As we enter September though, and make the first calendrical turn towards Autumn, there is a part of me that is ready for a change of pace. There are progressively fewer reasons to be out BBQing/wild swimming/festivaling long into the night, and everyone is naturally inclined to spend more time in their homes and other quiet spaces, moving gradually towards stillness

Although I’ll almost definitely be changing my tune in the depths of winter, there is something comforting about the impending change in the seasons, balancing the vibrant highs of summer with something cooler, stiller, and more reflective.

Perhaps it’s a hangover from the back-to-school anticipation of new pencil cases, school shoes, and timetables, but I always feel like there’s a shift towards the new when September rolls in, and I’ve always said that this time of year feels like a much more natural time to be setting resolutions than in January.

January has to be the least inspiring time to be considering new goals and intentions. It’s cold, dark, and raining, we’ve spent all our money, and frankly I’m not sure I’d make it through the month without lots of treats and duvet days to soften the blow. The last thing we really want to do after Christmas and New Year is to make our lives harder by giving up wine or bread or trying to get to the gym before work while its still dark, let alone finding the energy and motivation to plan our empires with so little inspiration around.⠀
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September on the other hand - is warm and friendly and beautiful. Everyone is happy and relaxed after getting some much needed vitamin D and generally in a much better frame of mind to make good long lasting life decisions. The colours of summer are still vivid in our imaginations, and our creativity is fuelled by the mixture of relaxation and excitement that summer infuses into us.
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This month is the perfect time to embrace the new, just like the back-to-school crew. A fitting point in the year to set some goals. I’m personally getting clear on my intentions and what I want to see more of in the coming months, and mapping out the path to making it happen all the way through the winter months and into March, at which point the sun will be returning, and it will be time to review, reassess, and do it all again. And so the cycle continues!

If you’re new to intention/goal setting, then here’s a few tips to get you started.

1. Get a notebook and pen and take yourself off somewhere quiet
   

2. Without thinking about it too much, just start noting down some hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Don’t limit yourself, dream big.
   

3. Pick out two or three of the most important things and then break them each down into smaller steps that are easy to achieve (i.e. if your goal is to learn a new language, break the goal down into something like the following 1. Find a good teacher/Online resource 2. Book the first session 3. Commit to learning three new words a day every day until March 4. Be able to have a basic conversation with someone in your new language by March- find someone to practice with etc.)
   
   Breaking goals down into smaller steps makes them manageable and achievable rather than leading to overwhelm that causes you to freeze with inaction. Riding the wave of the seasons with our own hopes and dreams is a lovely way to connect with the natural cycle of things, and will help you meander gently through the winter when there seem to be less and less reasons to get out of bed!
   

4. You might want to make visual representations of your goals by pulling a few images that sum them up off the internet (or out of magazines if you're old school) and making a simple vision board that you can stick somewhere to act as a daily reminder of what you're heading towards. Or if you are more comfortable with words then make some flashcards and keep them in your purse and refer to them every now and again.

Balance Garden continues to spread its tendrils into all areas of connection, creativity, self care, mindfulness, yoga, natural health, and conscious living. We have some great recipes, articles and giveaways coming up this month including a giveaway of a pair of tickets (worth £52) to the Go!Organic Festival in London next weekend. Connection with nature is one of our key values here at Balance Garden, and a recent article we had up on the site really provoked some thought about how our food choices impact our environment and the role that the organic movement plays in contributing positively to the state of our planet. Check the article out here if you haven't already.

Enter our giveaway if you want to learn more about the importance of supporting sustainable natural systems while enjoying talks by the likes of Melissa Hemsley (of Hemsley and Hemsley fame), sampling organic craft beer, browsing the organic traders exhibiting, and eating delicious food from over 100 stalls.

Until next month then. Blue Skies.

Jasmine xXx

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