New Year’s Day has been all around the calendar like a lost tourist. In the Roman Empire it was March 1. Christians used Jesus’ circumcision feast, 8 days after his birth celebration. I like the idea of the Jewish New Year beginning in September. In the northern hemisphere the autumn seems much more appropriate for new beginnings. The lazy days of summer have passed, school begins anew, and a lot of people make resolutions to reboot their lives.
The same is true in businesses where plans formulated in the spring and taking root in the summer begin to go into high gear in the fall. After all, haven’t you begun your “holiday” shopping yet?? If not, don’t worry. There’s still time to by that Salad Shooter or IPhone before Christmas.
Do you capitalize on the autumn for new beginnings, for rebooting your life? For me the key question is “What do I need to do next?” I also ask myself, “Upon whom am I depending to make things happen in my life and career?” While I don’t want to act as a totally self-contained individual, at the same time I need to recheck my illegitimate expectations of others.
Who are my strong supporters? I may need to affirm and reconnect with them. Who are my most lackluster cohorts? I may need to change my perspective on them. Which talents of mine have lain fallow this past year? I may need to depend on them more.
One of my most powerful inner saboteurs is trusting too much in what others say they will do to help me. Oh, they mean well, but my wounded self often reframes their good intentions and lays on a lot of suspicion and guilt. Instead I am learning to identify on whom I really can count and who is simply too busy or distracted to follow through with his or her promises.
Rebooting my life in the autumn is my springtime, a process of self-discovery, of trusting anew in my own ability to be naturally creative resourceful and whole. In autumn, as the trees release their leaves to prove once again they can make it through the winter without them, so I need to release those illusions and false dependencies to prove to myself that I will make it through the next season of my life. Anyone identify? Care to comment??
Contact the Man’s Coach at michael@parisecoaching.com .