The urge to make new fall goals is here. Are you reinventing yourself this fall? I always want to do it. It doesn’t matter how many years there have been between me and a new school year – September always feels like a time to relaunch, reinvent, and reimagine. It’s not that I don’t like who I am. It’s more that the fall always feels like a season of massive change, and I want to embrace that. It’s a season of opportunity.
Embracing New Creative Fall Goals
I put together a new project that was a significant detour from my usual creative style, subject matter, and genre. It felt like a considerable risk. And I fell flat on my face. For about two months, I had to reassess. My creative fall aesthetic will look like me brushing myself off, taking the useful notes, and pushing forward. When I finally patched together my ego, I was able to see that there was a lot of positive in what I had already done. Yes, much work needs to go into it, but it feels like it is time to invest in me. Hopefully, before winter arrives, I’ll have some news.
Saying Yes to New Opportunities
I’ve started writing on Medium. I decided to give writing design articles over there a try. My last agency cheated me out of a couple thousand dollars through terrible management, and I’ve been looking for work that won’t steal my wages. Crazy. I know. In this process, I’ve found that the clips for my primary client through that agency are too specific to be great writing samples. One or two will work, but that work can’t be the majority of my portfolio. Blogs are fine, but they aren’t the best clips either because they don’t show you adopting a client’s voice or publication style. Medium seems to fall somewhere in between. I’ll let you know how it is going. In the meantime, feel free to visit over there.
Planting Fall Garden Goals
By mid-summer, we started investing in our new front garden. We ripped out the overgrown yet dying plants, pulled out some invasive ivy, and planted fruit trees and vegetables. We haven’t quite finished yet. We still need to put in a trellis or two, bring in some plants that attract more pollinators, and fix a sprinkler line. Does it seem odd to do that in the fall? Venice Beach doesn’t start seeing rain before mid-winter, and the end of September and the beginning of October can host our hottest weather. It feels like a good time to renew our resources, get the fall garden thriving, and prep it so it is in great shape for the new year. Plus, fall botanicals bring a harvest vibe that I love. No downside to these new fall goals!
Reimagining Style Goals
I’m rethinking my sense of personal style. I’ve had a lot of health issues, and we live in a very casual environment. I could wear sweatshirts to most of the restaurants down here. I’ve fully embraced the casual vibe and will continue doing that. However, there are times lately when I feel like I’m sliding into neglect rather than pure comfort. I recently watched an episode of Remington Steele, and I love Laura Holt’s detective style. Yes, I think it started airing in the early 1980s, so I won’t be going full Holt for my fall fashion makeover. But the idea of the blazers, the fedoras, and the “put together” aesthetic I can aspire to meet. I won’t be doing the heels, though. I applaud Stephanie Zimbalist’s ability to run in heels, but I do not have it. So, my modern version of Laura Holt will be decidedly more “grounded.”
Reinventing the Cottage To-Do List
Now that we have been in the cottage for over a year, we know how we live in the space. We also know what we need, what we should change, and what our wishlist items are. Things got away from us this spring, so we must start reinventing our to-do list as part of our fall goals. There are a million tiny things that need to get done. I describe them as tiny, but you know when they don’t get done right away (or for a year), they become bigger things. So, I will take my own advice and create a big, medium, and small task list to fit into my time management blocks and get tasks done. Look out, refrigerator – that water filter is finally getting changed!
Planning Halloween Projects
I don’t tend to do seasonal creative work because the window is so short for the amount of work that goes into each project. But I just made a kickass set of Halloween notebooks you need to see. I’ll be posting them soon. I love them so much that I’m already using them. Also, I think the cottage needs to be decorated this year, and Halloween baking must occur. We have neighbors who do a potluck on the porch on Halloween, and I’d love to have something fun and harvest-related to contribute.
Relaunching a Healthier, More Engaged Me
This last year has been challenging, and I’ve gotten off my fitness game. I’d love to be able to launch a completely healthy 30-year-old me. But since I can’t time travel, I will relaunch into a healthier mindset. I don’t mean only eating sprouts. I want to indulge in good food. I finally want to get back to seeing live theater. I want to take advantage of the fantastic cultural events around me. If I can get a handle on my meds (and even if there are still challenges), I want to be more engaged in the world around me.
As Jenn on No Demo Reno says, “Enough talk! Let’s do this thing!”