Looking back on September

In a couple of days, another month of this year will be over and it’s officially autumn! I am quite conflicted about this season because I will always prefer a warm summer day over rainy and short autumn days, but at the same time, I quite enjoy the change of season. It feels like the start of something new, a season where everything once again becomes possible before winter hibernation. I’ll take this opportunity to reflect on the past month and set intentions for October.

THE GOOD

Generally, the past month had a lot of fun moments. We got to spend an amazing week by the beach in Brighton, hanging out with friends and just walking by the sea. I really enjoyed exploring new places with the kids and was amazed at how easy travellers they are at their young ages (I say that now - I’m scheduled to take them on the plane on my own to Luxembourg in two weeks, we’ll see how that goes!). My husband and I finally went out on a couple of dates nights and it has felt really nice.

I also feel more settled in my work. I have found my marks in my current job, I feel like I’ve found a little place in the team for the last couple of months that I still have there until my contract runs out. At the same time, I’ve been working with some amazing coaching clients and have quite a few sessions planned for after our holidays mid-October. It makes me feel confident that I will be able to submit all the documents for my diploma by the end of the year, if not even already in November. I’m working on setting up my coaching business and though it’s not moving forward as quickly as I’d love to, I feel that I am making progress in the little time I have at this point.

THE BAD

Life with kids is challenging and the past month was no exception. We’ve got a teething baby who just generally sleeps poorly, and a toddler who is transitioning from one nap to none, but isn’t really there yet. It’s the ups and downs of daily life and I know that I need to work on finding a way to be able to face it rather than spend my time waiting for the next step: when they start walking, when they can eat with us, when they go to school… I realise that as they are older, some things get easier, but at the same time, there will be different challenges. I want to find a way to be able to see the joy in the phase we are currently in, rather than focusing on the negatives.

THE WAY FORWARD

Even though I’m craving to find some routine, I know that next month will still be relatively chaotic. And when I say chaotic, I don’t necessarily mean it in a negative way. We will be on holidays for a week and I will take the kids to my parents for a couple of days. In the second half of the month, we will be back at home and slowly prepare for our little one to start nursery at the beginning of November. So for the next month, I just want to try to be more present and takes things the way they come - something that does not come easy to me. Accept that some days I will have a lot of time for myself and my projects, but on others, I will just be busy looking after the kids. Be more present to see all the things that I am doing for them and at the same time, slowly move forward on my to do list for my own projects.

LESSONS LEARNED

September has allowed me to feel a little more grounded and I have (re-)learned to listen to myself and my children a little better.