Wait... It's September already?!
A quick mindset shift for when the year feels like it’s flying by.
“I can’t believe it’s September next week!”
“Where has the summer gone?”
“Time needs to slowwww down!”
It seems that everyone I talk to lately is lamenting how quickly 2025 seems to be going.
I feel it, too.
In fact, I’ve noticed it even more since becoming a full-time entrepreneur. The flow of time resonates on a different level for me. There are so many (too many) things I want to do. When I vet my plans against the calendar, it hits a nerve and can make me feel a bit restless.
If you, too, get antsy when faced with the ticking of time against the backdrop of all the things you need or want to do, I want to share a two-part practice with you that always helps reset my perspective. This will help whether you are feeling the pressure in your professional life or personal life… or both.
Part 1: Think Back
First, think back to something you did, personally or professionally, earlier this year. Did you go to a concert in January? Did you have a big presentation in February? Did you go on a trip in March?
Now consider how long ago that event feels. Does it feel recent or long in the past?
Often when we do this practice, we are struck by how long ago those things actually feel. Sometimes, people will even say, “Wow! I could have sworn that happened last year… not earlier this year!”
When we juxtapose this with our sense that time is going too quickly, it can help shift the narrative. All of a sudden, it doesn’t feel like time is going that quickly because that concert in January feels like ages ago.
(Occasionally, people will say to me, “Actually, that concert in January feels like yesterday.” If that’s you, that’s okay. Not every practice works for everyone.)
Whether part 1 works for you or not, give part 2 a shot, too.
Part 2: Celebrate
One of the things that causes us to panic over the march of time is feeling that we aren’t getting enough done. Our perspective tends to be skewed because we are so heavily focused on what’s next that we don’t fully appreciate all that we’ve accomplished.
Take a few minutes to think about things you are celebrating from the start of the year. You can go month by month or just list things as they come to mind. This idea of “celebration” is broad. It can encompass things you did, like land that new client or start learning a new language, but it can also include things that have happened to you or around you. Consider what you are proud of, grateful for, or rejoicing in.
When you’re done, look at the list. It’s likely a lot longer than you expected.
We get so caught up in what we haven’t done yet that we frequently forget that we have, in fact, got things to celebrate, darn it! This, in turn, helps us realize that maybe we don’t need to be so worried about the fact that it’s September next week because look at all the great things we’ve got going on already!
This celebration practice is something I’ve incorporated into my daily routine. At the end of every day (or sometimes at the beginning of the next), I make myself find three things I’m celebrating from the day. These things can be big or small. On some days, I can come up with a seemingly endless list of things to celebrate. On other days, I struggle to find one. Those are the days when it’s most important to do this practice because that’s when our soul most needs a boost.
Taking time to note what we are celebrating helps to rewire our brain so that, on those hard days, rather than seeing the day as a total loss, we can associate some positive feelings with it. Plus, the more we do this practice, the more we will automatically seek out and focus on the “good”, rather than the “bad” (which tends to be our default).
So, when September sneaks up and time feels too fast, remember these practices and let them reset your perspective!
Warmly,
Stephanie
Helping you crush it without crushing yourself.
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