comes around, don’t set new resolutions. Instead, evaluate the progress you’ve made in the last few months.
Be honest with yourself. Which goals should you keep? Which ones should you change? Which should you throw out the window? How many have actually been helping you? Have any been inadvertently hurting you? The burst of determination caused by New Year’s, paired with the feeling of success from any progress you’ve already made, is key to success. With that, it will be easy to continue your goals, and making progress on them will quickly become a habit.
It’s up to you to decide what kind of goals you want to set. Maybe you want to focus on your academic life, or maybe you want to sort out your self-care routines. Regardless, I encourage you to grab a pumpkin spice latte, get cozy, and figure out what realistic change you want to make in your life.