There's something truly enchanting about the arrival of fall, don't you think? It's as if the universe aligns our inner desires to embrace the captivating essence of this season. Fall casts its spell upon us, enticing us to slow down, indulge in moments of quiet productivity, and surrender to the cozy embrace of hermit mode. It's a time when we can bask in the beauty of change, savoring the refreshing shift in pace that this season brings.
Just last week, in the spirit of Libra season and the simultaneous arrival of fall, I dedicated a post to embracing our personal power. The response was incredible, and it fueled my motivation to delve further into this transformative subject. There's a certain allure that autumn possesses, an irresistible pull that compels me to continue exploring its depths and sharing its wisdom with you. So, friends, today's post is a fall checklist—a roadmap to seizing the full potential of fall and inviting the winds of change to gracefully sweep into your life.
Build your self-audits and goal trackers
I briefly explained this as self-auditing in a previous post, but I want to give a demonstration this time. I used the 12-week year strategy this year to see how it would push me toward my goals after watching a YouTuber named Montelle Bee speak about it. I did add a few steps to her template chart when I realized that each area I was working on had these blockages. If I really want to excel I need to understand what has been failing those areas, what blocks me from success in those areas, and remind myself what do have control of. Blockages are something that isn’t often disclosed which is why I made a podcast episode (you can click here to listen on Spotify or on YouTube) to help people understand ways that they create blockages. Of course, not all things that are blockages are internal, but we always must know the things we can manage in those situations and focus on them.
The Focus of Fall is change, which means you have to appreciate who you are already, but also know what you can do to make sure you are experiencing life instead of just merely existing through it. Know where at and where you want to go.
Example(s)
Set 3-5 big goals and your intentions
According to my lunar living book, it is important to “make a list of three to five things you will achieve over the next three months through the autumn season and before the traditional year closes”. That is why I always have you start with self-audit because I believe this is the healthiest way to do introspection work. The ones you rate as your top priorities will be what your intentions will be centered on. Using my example above, my categories would be Personal practices (since I can tie health into this), Content creation (because it is my most passionate category), and my Finances.
To do this follow this format:
What is the goal for that category and why do you want to have that goal completed
Be as specific as possible- write a specific number, write what month you want to start this, and include a time frame
Connect it to core value and/or an emotion
Use a mind, body, soul approach
Make it short enough that you repeat it to remind yourself
Extra step: Make 3 actionable strategies for each one that can help you in that area
Select a challenge to push changes
Challenges are a great way to test your commitment to your goals. Doing a challenge is the best way to focus on your actions and the process rather than being so result-focused. Doing this it can also build more trust within yourself, which is perfect if you lack confidence in your ability to follow through on something, Below I will provide a few examples of some challenges I’ve seen.
The Artist Way: "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron is a renowned self-help book that offers a twelve-week program to nurture creativity. It introduces the concept of morning pages, encourages various tasks and exercises, and provides guidance for overcoming creative blocks and building discipline. Morning pages involve writing three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing every morning as a form of creative brain dump. This practice helps clear the mind, declutter thoughts, and tap into one's creative potential.In addition to morning pages, the book includes various tasks and exercises to stimulate creativity and build discipline. These tasks may include exploring creative interests, engaging in artist dates (solo excursions to inspire and nurture creativity), and confronting and overcoming self-doubt or creative fears.
75 Hard Challenge: The 75 Hard Challenge is a self-improvement challenge created by Andy Frisella. It is designed to push individuals to develop mental toughness, discipline, and resilience. The challenge consists of following a set of rules for 75 consecutive days:
Follow a strict diet: Choose a diet plan or nutritional guidelines and stick to it without any cheat meals or alcohol.
Exercise twice a day: Engage in two workouts per day, each lasting at least 45 minutes. One of the workouts must be outdoors.
Drink a gallon (3.78 liters) of water: Consume one gallon of water throughout the day.
Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book: Read at least 10 pages of a self-improvement or educational book every day.
Take a progress photo: Take a daily progress photo to track physical changes and progress.
No cheat meals or alcohol: Strictly adhere to the chosen diet plan without any deviations.
No missed tasks: Complete all the daily tasks without any exceptions or missed days.
75 Soft Challenge: The 75 Soft Challenge is a modified version of the 75 Hard Challenge created by Andy Frisella. While the original challenge focuses on strict rules and discipline, the 75 Soft Challenge takes a more flexible approach to personal development.
In the 75 Soft Challenge, participants commit to following a set of rules for 75 consecutive days to develop mental toughness, discipline, and resilience. The challenge consists of the following guidelines:
Follow a flexible diet: Choose a balanced and healthy eating plan that aligns with your goals and stick to it without any cheat meals or unhealthy indulgences. The emphasis is on moderation and making sustainable choices.
Exercise daily: Engage in at least one workout session per day, lasting a minimum of 45 minutes. The exercise can be tailored to your fitness level and preferences, such as weightlifting, yoga, running, or any other physical activity that challenges you.
Stay hydrated: Drink an adequate amount of water throughout the day to maintain hydration and support overall well-being.
Read or learn: Dedicate at least 10 minutes each day to reading a book or engaging in a learning activity that expands your knowledge and supports personal growth.
Practice gratitude: Express gratitude daily by reflecting on and appreciating the positive aspects of your life. This can be done through journaling, affirmations, or simply taking a moment to acknowledge what you're thankful for.
No missed tasks: Complete all the daily tasks without any exceptions or missed days. Consistency and commitment are key to the challenge.
Project 50: Project 50 is a 50-day challenge that aims to promote personal growth, discipline, and resilience. The challenge consists of following eight rules for 50 consecutive days. One of the rules includes a specific wake-up time. While the exact details of Project 50 are not provided in the given text, the challenge typically includes the following rules:
Exercise for 1 hour
Read 10 pages a day (Non-fiction or educational preferable)
Follow a healthy diet
Do your morning routine: 1 hour With no distraction
Wake up at a specific time (e.g., 6 am) before 8 AM
Dedicate 1 hour to a new skill
Track your daily progress in a journal
Fall Photo Challenge: The Fall Photo Challenge is a fun activity where participants are encouraged to capture and share photos that represent the essence of the fall season. It's a way to celebrate and appreciate the beauty and changes of autumn through visual storytelling.
Each day, there will be a specific theme or prompt provided for you to base your photo on. These themes can range from fall foliage, to cozy moments, seasonal treats, outdoor activities, and more.
Use your creativity and imagination to interpret each theme in your own way. You can choose to take photos of nature, people, objects, or anything that resonates with the theme.
Capture your photos using any camera or smartphone. Experiment with different angles, lighting, and compositions to make your photos unique and visually appealing.
Share your photos on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtag #FallPhotoChallenge. This way, you can connect with others who are also participating in the challenge and see their interpretations of the daily themes.
Feel free to add captions or descriptions to your photos to provide context or share your thoughts and feelings about the fall season.
Make a bucket list
This is the fun part of the checklist because all the activities are centered around things that either bring you joy or things you have been interested in trying. I am listing some things below specifically for the end of the year in general. You can either make a monthly bucket list or a seasonal bucket list but I want to just use it from the 12-week year time period ( October 1st - December 23rd), you can come back and take inspiration from the following list.
50 thing you can do October- December (Bucket list Inspo)
Go Apple picking
Thrift shopping for fall decorations
Go for a scenic drive or walk
Go on a fall picnic
Visit a haunted house
Scary movie marathon
Halloween-themed movie marathon
Switch out your wardrobe for fall clothing
Make smores bar
Visit a corn maze
Play football with friends or family
Make a spooky season playlist
Make a trip to the farmer's market
Baking cinnamon rolls
Making stew or soup
Eating apple turnovers
Making a pie
Go costume shopping
Trying a new recipe for Thanksgiving
Creating a Gratitude letter
Completing a puzzle
Do an October/Halloween-inspired makeup look
Have a DIY candle-making workshop and create fall-inspired candles
Learn how to make homemade caramel apples
Go on a bike ride
Explore a nearby town or city and discover new shops and cafes
Go on a fall-themed scavenger hunt with friends or family
Recreate a TikTok Fall recipe (Apple donuts)
Learn how to make homemade pumpkin muffins or bread
Make homemade chili
Host a fall-themed trivia night with friends
Have a cozy night in with a stack of fall-themed books
Host a Friendsgiving dinner
Take a scenic train ride
Carve pumpkins
Have a fall-themed karaoke night with friends or family
Create a scrapbook or photo album of your favorite memories
Start a new journal or creative writing project
Have a self-care day with face masks and relaxation
Have a DIY hot chocolate bar with various toppings and flavors
Try a new outdoor sport or activity
Have a DIY cheese and charcuterie board at home
Have a pajama day
Bake and decorate gingerbread cookies
Build a gingerbread house
Go on a Christmas lights tour
Visit somewhere that snows
Attend a holiday parade
Decorate a Christmas tree
Create DIY Jewelry
Fall is a season that invites us to embrace change, indulge in moments of self-reflection, and set new goals for personal growth. By following this fall checklist, building self-audits and goal trackers, setting big goals and intentions, taking on challenges, and creating a bucket list of activities, you can make the most of this season. Enjoy the cozy moments, the vibrant colors, and the refreshing shift in pace that fall brings.
Thank you for reading and if you have anything you want to see more of, be sure to comment with suggestions or email me. Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and follow my TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter to connect and stay up to date. I am excited about my next blog post so make sure you come back. Until then, there’s a lot more content on my YouTube channel. I hope you have a good day, evening, or night.
Until next time,
xoxo Lay 💋
