Your Autumn Blueprint: Tapping into Creativity and Finding Your Rhythm

Autumn is a unique time of year when gentle breezes temper the intense heat and crisp mornings bring about a quiet stillness. Some days feel like a mild summer afternoon while others feel like winter is drawing near a bit too swiftly. Similarly, just as the weather fluctuates during this time of year, our moods can also reflect this seasonal change. Some moods will find us moving full steam ahead with responsibilities and deadlines, while other moods beg for a warm cup of tea with moments of leisureliness and solitude. At times, we may wonder if we will be able to find the time to experience any seasonal joys before the opportunities are overtaken by our demanding schedules. Moreover, stepping into a store to run an errand can be a shock to our senses as retailers prematurely push winter holiday merchandise into view long before Halloween arrives—begging the question, “Is autumn nearly over?”

On the contrary, though the autumn season may sometimes feel like an afterthought, it can hold some of the most important months in our year. These months can help us structure a productive start to the upcoming year, and most importantly, allow us to accomplish this critical planning before the holidays consume our extra time. Below is how your blueprint can unfold.

Your Creativity

Are you allowing any time in your schedule to actually be creative? This does not necessarily mean finding the time to take up a new hobby. It does mean considering how you are utilizing all of your time—even the time you take to unwind. We cannot make room for creativity if we are not providing any outlets to think creatively. Aside from relentless deadlines and tasks that are constantly begging for our attention, we need to take stock of the time we use to unwind. If your spare time is spent with distractions that do not positively serve you or move the needle toward your goals, then consider how you can set priorities that will better fulfill your needs. Find a calming outlet that will create some space in your week that is exclusively yours. You can adopt simple activities such as taking a walk, collecting your thoughts, journaling ideas, and being still. The goal is to quiet your mind. It is during those moments when you can actually hear your ideas and allow new creativity to flow into your life. When was the last time you actually did this? When you take the time to tap into our creativity, implementing fresh ideas and moving the needle toward a productive year will begin to feel effortless.

Your Upcoming Year 

Many people think of New Year’s resolutions during late December or as late as the first day of January. These resolutions might be an obligatory response in anticipation that people will ask what yours are for the upcoming year. Yet, more than just saying what resolutions you plan to undertake or the need to label them as such, you can actually structure impactful processes that will benefit your year. Long before the winter holidays become demanding with special events, extra performances, family gatherings, and holiday travel, you can have new goals in place and be ready to execute them once January arrives.

Begin by simply scheduling uninterrupted time in your calendar that will allow you to honestly take inventory of how the current year has transpired up to this point. Determine which goals were met and which ones were set aside—intentionally or not. For those items that were put on hold, determine if you will be able to begin or complete any of them before the end of December. Next, list and categorize each goal into short-term and long-term intervals and create a brand-new calendar year so you can examine all twelve months before you in one view. Your short-term goals will fall under the quarter system (Q1, Q2, etc.), as they should only take three months or less. Some goals in this category will take only a few days or weeks to complete, depending on your deadlines.

Once your short-term and long-term goals have been categorized, you can begin to create an initial draft of your upcoming year and consider how you can spread these goals across the twelve months. Create attainable timelines so that each goal can be successfully completed. Map every detail, including how many steps each goal will require, then incorporate them into your calendar. Be sure to layer your goals in a strategic way that will bolster the next ones on your list. Avoid any haphazard structure and aim for continuity when layering your goals so they make sense within the overall picture. Once you have completed this planning and everything appears to be in order, create your next draft. During the next few weeks, continue to review and rework additional drafts until you feel you have a final plan ready to initiate come January.

Finding Your Rhythm

Reinforcing, maintaining, and developing good habits will help you steer the path toward success. Not only are habits obviously important for self-care, but equally important for ensuring they drive you toward your life’s potential. Consider whether your daily habits help move you toward your weekly and monthly goals. As you structure your plans for the upcoming year, do not forget to prioritize important personal items in addition to your career goals. For instance, consider ways you can save time by improving your banking structures and contributing toward yearly investments. Take advantage of automation tools that will make your life easier. Reexamine additional financial plans for home ownership, family needs, travel, and retirement. It doesn’t matter if you are decades off from retirement; it is never too early to work toward a financial plan that will sustain your future years. Getting these refined structures in place allows you to find that natural rhythm needed to make small changes that will meld into big results.

Your creativity, your goals, and your daily habits all combine to generate your valuable blueprint. Taking the time to produce this detailed framework eliminates guesswork, impulsive decisions, and overall stagnation throughout the year. By abandoning inefficient habits and progressing toward your full potential, you can attain the goals you set forth. Having your customized plan to rely on eliminates unnecessary stress and helps you maintain a clear focus. What better way to kick off January than knowing you have everything in place for an incredible year ahead.