When the first of January comes around, everyone is busy writing their resolutions and coming up with new goals for the new year.  Even though many of us are no longer in school, the beginning of fall always feels like a fresh start, and we should treat it as such. There's no need to wait for January to work on your habits, refocus your resolutions for fall.

As summer comes to an end, take a moment to reflect. What have you been spending your time doing? Are you happy with your answer, or is there something you wanted to start that you never got around to doing? What are some of your goals for the fall and winter months? Summer is a fun and busy season, and it often includes vacations and time off to relax. As fall approaches, it's time to get back to the grind and think about your goals now that you're well-rested and in a good headspace. It's much easier to start working on your goals and forming new habits when you feel rested and ready to conquer.

The beginning of fall is a much easier time to create new habits and accomplish your goals. The weather is still relatively nice and warm, there are no crazy busy holidays to prepare for, and motivation is fresh. When you create resolutions for the new year in January, we're still in the middle of one of the busiest times of the year, getting our lives sorted after the holidays and recovering from all the parties and family time. It can be a precarious time to try and create new habits, which take time, consistency, and motivation. Not to mention, the dark and cold winter weather affects many of us, and motivation runs low during these months. Fall is a much more inspiring season, and change is all around us with the brightly colored leaves.

If you start your resolutions in the fall, they will become habits by the time things get hectic around the holidays and when winter has us feeling unmotivated. By then, you won't need as much motivation and dedication to go to the gym, cook your meals, or finish your responsibilities. These once-resolutions will have become habits that you incorporate into your routine, regardless of how busy you are. These habits may even help you combat those dark winters if you're staying healthy and accomplishing your goals!