The Sacred Pause: How I'm Moving from Summer's Rest to Fall's Reset

Last week, I wrote about protecting the final days of summer, about giving myself permission to rest, to be present, and to honor what this season has given me.

This week, I can feel the shift happening.

The air is just a touch cooler in the mornings. The light is changing. My kids are starting to talk about school with a mix of excitement and nerves. And something deep inside me is beginning to stir, that familiar feeling that says, "It's time."

But I'm not rushing into it.

Instead, I'm sitting in this beautiful space between seasons, this sacred pause where summer's rest meets fall's readiness.

What This In-Between Feels Like

There's something almost magical about late August. It's the only time of year when I feel permission to both rest AND prepare, to honor what's ending while also getting excited about what's beginning.

I'm still protecting those slow morning coffees and evening family dinners that summer taught me to value. But I'm also starting to feel that familiar pull toward structure, toward goals, toward the kind of focused energy that fall always brings.

It's like standing at the edge of a diving board, still grounded, but ready to leap.

The Gifts I'm Carrying Forward

As I prepare to move into fall, I want to be intentional about what I'm bringing with me from these summer months:

The boundary skills I've built. This summer taught me that I can advocate for what I need, whether that's logging off at 5 p.m. or taking a full week of vacation without guilt. I'm not leaving that behind just because the season is changing.

The power of presence over productivity. Those unhurried mornings and long family dinners weren't just nice-to-haves. They were essential. They reminded me that being fully where I am is more valuable than being everywhere at once.

Trust in my own rhythm. Summer showed me that I can work with intensity and focus AND take real breaks. I don't have to choose between being successful and being present.

What I'm Ready to Release

But I'm also using this transition time to consciously let go of what's no longer serving me:

The guilt around taking time off. Summer proved to me that rest isn't selfish, it's strategic. When I come back from time away, I'm sharper, more creative, and more engaged.

The pressure to be constantly available. The world didn't end when I wasn't responding to emails at 8 p.m. In fact, everything ran more smoothly when I was more intentional about when and how I engaged.

The belief that busy equals important. This summer taught me to distinguish between being busy and being productive, between filling time and using it well.

How I'm Preparing for the Shift

Instead of letting fall hit me like a tidal wave, I'm being intentional about this transition:

I'm finishing strong, not starting over. I'm looking at what I want to accomplish in these final months of the year, but I'm building on the foundation summer created, not throwing it all away.

I'm planning for sustainability, not just productivity. Yes, I want to harness fall's natural energy for getting things done. But I also want to maintain the boundaries and presence practices that served me so well this summer.

I'm giving myself permission to evolve. The person entering fall isn't exactly the same person who entered summer. I've learned things about myself, about what I need, about what works. I'm honoring that growth instead of trying to fit back into old patterns.

The Beauty of the Transition

There's something beautiful about honoring transitions instead of rushing through them.

Net week, I'll write about fall being the "real new year", about the energy and possibility that September brings. But right now, I'm appreciating this liminal space, this moment where I'm neither fully in summer's ease nor fall's intensity.

I'm in the pause. The breath between seasons.

And it's teaching me that transitions don't have to be jarring. They can be gentle. Intentional. Sacred, even.

What About You?

If you're feeling this seasonal shift too, I'd encourage you to sit in it for a moment before you leap into action.

Ask yourself:

• What has this summer taught me that I want to carry forward?

• What am I ready to let go of as I move into fall?

• How do I want to approach this transition, with intention or with urgency?

Because here's what I'm learning: the way we move between seasons sets the tone for how we experience them.

Summer taught me to rest with purpose. Soon, fall will teach me to move with intention.

But right now, in this beautiful in-between, I'm learning to transition with grace.

With love,

Erin