It is such a beautiful time of year here in Canberra. The leaves in the trees have turned to brilliant reds, oranges and yellows and they start to shed the spring and summer growth to turn their energy inwards for the cooler months. Autumn is the season of letting go, storing energy and setting yourself up for rest over the Winter, it is the perfect time to finish off outstanding projects, clear out clutter and letting go of habits, behaviours or beliefs that no longer serve you.
When was the last time you took a step back to consider what you need to let go of? Maybe its your to-do list that never gets done or that half-finished project that you just never find the time to complete, this is the perfect time to set time aside to get these done, you may be surprised by how little time is needed to get these things done. By clearing away or finishing projects will give you great satisfaction, but it will also create space for new thoughts, ideas or projects to take their place.
Traditionally we think of having a Spring Clean, but maybe this should be an Autumn Clean. When clutter builds up around us, it can be difficult to see past it, it can make us feel uninspired and blocked. You will be amazed at how much you can get done with even a few minutes every day. Choose a space, shelf or a draw to do everyday and see how much you can get through, let go of the things that you no longer need, donate, recycle or throw away. By doing this you are creating space for renewal.
We often fly through life on autopilot with habits making a lot of automatic decisions for us. Habits are made by our brain to make life easier, to reduce the number of conscious decisions that you need to make. They are created to meet a need or serve a purpose, however our needs change and so should our habits. Without thought habits can creep in or be maintained well beyond their useful life. Autumn is the perfect time to get rid of habits that no longer serve you, to create new habits to meet your current needs and goals.
We explored letting go in detail during our Autumn Retreat, it was a powerful exercise for participants to identify what they need to let go of and to have intention on what to they would like to replace them with. Through shared ideas and individual reflection we developed personalised action plans to take forward, full of ideas to support rest, sleep, nourishment and self-care.
I invite you to take some time today to reflect on what you need to let go of and make time to complete a project or clear away clutter. As you watch the leaves falling from the trees, use this as your reminder to let go what no longer serves you.