How to Reset This September (Without Overhauling Your Whole Life)

This summer unraveled me. Between cross-country flights, caregiving for my father, and toggling between Oregon and New England, I felt suspended. It was like living in two worlds at once, never fully grounded. As the season shifts, I’m not just welcoming cooler air and longer shadows—I’m noticing the crispness in the mornings, the golden light spilling across my Portland streets, and how the sunlight catches in my eyes in a way that makes me feel fully awake again. I’m craving a September reset: a return to rhythm, to rituals, and to a steadiness that feels like home.

Fall has always been my season of becoming. Summer’s spontaneity is beautiful in its own way, but it can leave me untethered, spinning from one thing to the next. This year, my intention isn’t to return to who I was before. It’s to step into someone new: rooted, aligned, and intentional. My September reset is made up of small adjustments that help me find my footing again. These aren’t grand gestures or sweeping overhauls, but everyday practices that remind me I can always start anew.

How to Approach Your September Reset

A September reset doesn’t mean completely overhauling your life or chasing a brand-new version of yourself. After a summer that had me juggling travel and constant transitions, I’ve realized the most meaningful shifts are subtle, small adjustments that help me feel centered and steady. They’re the practices I return to when I want to feel like a real and complete person again. (Not someone who’s—frantically, chaotically—going through the motions.)

Think of this reset as a gentle guide rather than a checklist. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s alignment and a sense of reconnecting with your authentic self as the days grow cooler and the season turns.

10 Simple Changes to Inspire Your September Reset

As I step into fall, I’m focusing on the everyday practices that help me return to myself—clearing space, inviting presence, and creating the consistency I’ve been craving. They’re not about reinventing my life, but about realigning with it in ways that feel manageable, meaningful, and (spoiler!) completely within reach.

1. Clear Space at Home

After a summer of suitcases and scattered piles, I need blank surfaces and organized drawers. The chaos of caregiving and travel left my home feeling more like storage than sanctuary. I’m starting small: a 20-minute tidy before bed, tackling one drawer at a time, and creating little pockets of calm.

Try it: Pick one surface and clear it completely. This could be your nightstand, desk, kitchen counter, etc. Notice how that small change improves your energy.

2. Reclaim Morning Rituals

This summer, my mornings belonged to everyone but me. Early flights (or recovering from late ones), appointments, and unpredictable schedules made starting the day with intention impossible. Now, I wake a bit earlier to make coffee, journal, or sit quietly by the window. Even five mindful minutes can anchor my day.

Try it: Before reaching for your phone, take a few deep breaths and ask yourself: How do I want to move through today?

3. Cook with the Season

After months of takeout and eating on the go, I’m craving meals that ground me. Not only that, but I miss the way shopping at the farmer’s market would make me feel connected, both to my local community and to myself. September markets are full of squash, apples, and late-summer tomatoes. Cooking with these ingredients feels like reestablishing roots, nourishing both body and soul.

Try it: Choose one seasonal recipe this week that invites slowness, like roasting vegetables or baking bread.

4. Move with Intention

This summer, I often pushed through exhaustion with long, intense workouts, thinking that more miles or higher intensity was the only way to feel strong. Now, as I train for my marathon, I’m learning to honor movement that feels purposeful and restorative: a focused run at a comfortable pace, a barre class to stretch and build strength, or a mindful walk through my neighborhood. Movement has become about experiencing presence in my body, not just sweat. It’s a practice that grounds me while still challenging me.

Try it: Choose one form of movement today. That can look like a short run, a strength session, or a walk. Both during and after, ask yourself: Do I feel steady, connected, and more like myself?

5. Reclaim Digital Boundaries

Caregiving required constant availability—texts, calls, notifications tethered me to my phone. This fall, I’m practicing simple boundaries: leaving my phone in another room after dinner, screen-free mornings, and silencing nonessential notifications. (Oh, and I deleted my Instagram!) Presence over pings, y’all.

Try it: Start with one digital boundary. Try a no-phone hour before bed, delay picking up your phone for 30 minutes in the morning, or experiment with a Sunday offline. Notice how your attention and mood respond.

6. Dress for Alignment

Living out of a suitcase made me rethink my closet. Now, I’m focusing on pieces that feel like me: soft sweaters, skirts, and dresses, as well as outfits I can wear effortlessly. I’ve decided to let what I wear be an outward reflection of the steadiness I want to carry inside.

Try it: Build a simple weekday uniform of 2–3 outfits you love. Think less decision fatigue, more signature style.

Little joys are never frivolous; they’re threads that make life meaningful.

7. Create Weekly Anchors

Without structure, I find that the days blur together. Small rituals—Sunday meal prep, midweek coffee with a friend, Friday flowers—keep me oriented. They mark time gently and give me something to look forward to.

Try it: Choose one weekly ritual that feels joyful and repeatable. Treat it as non-negotiable in your schedule.

8. Reframe Rest

Even before this summer, rest has always been survival: naps between flights, collapsing into bed after long days. Now, I aim for restorative rest and prioritize earlier bedtimes, reading afternoons, and quiet evenings at home. ICYMI: rest is fuel, not an afterthought.

Try it: Schedule intentional rest. Block an hour for something that replenishes you, whether a bath, a power nap, or reading.

9. Invest in Small Joys

Small joys matter more than we realize. A flickering candle, baking muffins just because, a new journal… All of these things remind me that beauty is always accessible. These little joys are never frivolous; they’re threads that make life meaningful.

Try it: Write a list of five small joys to return to this month. Commit to at least one each week.

10. Set Seasonal Intentions

This season, I’m writing down and claiming how I want to experience fall. To be clear, these aren’t rigid goals, but feelings: steadiness, connection, warmth. Intentions can act as a gentle guide, helping us move through life with clarity and care.

Try it: Take 10 minutes to reflect on this season. Choose three words that capture how you want to feel, and let them shape your decisions. Return to these words as often as you need.

The Takeaway

A September reset doesn’t have to be dramatic to be transformative. By embracing small, intentional changes—clearing space, honoring rest, savoring seasonal foods, and reconnecting with what grounds you—you can step into fall feeling more aligned with the person you’re becoming. Even one tiny adjustment can ripple outward, creating a sense of momentum and ease that carries through the season, reminding you that coming back to yourself is always possible.