September is here and I think it came in the blink of an eye! Already we are more than halfway through 2021 and through 3 of 4 seasons! There is no better time than now to do a little end-of-summer review and a little mid-year audit!

Many kids have gone back to in-classroom learning and for many moms (me included), this is almost like our “new year”.

Now that you have a bit of breathing room and space, it’s a good time to reflect on the path you took from January until now, how much you’ve grown over these eight months, and perhaps where you’d like to make some changes or improve and get you back on track to achieving your goals and dreams. I’ve heard some people refer to this practice as a “Mid-Year Life Audit”.

If you’re not used to doing something like this, when you start to sit down to think about it all and take stock of your whole life, it can be overwhelming at first, but don’t let that stop you!

If you took the time to sit down at the beginning of 2021 to make out a list of goals, desires and dreams there is no shame in making sure you are on that path. But, as we all know, pivoting is a part of the process. You won’t know these details unless you take the time to do that end-of-summer review!

There are so many benefits of doing a mid-year audit and here are a few of my most important reasons to start this:

• Self-care sis!
• Learn more about your habits
• You might be feeling a little lost and this is where you might be able to find yourself
• See if you are heading off track with your goals and desires. Do you want back on or do you need to pivot?
• Have you fulfilled your list? Maybe it’s time to start a new one or even add!

Now you’ve got a list of reasons WHY you should do an end-of-summer review, but your not sure how to start.

I encourage you to bring out that list you might have made at New Years’ time, if you didn’t no worries!! Grab a journal, a piece of paper, a small notebook, something you can write on and a pen. For me, writing it out gives me a chance to absorb it all, look back later or even help me to stick to what I say.

Once you’ve got that, find a space that makes you feel zen, really relaxed and happy. This can be in your home, in a coffee shop, outside in the grass. Sit with yourself, tap into how you are feeling in this moment. If it helps, grab a short meditation like my ‘How Are You Feeling?’

After you have taken some time to tap into yourself, use my three prompts to help you get a bit deeper:

1. Identify areas of your life where you struggled the most and fell short.

Was it at home, at your work, with your family or friends?

This is where you can find out if perhaps you felt you took on “too much” and now you want to make a plan to delegate certain things or begin to set firmer boundaries by saying no to things that are too energy draining.

When you write down the areas where you struggled the most, you can start to see them clearly in front of you, and can address them by coming up with solutions or making a new plan.

2. Take time to Reflect.

Let’s face it – many of us only start to reflect on the year gone by at the end of December (which I recommend you continuing doing if you are already), but taking time to reflect in the fall is a great practice as well. We get so busy with life that sitting in reflection is the last thing on our priority list.

You can start this reflection by listing out the months and remembering some of your best moments in each one. You can also list out the worst moments in each one. When it comes to reflecting it’s important to look at all the moments because even the bad ones have a lesson!

If listing the months seems too much right now, start by listing some of your favourite moments in the last several months and why were they your favourite? How did you or how do you feel about those moments?

Reflecting helps us to celebrate our wins big or small. It also helps us to see where and how we can improve our lives.

3. Get clear on where you are now and where you want to go.

Maybe there were things that you daydreamed about this summer that you want to make a plan to pursue this fall? Or maybe you feel you’ve been too distracted by everything that has been vying for your attention, that you’ve lost sight of what’s important to you?

Getting clear on where you are now and where you want to be will help you to set in motion the small action steps you can take to make your summer dreams a reality.

Here is where you can make lists of the things you want to do, see or experience. Write these out with feelings attached to them. When you bring feelings into the wants you are more inclined to remember what is on that list!

Are you ready?

The end of summer might be here and the everyday hustle might be back but it’s never too late or a bad time to take care of yourself. A bit of review on your last few months can make a world of a difference whether it is motivation to keep you on track or to start again or just start! It can also be to just see how far you have come in this crazy time.

Go ahead and do this for you, good luck and good discovering to you! I will be joining you on this journey and remember to give yourself credit for how much you’ve grown this year already. It’s been a tough one.
Xo
Megan