A Season of Turning Inward: Why Autumn Feels Like a Natural Reset
The pause after the whirlwind
There’s something about this time of year that feels like a collective deep breath for many. Summer rushes by in a blur it seems. Trips away. Exams looming. Teenagers drifting in and out for food and creating armfuls of washing. That familiar mantra of “I’ll just get through until September.” This year the heat dialled everything up. Heavy days that felt endless, sticky nights that kept sleep at arm’s length and that low-level mutter of “I’ll be glad when it cools.” (well I did anyway, as a menopausally challenged woman).
And now the air has shifted. Mornings are fresher and the first leaves start to carpet the woods. Children and young people head back to school or off to college and university, while parents quietly exhale in relief, perhaps with a small tear. Even if you’re not in education, the old “back to school” rhythm still taps along in the background. September often feels like the real January. And if you don’t have children, then perhaps, even the change in weather and return from a time off can shake you down.
Transitions everywhere you look
Milestones sit around every corner. Exam results landed over the summer, leaving some relieved and others disappointed. School leavers face the jump into new courses, apprenticeships or the working world. There’s fresh independence, new friendships, and a rush of identity-forming experiences.
Adults have their own markers. The year is well past halfway and deadlines that once felt far away start to loom. Whisper it if you need to, but the “C word” is already floating about. Ouch! Shops offer mince pies in September and cnversations about present budgets sneak into kitchens and staff rooms. With that, worries about money, winter fuel bills and how to balance generosity with sustainability often creep in.
Your body keeps the receipts
After summer barbeques, ice creams by the sea, or simply a few too many cold drinks in the garden, lots of us feel the pull to “get back on track.” Gyms fill up. Supermarkets lean into “back to healthy” and magazines begin the countdown to party season.
The temptation is to sprint into strict plans and punish ourselves for perceived summer “damage.” That cycle rarely ends well. Maybe you’ve had too much booze, too much food or just too much of everything. However, there is a gentler question which works better: what does my body actually need? Rest? Movement? Nourishment? Acceptance? Stress, new routines and caring for others can be stressful and exhausting. However, our bodies are not problems to fix, but a home to care for. We’ve only got one after all.
Turning inward
Nature offers a lot here. As leaves fall and trees begin their quiet retreat, we can turn inward too. What have you carried from summer that you no longer need? What boundaries could protect your energy over the coming months? What new beginnings are draining your energy?
Boundaries are not walls. They are lines that allow connection to be safer and more honest. For some, that means saying no to over-committing socially. For others, it means clearer conversations at work about workload and expectations. For many, it is about tuning in to what really matters. What do you want to bring into winter and what can be left to compost?
The wider lens: inclusion and belonging
Not everyone meets this season in the same way. For families on low incomes, the return to school can strain finances with uniforms, travel, and equipment. For those living with disabilities, shorter days and colder weather may add accessibility challenges. Cultural and religious calendars differ too, with festivals such as Diwali and Hanukkah sitting in these months for many communities.
So while some enjoy a “fresh start,” others experience pressure, anxiety, or exclusion. Widening the lens is not about guilt. It is about remembering that our personal reset sits inside a bigger, more colourful human picture.
The pull towards reflection
Therapists and coaches notice an uptick in enquiries at this time of year. Summer can stir things up: family tensions on holiday, relationship shifts or the sheer effort of trying to “make memories” while keeping everything else going. September brings space, and with it, courage.
If you’re someone who likes goals, try light and realistic intentions. Nothing dramatic. A weekly journal page. A brief pause before you say yes to new commitments. Not answering your WhatsApps as soon as they arrive. Maybe even a short walk in a local park will help to blow away the cobwebs. For others, reflection arrives through drawing, music or honest conversations with trusted people. If you’re neurodivergent or managing ADHD, micro-steps, playful structure and body-based resets can be more effective than big overhauls. Perhaps you have or need to let something or someone go?
Looking ahead without rushing
We are drifting toward the festive season. Instead of racing into lists and obligations, autumn gives us permission to pace ourselves. Can curiosity sit beside planning? Could winter be a time for rest and connection, not just a spreadsheet of tasks?
Humour helps. It’s perfectly fine to laugh when you hear Christmas songs in the supermarket while still in short sleeves. Share the joke, lighten the load, and remember you do not need to do it all.
Your reset, your way
This season is less about resolutions and more about realignment. What is important for you right now? Health, creativity, connection, or simply slowing down? Every reset will look different, and that’s the point.
Maybe your reset is practical boundaries with money. Maybe it is tending to your body with compassion. Maybe it is choosing to see yourself as enough, as you are or just getting all your pumpkins in a row.
Autumn reminds us that letting go is not failure. It is, indeed, a natural rhythm.
If this season feels like a time to turn inward, it can help to talk it through with someone who will walk alongside you. Therapy offers a calm space to explore your own reset, without judgement and to find the boundaries and balance that will carry you through the months ahead.
