Before October arrives, I want to think about how I want the next three months to feel.
Not just what I want to do or need to buy.
Not just what I need to plan, decorate, cook, schedule, or remember.
But how I want it to feel.
Because October, November, and December can hold a lot.
They can hold fall magic.
Halloween fun.
Thanksgiving plans.
Christmas memories.
Family traditions.
Seasonal beauty.
Good food.
Decorating.
Reflection.
Gratitude.
End-of-year emotions.
And sometimes, if weâre not intentional, they can also hold pressure.
Rushing.
Overspending.
Overcommitting.
People-pleasing.
Last-minute scrambling.
Trying to make everything perfect.
Forgetting ourselves while trying to make the season beautiful for everyone else.
So before the real seasonal stretch begins, I want to ask myself a softer question:
What do I want October through December to feel like?
Start With the Feeling
Sometimes we start with the list, the plans.
The calendar.
The budget.
The decorations.
The errands.
The things we think weâre supposed to do.
But maybe this year, we can start with the feeling.
Do I want this season to feel peaceful?
Simple and cozy?
Magical and intentional?
There isnât a wrong answer.
The point is to choose the feeling before the season starts choosing it for us.
Because if we donât decide what matters, itâs easy to get pulled into everything.
Every invitation.
Every expectation.
Every sale.
Every tradition.
Every old pattern.
But when we know the feeling we want, we have something to return to.
Let the Feeling Guide the Plans
Once you know how you want October through December to feel, your plans can begin supporting that feeling.
If you want peace, maybe you donât need a packed calendar.
If you want simplicity, maybe you donât need to do every tradition.
If you want coziness, maybe you make more room for slow evenings at home.
If you want joy, maybe you choose the things that actually make you smile.
If you want meaning, maybe you focus on the traditions that still feel like love.
If you want financial ease, maybe you start your budget before the rush begins.
If you want magic, maybe you create small moments instead of waiting for perfect ones.
The feeling becomes the filter.
It helps you decide what belongs.
And just as importantly, it helps you decide what doesnât.
Give the Season Somewhere to Land
This is also why I love writing things down before the season gets busy.
A notebook.
A notes app.
A calendar.
A holiday planner.
Whatever works.
The point is to give your thoughts somewhere to land so theyâre not floating around in your head, quietly turning into stress.
My own holiday planner begins in October, so September is the month where I like to start gathering the feeling of the season.
What do I want to remember?
What do I want to make easier?
What traditions still matter?
What do I want to release?
What do I want to prepare before everything feels louder?
You donât have to plan every detail right now.
Youâre just giving the season a container.
A place to hold the ideas.
A place to hold the lists.
A place to hold the intentions.
A place to hold the version of you who wants to experience this season with more peace.
What I Donât Want This Season to Feel Like
It can also help to name what you donât want.
Not to dwell on it.
Not to complain.
Just to tell the truth.
Maybe you donât want this season to feel rushed.
Maybe you donât want it to feel expensive.
Maybe you donât want it to feel performative.
Maybe you donât want it to feel chaotic.
Maybe you donât want to spend the whole season trying to meet everyone elseâs expectations.
Maybe you donât want to wait until December to realize you forgot to enjoy anything.
That clarity matters too.
Sometimes knowing what we donât want helps us protect what we do.
A Softer Seasonal Intention
This year, maybe the intention can be simple:
I want October through December to feel like something I actually get to live inside of.
Not something I survive or perform.
Not something I rush through.
Something I experience–I receive.
Something I make room for in small, ordinary ways.
The beautiful parts.
The imperfect parts.
The cozy parts.
The emotional parts.
The quiet parts.
The magical parts.
All of it.
Todayâs Prompt
Complete this sentence:
I want October through December to feelâŚ
Then write down three words that describe the kind of season you want to create and receive.
After that, ask yourself:
What would support that feeling?
And:
What would work against that feeling?
Let your answers be honest.
Maybe you need more simplicity.
Maybe you need earlier planning.
Maybe you need softer expectations.
Maybe you need a clearer budget.
Maybe you need fewer obligations.
Maybe you need more tiny moments that feel like magic.
Whatever comes up, write it down.
Because October through December will come either way.
But September gives us a chance to decide how we want to meet it.