Why September Feels More Like a New Year Than January
Hey there mamas!
I think I have made it pretty clear by now that I am a summer girl.
But strangely enough, September is my favorite month of the year, right after the summer months.
Despite the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to summer, and despite the uncomfortable realization that winter, along with another snowy Quebec season, is slowly approaching, I always find myself feeling more energized, inspired, and motivated in September than at any other time of year.
Far more than in January, the so-called month of New Year's resolutions.
In fact, I rarely make New Year's resolutions at all. Most studies suggest that a large percentage of resolutions are abandoned within the first two months, often because they are too ambitious, too vague, or disconnected from our daily lives.
January has never felt like a fresh start to me.
After the excitement of Christmas fades away, we are left facing January, February, and sometimes even March. Long months that can feel cold, dark, and endless. Personally, all I want to do during that time is wrap myself in a blanket, drink something warm, and ideally hibernate until spring.
September feels completely different.
For starters, the weather is perfect.
Warm enough to enjoy my favorite summer clothes, yet crisp enough to make a morning walk feel refreshing rather than exhausting. The air feels lighter. The colors become richer. Nature begins preparing for its annual transformation, and somehow we feel invited to do the same.
Walks become glorious.
The familiar scent of apple pies starts drifting out of kitchens.
Candles make their seasonal comeback.
Cozy sweaters appear without the burden of winter boots and heavy coats.
There is a sense of comfort, but without the harshness of winter.
And perhaps most importantly, there is a sense of possibility.
September has always felt like a blank page waiting to be filled.
It awakens that desire to pause and ask ourselves a few important questions:
Where am I?
Where do I want to go?
What kind of life am I trying to build?
Watching the first golden leaves appear always makes me reach for a notebook. Suddenly, I want to write things down. Create plans. Set goals. Organize ideas that have been quietly floating around in my mind all summer.
Not because I feel pressured to reinvent myself.
But because I feel ready.
And as I reflected on this feeling recently, I realized something interesting.
The reason September energizes me isn't despite summer.
It's because of summer.
Summer allows us to step outside our ordinary routines.
Whether we travel across the world, take a weekend getaway, or simply spend more evenings outdoors, something shifts.
We slow down.
We breathe.
We spend less time rushing from one obligation to another.
The endless parade of schedules, meetings, school activities, appointments, chores, and responsibilities loosens its grip, at least a little.
And if we're lucky enough to take a vacation, the effect can be even greater.
A change of scenery can be surprisingly powerful.
There is something refreshing, almost magical, about viewing life from a different perspective.
For a little while, we stop operating on autopilot.
We notice things again.
We remember what excites us.
We reconnect with dreams that may have been pushed to the side by everyday responsibilities.
Then September arrives.
Not as an ending.
But as a beginning.
A bridge between the freedom of summer and the structure of autumn.
A moment when we return to our routines carrying new energy, fresh ideas, and a slightly different perspective.
Maybe that's why September has always felt like the true New Year to me.
Not January.
September.
A season of fresh starts, new notebooks, renewed motivation, and quiet opportunities waiting to be embraced.
So welcome, September!
Let's dust off our planners, sharpen our pencils, pour ourselves a warm cup of coffee, and make this season a meaningful one.
Not necessarily perfect.
Just purposeful.
Love, Katerina
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