I heard someone say that there’s research on what season is the best to get going on all the goals you have wanted to reach. And I just felt I needed to look into it. I know. September is almost over. And here I am sharing about using this season to dive into productivity. But hear me out. Fall is the foundation to everything you want to do in January.
Fall is such a great season to clean out, declutter, and recommit to what you already decided to do. For us, the attic is in the loft upstairs, and it is crazy hot during the summer, so fall is when we get in there and clean up the crazy we’ve thrown in there over the past six months. And the air gets nice crisp, the leaves start to fall, the pumpkin spice lattes pop up everywhere, Trader Joe’s puts all the pumpkin things out and the gluten-free pumpkin bread mix (and also, I think this is when I start looking at TJs for the best gluten-free stuffing mix ever before it’s sold out) and we’re stepping into the perfect time to pause and reflect.
Fall is this natural invitation to look back at the past year and check in with yourself: Are you in alignment with your true goals? Are there things you’ve outgrown or need to let go of? And how can you tangibly set yourself up for success as we head into January and the new year?
But before we go too far here, I want to take a minute for a little side story I want to share that is super important and yet totally off-topic. As I am recording this episode, there’s a massive hurricane headed towards Florida. Headed right to an area I have friends in and where there’s simply been enough devastation over the years that these areas really don’t need more pain and suffering. If you don’t know this already, I run a faith-based disaster relief organization called Crisis Response International, and we are currently deploying to Florida to respond to Hurricane Helene.
My husband and I started this volunteer based nonprofit ourselves and we’ve been doing this work for 18 years around the world. We have seen the love of God shared to thousands of people in the middle of their greatest need and biggest losses. I’d love for you to check out our website and get trained to deploy with us and also donate so we can feed people and meet tangible needs they have like mucking out their flooded homes and tarping their roofs, as well as ministering to their spiritual needs and caring for emotional needs. We also have a chaplaincy program and send them out to areas where there’s been mass shootings and crisis that isn’t natural disaster as much as manmade crisis.
So that’s my little shoutout to the work my husband and I do and the needs of the people who are facing the storm who will be desperate for relief in literally hours from the time of this being published. If you’ve ever faced a trial yourself, you know how much it means for someone to give you a hug, make you a meal, and pray for you. But when someone comes and does all of those things, plus hands you a Lowe’s gift card, and helps you find the family pictures and your favorite Bible from the ruins of your home, and gives you a generator to plug into so you can charge your phone and contact your family, it’s a gift of hope you can really grasp onto.
The website is www.criout.com, from Psalm 72:12, ‘For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.’ But with an i, because we call the org CRí for short. Okay, thanks for hearing me out:)
So... grab a PSL or mug of cider ,and let's dive into how we can use this season to realign, let go, and reimagine what’s possible!
Why Fall is Perfect for Reflection
Fall is when the energy shifts from the intense push of summer to a quieter, more introspective rhythm. This makes it an ideal season for self-reflection.
Think about it: Most of us start the year with big plans, new resolutions, and tons of energy. By fall, we’ve lived through several months of changes, surprises, and maybe a few curveballs. This is why now is the perfect time to check in with yourself, especially before the hectic holidays kick in.
Here’s a simple but powerful exercise you can do this week:
Set aside 30 minutes, grab a notebook, and reflect on the following questions:
What were the main goals I set at the beginning of this year, or anytime throughout it?
Which goals have I achieved, and which ones still feel relevant?
What no longer aligns with where I am today?
What lessons have I learned that I didn’t expect?
This process isn’t just about looking at what you’ve done—it’s about understanding how your values and priorities may have shifted. It's okay if things look different now than they did in January. That’s growth!
I can tell you this is a big one for me because the vision I had in January is SO CLEARLY NOT what I’m operating from now. But if I failed to recognize this I’d be kicking myself for not reaching my goals and following through on things. But we were in a car accident in february and my husband got a bad concussion and is just now really recovered. Our organization CRí has gone through a lot of changes this year, our kids have gone through a ton, there have been unexpected losses and big shifts, and what I thought was going to happen and what I’d be capable of this year was simply not what happened.
That said, it required my own realignment and reimagining of my vision and plans.
Tactical Tip: To make this exercise more actionable, I like to use bullet points to write down reflections rather than long journal entries or at least after you write it out put it into a bulleted format or outline. That way you’re more likely to stick with it, and it will be easier to see patterns or changes when you review.
You may know that my husband and I went to Hawaii to teach and visit our daughter who lives there and is with YWAM (Youth With a Mission). After two weeks, during which I got sick, I came home still sick and it took another three weeks to put things to rights and feel somewhat normal. Life has been upside down and lopsided at that for awhile now and we are trudging along trusting in God that the kingdom of heaven is an upside down kingdom too so we are actually kinda okay if you think of it that way.
Needless to say, before I left for Hawaii I was all about watering the plants in the summer heat out on the lanai and skimming the pool and being in the sun as much as possible. But when I got home I wanted all decision making to go away, all extra things needing attention to die off, all hard things to cease. I wanted a new season and I needed it to feel productive.
We are all ready for a schedule again. After summer it’s so refreshing to get into a groove, even though we will be sick of that groove in 4-5 months, right now it feels good.
The weather is changing (sorry about that my Floridian panhandle friends- I know you don’t want it right now) and it’s either not so hot, or not so cold if you’re in the southern hemisphere. Your body might even more energized to take action.
The rest of the world around you is making changes and shifting their schedules and doing things that are kind of like environmental cues that we should all shift into a new season.
There’s a ton of products out there that are simply begging you to get more productive. Journals and binders and new calendars that go to the end of the year and also give you next year… new gel pens and new highlighters, all just waiting to go home with you from the store.
Why Not Wait for January?
January is nice. It’s fun to plan and believe that we will make changes. It’s nice to have ideas and conceptions that we will make all those commitments and stick to them.
Basically, doing this reflective work in the fall is much more effective than waiting until January, and here’s why: the stats on New Year’s resolutions show us that waiting for the calendar to flip often leads to disappointment and burnout.
Studies show that around 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. People often set lofty goals in January, driven by the pressure to make sweeping life changes after the holidays, but without a solid plan or emotional investment behind them. As a result, the momentum fades quickly.
Only about 8% of people achieve their New Year’s goals by year-end. This happens because most people are caught up in the “new year, new me” mindset without enough introspection and gradual planning beforehand.
You already spent a ton of money so you don’t have a bunch left to invest in yourself.
You are inspired by the shiny new plan but it’s only exciting until you have to actually implement it.
You think you want something only to find out it’s really a false goal, meaning that if it were a true goal you’d take the action necessary to reach it and have results that prove it’s really what you want.
Also, if you don’t have the necessary skills and foundations to start something, follow through, and finishes then all the ideas in January will fall short.
Fall Offers a Better Opportunity for Success
Instead of waiting until January, fall is a much more natural and productive time for reflection and goal-setting, and here’s why:
More Energy and Mental Space: By the time January comes around, we’re often recovering from holiday fatigue, which makes it hard to focus on setting and sticking to resolutions. On the other hand, fall is a quieter time, giving you mental space to reflect without the distractions of year-end festivities. You’re more likely to set thoughtful, realistic goals that align with your true priorities.
Tactical Insight: Research shows that setting goals when you’re less stressed leads to better follow-through. Take advantage of the relative calmness of fall to set more realistic goals and start slowly building momentum.
Better for Habit Formation: The time it takes to form a new habit varies, but studies suggest it’s about 66 days on average. If you start adjusting and realigning your habits now, you’ll already have a rhythm going by January. Instead of starting from scratch at the beginning of the year, you’ll have 2-3 months of habit-building behind you.
Example: If one of your January goals is to get in shape, start working out 2-3 times a week in the fall. By January, you’ll already be in the groove, making it much easier to ramp things up.
Setting Realistic, Incremental Goals: Fall encourages gradual, sustainable goal-setting because there’s no overwhelming "reset" pressure like in January. This helps you set smaller, achievable goals, which increases your chances of success. Research from the American Psychological Association suggests that breaking goals into smaller, measurable steps makes people 90% more likely to stick with them compared to setting big, vague resolutions. Literally, if you ever feel like there’s something you just can’t get done or start on because it’s so big and so much, you must break it down to one small thing. If you don’t, you actually create decision fatigue because you have the idea that you’re gonna do something but no belief that you can so it just drains the brain battery and you hold it against yourself.
Tactical Tip: Start by setting one or two mini-goals for the next three months. By January, you’ll have seen progress and be motivated to keep going.
Built-in Time for Reflection: Fall naturally invites introspection. It’s the time of year when we can see what’s been working and what hasn’t without the pressure of the clock ticking into the new year. This period of reflection helps us let go of outdated goals or habits, setting the stage for more meaningful and aligned progress in the year to come.
Stat-Based Insight: It’s said that people who write down their goals and reflect on their progress regularly are 42% more likely to achieve them. Fall is a great time to use that reflective energy to revisit your goals and fine-tune them.
Why Fall Alignment Sets You Up for January Success
The key is to use the fall as your planning and alignment period so that when January hits, you’re not just setting goals—you’re already in motion. You’re less likely to feel the pressure to “fix everything” at once and more likely to focus on building momentum.
By embracing the reflective energy of fall, you create a solid foundation. This way, instead of sprinting in January, you’re already running the marathon.
Now I’m gonna tell you five of the top new year’s resoNew Yns and what you can do now to create a foundation you can run on so you set yourself up for January success:
Exercise more- create a workout plan, experiment to see what you enjoy doing the most so it’s sustainable, like checking out the YMCA or Orange Theory or buying a set of weights on Amazon, and just start walking for 30 minutes three times a week. This builds your endurance and helps your heart, muscles,repared for the resolution you’ll set in a few months.
Lose weight- lay out what your ideal weight really is, decide what you’d be willing to do and wouldn’t be willing to do, and choose one habit to kick like cutting out, sugar, soda, alcohol, or gluten. Just getting one thing that’s harmful to your body reduced from your diet will go a looooong way come January.
Get organized- buy some baskets and crates even if it’s from, the dollar store (or the $1.25 store now), start with one small space like a pantry or closet and throw things away, donate them, and sort them, then when you look at life in January you know how you did the one thing and what you feel is working for you and what you feel isn’t. Also, buy a planner or calendar that covers now til the end of next year and start keeping track of goals, ideas, and vision. In a few months, you can ask yourself if you still have the same ones and if you do they’re likely to be things you should press into.
Save more money / spend less money- open a savings account and create an automated transfer so $50 goes into it every week or month, then go through all your bills and also write out how much money you want to save and write it all out plainly so you can see the vision and run with it. Thank you, Habakkuk 2:2. And lastly, cut out all the bologna you’re spending money on like subscriptions you don’t use, etc. so when you come to January you are ready to really buckle down. Maybe also take advantage of free budgeting guides from Dave Ramsey. Link in show notes for that.
Quit unhealthy habits- begin to understand your habit loop (meaning you can identify the trigger and then the buffering action you take to deal with the thoughts and emotions you have), start eliminating triggers if you can, study dopamine and why your brain is addicted to this false pleasure the habit loop feeds, and find some accountability. Then you will be set up ,for more success when you decide in January to put your head down and dive into the painful but beautifully rewarding process of changing your habits and breaking addictions.
I can’t miss the opportunity to add that coaching will make all of these things an ultimate success so grab the link in the show notes for a free consultation to chat about working with me to reaching your goals.
Letting Go of What No Longer Serves You
Let’s talk about letting go. Just like the trees shed their leaves, fall is an invitation to release things that are no longer working for us. And yes, that includes outdated goals or ideas we thought were important but no longer feel right.
Here’s where things get practical:
Go through the goals you’ve listed from earlier.
For each one, ask yourself: “Does this still light me up? Does this goal align with the person I am today?”
If the answer is “no” or if you feel a sense of obligation rather than excitement, it’s time to let that goal go. I know this can be tough. We often hold onto goals because they reflect who we used to be or what we thought we wanted. But clinging to old ideas just keeps us stuck.
Tangible Idea: Create a "Let-Go List." Write down the things you’re releasing this fall—goals, beliefs, habits—and give yourself permission to move on from them. You might even want to create a ritual around this. One of my favorite things is to write them down on small pieces of paper, and then tear them up and put them in the trash as a symbolic act of letting go. It’s freeing, trust me. Some of them I might have some strong emotion about and I have been known to scratch through the words and write new ones before I tear it up:)
Setting Fresh Goals and Reimagining Old Ones
Now that you’ve made space by letting go, let’s talk about reimagining your goals. Sometimes, it’s not about ditching a goal completely but adjusting it to better fit where you are now. And for new goals, fall is a great time to set intentions for the rest of the year.
Think of this like a mini-New Year’s, but with less pressure. You have a few months left in the year—enough time to focus on a goal or two that matters to you, but without the weight of January’s expectations.
Here’s how to approach this:
Revisit your existing goals: Are there any that still resonate but need to be tweaked? Maybe you wanted to launch a big project, but now it makes more sense to scale it back and focus on a smaller aspect of it. Adjust your goals to reflect what feels right now, not what you thought would work earlier in the year.
Set 1-2 fresh goals for the rest of the year: These can be simple and achievable within the next few months. Maybe it’s establishing a healthier habit, reconnecting with a hobby, or taking a specific step towards a long-term vision for 024.
Quick Win Strategy: Break your new goals into mini-milestones. Instead of thinking, “I want to start a business,” think, “By the end of November, I want to have my business plan drafted,” or “I’ll commit to 10 minutes a day of sketching to rekindle my love for art.”
Setting Yourself Up for Success in January
The best part about reflecting in the fall is that it sets you up beautifully for the new year. When January rolls around, most people feel pressure to set big resolutions, but by reflecting and realigning now, you’ll enter 2024 with clarity and a sense of direction.
Here’s a quick roadmap to ensure you’re ready for January:
Create a "January Jumpstart" List: Write down any projects, habits, or actions you want to dive into as soon as the new year begins. Think of this as a prep list, so when January hits, you’re not scrambling to make decisions.
Prep Your Environment: Whether it’s decluttering your workspace, organizing your finances, or planning out your schedule for January, take small actions now to create a supportive environment for your future goals. By the time January comes, you'll already feel ahead of the game.
Tactical Example: One idea is to create a "transition week" in December, where you start to ease into new routines. For example, if one of your January goals is to meditate daily, start with 5 minutes of meditation each day during the last week of December. That way, when the new year begins, you’ll already be in the flow. Or if you want to become part of the 5am Club in January, then join the 6am Club in December, the 6:30am Club in November, and the 7am Club in October. I know it’s getting dark that early, but you’ll enjoy it when you get used to it. I may or may not be speaking to myself directly. No comment.
Final Thoughts
Fall is all about shifting into alignment with who we are right now. Use this season to pause, reflect, let go, and set intentions. It’s not about perfection; it’s about creating space for growth, clarity, and renewal.
So this week, take that reflective walk, journal out your thoughts, and let yourself embrace this season of change. By the time January comes around, you’ll be clearer, more aligned, and ready to start the new year with purpose.
Thanks so much for joining me today! If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to follow and DM me on insta @coachlauramalone and share what you’re letting go of and what new goals you’re setting. Until next week, take care and stay cozy while sipping your pumpkin spice.
And remember: don’t 'leaf' your dreams hanging—stay grounded!
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