Fall officially started on Tuesday, and it feels like the weather decided to follow right along with it.

The air has cooled down just enough to make sleeping with the air conditioning off and the windows open absolutely perfect. The days have been made for sweaters and hoodies, and I’m ready to pull out all of my Fall and Halloween decorations.

There’s just something about this time of year that makes me want to slow down.

My Tuesday morning meditation seemed to follow right along with the season and with where I find myself in this chapter of my life. One of the messages was:

“The earth’s natural cycle of change is an invitation to slow down.”

And another:

“Release things that haven’t worked to make room for things that do.”

Those words have been sitting with me since.

I’ve been doing a lot of releasing lately – not necessarily big, dramatic changes, but little things that have been taking up space in my home, my garden, my schedule, and my mind.

The garden has taught me a lot about this. There are things that worked and things that didn’t. Things that needed to be cut back, moved, replanted, or simply let go. Our home has been much the same. I’ve been thinking more about what brings me happiness and peace and making room for more of those things.

And lately, I’ve been looking at my time the same way.

Life has gotten busier these days, and I’m realizing that I can’t keep doing everything exactly the way I used to. Instead of trying to squeeze more hours into the day, I’m learning to look at the hours I already have a little differently.

I’m starting my days earlier.

I work remotely during the day, and somewhere along the way I had fallen completely out of a routine. I was rolling out of bed later than I should, and some days I was working in my pajamas.

And honestly? There is absolutely nothing wrong with a cozy pajama workday once in a while. But for me, it wasn’t helping my productivity outside of work. When my workday ended, I felt like I had never really started my day.

So, I’m changing that.

Now I’m getting up earlier, getting dressed, and getting myself ready for a productive day before I ever sit down at my desk. I even changed my alarm to a positive, motivational message so the very first thing I hear in the morning helps set my mindset for the day.

While I’m waiting for my coffee, I feed Waldough, my gluten-free sourdough starter.

Yes, my sourdough starter has a name.

Waldough gets fed more often when I’m working toward a baking day, but even that little morning ritual has become part of my new routine.

I’m also learning to rethink exercise.

With everything going on right now, I don’t always have time for a complete workout in the evening. Rather than deciding that means I can’t exercise at all, I’m breaking it into pieces throughout my workday.

About once an hour, I step away from my desk for a few minutes. Sometimes I walk. Sometimes I pick up the dumbbells. Sometimes I do squats, pushups, or another quick movement. Nothing complicated. Nothing that requires an hour of my day.

Just a few minutes of movement keeps me moving in the direction I want to go.

I write the exercises down ahead of time, too. Because apparently, I know myself well enough to know that if I have a plan, I’m much more likely to actually do it.

My lunch break has become another little pocket of time that I’m trying to use differently.

Instead of staying inside, I get some much-needed fresh air and vitamin D while I take the dogs outside. I check on the garden, visit the chickens, make sure everyone has what they need for the day, give out a few treats, and collect the eggs.

It doesn’t feel like another item on my to-do list.

It feels like a break.

And maybe that distinction matters.

I’ve also picked up a seasonal job in the evenings. It’s another change in our current season of life, but it’s connected to a bigger goal. What started as a five-year goal to pay off our debt and begin planning for retirement is now a four-year goal.

That gives this busier season a purpose.

But I’m also realizing that having goals doesn’t mean I have to fill every waking hour trying to accomplish them.

So, I’ve started making a to-do list in the evenings with the things I’d like to get done that night.

And here’s the important part:

I don’t sweat it if I don’t get everything done.

Whatever doesn’t get finished simply moves to tomorrow’s list.

I’m learning that a to-do list is supposed to help me—not make me feel like I failed because I didn’t check every box.

Maybe that’s part of the slowing down I’m being reminded to do.

I can still be loosely regimented without being rigid.

I can have goals without making every minute productive.

I can make progress without rushing through this season of my life.

And I can release the things that aren’t working to make room for the things that do.

That feels especially fitting as we move into fall.

I’m ready for the slower mornings, the cooler evenings, fall festivals, apple cider, soups and chili, and all those beautiful colors that make this season feel like such a gift.

I’m looking forward to seeing what my fall garden brings, too.

Just this week, I discovered a watermelon growing in the garden that I started earlier this summer. This is my first time growing watermelons, so now I’m wondering if I can help this little surprise make it through the colder Ohio fall weather.

I guess that’s another thing I’m learning.

Sometimes you make a plan, and sometimes life grows something you never expected.

You do your best to care for it.

You adjust.

You make room.

And you see what happens.

I’m also starting to think ahead to winter and figuring out how I’ll keep our chickens warm when the temperatures really start to drop.

There’s always something to learn, something to prepare for, something growing, something changing.

But for now, I’m going to slow down enough to enjoy it.

Fall is here, and I think I’m ready to settle into it.

Maybe this season isn’t asking me to do less.

Maybe it’s asking me to be more intentional about what I choose to do with the time I have.

To make room for the things that matter.

To release the things that don’t.

And to remember that there is still plenty of beauty in the middle of a busy life.

Thanks for being here. I’m glad you stopped by!

Kristen

Rooted in This Chapter