A Guide to Rebuilding and Fresh Start this Autumn

By Trina Basaysay

The arrival of the autumn season offers a great opportunity to reflect on your life goals. By taking a moment to appreciate the transformations that accompany this season, you can remain energised and invigorated to make the most of this new beginning.

To help you seize this opportunity, we have put together 6 valuable tips to help you move forward, cultivate new habits, and make the most of this season. Without further ado, let us dive in and explore these tips!

6 Tips to Make a Fresh Start this Season 

1. Learn to Let Go of the Past 

There are many things in life that are beyond your control, including the past. The act of detaching from things outside the sphere of your control, such as ended relationships, unmet expectations, and situations that didn't materialise as hoped, frees you from being stuck in a cycle of negative emotions, such as guilt, anger, anxiety, worry, and fear.

Psychiatrist Abigail Brenner writes that, however painful letting go is, it's something you must do because "it is the path to growth." According to her, your past is part of your history, but it's not who you are. You are, in fact, so much more.

Not only does letting go allow you to better manage everyday stress triggers. It also enables you to create a space for you to make the changes you need and want. Take time to remember that the best is still ahead of you and not behind you. 

2. Reset Your Sleep Habit 

Sleep is a powerful thing. Good, quality sleep can help lower your stress, boost your immune system, impact your mood as well as improve your cognitive functioning, among other benefits. More often than not, however, it is the least of many people’s priorities. 

If you have picked up some bad sleeping habits during the past months, then this autumn is a great opportunity to make a reset. A  reset may entail readjusting your bedtime and the time you wake up. 

3. Prioritising Physical Activity: Tips for Moving More

Similar to better sleep hygiene, exercising makes a huge difference in your physical, mental and emotional well-being. This season, start anew by committing to workout activities that best suit you. You should start small to build and sustain this change until it becomes part of  your habit. 

For example, challenge yourself initially to do some walking around your neighbourhood thrice a week for 4 straight weeks. In between, you may engage in basic stretching exercises that you can do both indoor and outdoor. As you get used to working out, you may choose to level up your routines to start targeting the various areas of your body. 

Take advantage of the good weather this season to be active again. Complement this effort by improving your eating patterns. Exercising and eating healthy are powerful combinations that make for a great restart if you have been inactive and easily indulging in junk food.    

4.  Declutter Your Physical Space

Cleaning Consultant Marie Kondo, the Japanese author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,” points to the mind as the root cause of constant home clutter. For the popular author, the success of organising your space and consistently keeping things in order is “90 percent dependent on your mindset” and such success could profoundly affect your lifestyle and perspective.  

Giving your living space a makeover can do wonders for your mental health and help get the boredom out. It’s time for your creative side to come out this season!

Additionally, as you go about your stuff, see what are the things that you don’t need but you can donate to charities such as your old clothes, books or pieces of furniture.    

5. Practice Gratitude

Practising gratitude enables you to take control of your mind. By intentionally shifting your focus to things– be it small or big– that you are grateful for and away from what’s missing or lacking, you experience joy and contentment in your everyday life no matter the circumstances.

If you embrace the attitude of being thankful, you’re adopting a perspective that does not tie your reactions to outside triggers or stress-inducing situations. Therein lies power that can have significant positive effects on your well-being. 

Numerous studies have found a link between gratitude and happiness. According to Harvard, for instance, practising gratitude has proved to boost health, improve your relationships, strengthen your ability to handle life’s challenges better, and make you relish your experiences, among others. 

This season, take time to remember and reflect on all the small and big blessings of the present day. Write them down in your journal. Additionally, you may also express your gratitude to others and cite why you are grateful to them.  

6. Surround Yourself with Positive People

Having a reliable support system or people who motivate and help you to be better is vital to making and sticking to changes that you want for yourself. Surround yourself with positive friendships and let go of relationships that are no longer serving you. 

An article posted to the website of prominent Life and Business Strategist Tony Robbins explains that you’re highly likely to embrace empowering beliefs if you surround yourself with positivity. The adage that you become who you hang out with holds true.  

Conclusion

It takes both courage and resilience to make changes in the areas of your life that need a fresh start. As you embark on your transformation journey, don’t be afraid to fail as it is part of your growth and progress. Embracing change and being patient with yourself throughout the process will help you stay motivated and ultimately achieve your goals.