Hey, it's your friend Mel and welcome to the Mel Robbins podcast You know, I woke up today and I don't know if I was on the wrong side of the bed But I was so annoyed about something and I just can't let it go.
Here's why I'm annoyed It's September.
I love September and the only two things that you and I celebrate when it's September is Back -to -school season and pumpkin spice lattes.
I mean those two things are fantastic But what a miss what a miss to not celebrate what September and the fall season Actually has to offer you you see what I'm gonna share with you today Is that the fall is the single best time of the year based on research for you to put yourself first?
To be productive to take care of your needs and you know why I'm annoyed.
I'm just realizing it It's because January January gets all the glory January has a ball drop and resolutions January even has a theme new year New you well, I'm here to tell you things have got to change because September deserves some of that glory September is the single fastest easiest time of the year
for you to make a change and put yourself first and I'm not just saying this there are four Reasons based on research that explain why fall creates this momentum an organization in your life And you need to wake up and use it to your advantage In fact if January can have a theme then September better
have a theme and I just thought of it Back -to -school also means it's time to get back to you Hey, it's your friend Mel welcome to the Mel Robbins podcast I am so excited to spend this time together with you if you're brand new I also want to take a moment and welcome you to the Mel Robbins podcast family
and just say However, it is that you found yourself here and whoever it is that sent you this podcast I am so glad that you're here and I also want to acknowledge you I want to acknowledge you For spending some time listening to a podcast that could help you be happier and improve your life and today
Holy cow, not only am I on a tear But today you are going to learn how to take September and the entire fall season and use it to Your advantage I'm gonna teach you how to take this moment right now that comes around once a year It's the fall and tap into the natural momentum Productivity organization that's
all around you. Don't worry by the time you're done listening You're gonna know exactly what I'm talking about You're gonna know I am right and that this is true at a cellular level because there are four reasons Why change is easier in September than any other time of the year?
And in fact, it's not only just easier in September Holy cow what you do in September like turns into this momentum that's carried through the fall and you gotta know this so you can use it to your advantage because once you learn what you're gonna learn today, you're gonna realize Well, I would be
stupid for me not to get serious right now about putting myself first and Focusing on my goals that would be kind of dumb not to use this season to my advantage One of the things that I love about the topic that you and I are talking about today Is that everything that you and I are gonna talk about today?
You already know is true And so you're gonna leave this conversation Not only feeling empowered and not only knowing how to use this time of year to your advantage But you're gonna feel like smarty pants over there and you're also gonna know how to activate that wisdom And that brings me to the very
first reason that September is the true season of change for everyone January may get all the fanfare and the parties and the planners and all that stuff Let's just level with each other January is just when the calendar changes September is when life changes Just think about that for a minute Everything
about life changes when September hits You go from summer to fall.
That's a change The leaves turn from green to orange and yellow and brown and all kinds of amazing colors That's a change The seasons can go from hot to colder or if you're in a different part of the world as you're listening colder to hot That's a change You go from a break to back to school.
That's a change unlike January September is not just a date on the calendar and that's one of the reasons why This is such an enormous moment for change And it's why I want you to start to look at September in the fall season Almost like a bigger moment than January and I'm gonna explain more about why
this matters For productivity and why it matters for momentum and how we're gonna use this to our advantage in just a minute but before I do that, I really want to stop and unpack the difference between September and January as a time of year and I want to talk about what January is great for But also why
it's not great for productivity and for really making change stick So January January is this massive change in the calendar, right?
You go from one year ending to a whole new year beginning.
It is this Massive clean slate moment.
I love January 1 why?
because all of a sudden you get handed this blank slate and January 1 has this massive psychological benefit that happens in your mind.
It's called a temporal landmark That's just a fancy way to say something that you've experienced which is boom Calendar changes from one year to the next year on day one of a whole new year you Psychologically feel open to dreaming don't you you feel open to looking at the whole year?
You see this vast open space and it's really important for you Every single year to take advantage of this temporal landmark this psychological vast space this clean slate that you feel and Every single January you should hit the pause button You should take an audit of where you are in life and then
you should look Forward after that audit and you should allow yourself to dream big and that's what you and I do every January In fact on this podcast every single January you and I walk through the process of completing last year And then taking the time to envision.
What is the next year or five years or ten years of your life look like?
January allows you to dream and that is critical for you living a great life but dreaming It's really different than doing and making a plan based on that dream.
That's very different Than being productive as you execute on those plans And that my friend is where september comes in September is the season for momentum and productivity September is the season where everything around you is changing and that's why you're going to use it to your advantage I don't
want to dis january.
I love january. Yes.
Let's take january Seriously, and let's use january to create a blank slate and to dream big again and to lift our heads up and to look ahead But there are four reasons why january isn't that great of a time of year for you to be your most productive?
Number one you're exhausted from the holidays Number two, you just blew all your money on presents for other people So you don't really have that to invest back into yourself Number three if you live in a colder climate like I do You're in a cold climate, which means you just want to stay indoors Which
is not that great for being productive And while we're on the topic of colder climates Can we talk about the fact that in december the days get darker and seasonal depression kicks in?
And what saves you from those dark days and that cold climate and the fact that you're exhausted and you're out of money Is big dreams That's why you need to do it in january Those big dreams give you something to look forward to they give you something to work toward and so if you're thinking about long
-term goals and Framing those goals.
I want you to think of january because january is all about expansion but the truth is only about 10 of new year's resolutions succeed and I think after you really hear me make the case about september and the fall being A season of the year to really learn how to use to your advantage.
You're going to understand why so many resolutions fail They fail because it's a lot of work to make change stick And that brings me to september See september is not about your dreams September is not about the big stuff September is about buckling down and getting serious and Motivated and determined
about the little stuff while you still have time this year And you know i'm a huge fan of january.
I just think you got to understand the greater context And just so you know that i'm not like really against january Let's throw in the other seasons in the context of productivity Like let's take spring.
I love spring I love a good spring cleaning But here's the truth by the time I do that little Burst right and I like oh get out of the winter push through It's now burst to spring and i've cleaned out the closet and i've cleaned out the garden beds And i've wiped all the pollen off of everything.
I'm freaking exhausted.
I don't have any more energy or productivity or momentum Now i'm focused on let's just get through the spring.
Let's get ourselves to summer.
Let's get done with school Let's wrap up these projects and let's get to summer.
Am I right? Of course i'm right You felt this exact same thing now.
Let's talk about summer summer is Terrible for productivity why?
Your schedule is all over the place people are taking vacation You want to be at the beach?
You don't want to be like banging out some project that you have to focus on You don't want to be getting stuff done.
You want to be relaxing?
You want to be seeing family and plus even if you're not on vacation your friends or your family or your kids are on vacation And so what does that mean?
It means the schedule is off The rhythm of your weeks are off and the thing about productivity is productivity It's not about sprints Productivity is about small consistent moves over time And one of the things that helps you be productive is when you are in a rhythm that is consistent And in the summer
all bets are off work schedules changed.
You got long weekends The sun is out so you want to be at barbecues and if you also notice that your town is now doing all kinds of Programming and there are festivals and there are things to do and you want to be outside And so you should be focused on relaxing and restoring yourself and getting outside
and taking your foot off the gas which naturally Brings me right back to the fall bada bing bada boom.
I'm making my case, aren't I?
Because as you're putting your shorts away and the jeans are coming out And you're putting the tank tops in the bottom drawer and the sweaters and the puffer jackets are now here Holy cow, you're ready for a change and even if you live in a place where there are not four seasons The weather does kind
of change doesn't it?
Of course it does You feel naturally more motivated In the fall than you do in the depths of winter when you're hunkered down You feel naturally more focused and motivated in the fall than when you do in the summer when the schedule is more carefree And so I want you to know That one of the greatest
reasons why you should welcome september and the fall season with open arms Is because this is the season where the wind is at your back and it is in your sails It is time to go for it fall is selfish time Fall is go time fall is about you So grab your pumpkin spice latte and your sweater and your new
notebooks and let's get busy Because you are primed to be productive.
You're coming off of summer Which means I hope you're rested and you're refreshed and even if you aren't you got outside more than you do normally Because the weather is nice and the sun is out and the days are long And so you've got that vitamin d in you and you are now ready ready for what?
Ready to do some So to sum it up reason number one For why september and the whole season of fall is the true Change of seasons for everyone.
It's when life changes That is the reason why?
You feel ready to change too and that brings me to number two And that number two reason why september is just where it's at Is because back to school there is something called the back to school effect that in my opinion is wired into your dna No, kidding This back to school season is is this feeling?
Of just wanting to go do something this feeling that you're more productive It's like the entire world around you is in giddy up mode It's back to school season and and you can kind of sense it.
Can't you why? Well, the traffic starts to back up the commute gets different to work The school buses they're pulling up Kids are back on the playground Back to school signs are everywhere in the stores and the grocery stores And this universal change that you sense that is in the air not just in nature
But everybody's routines and rhythms and patterns change and there's this energy around back to school These are all what's called environmental cues Now environmental cues are when the physical environment around you or other people Trigger you to think about change And whether you realize this is happening
or not This matters a lot and the reason why this matters a lot is because Your environment either makes change easier or harder And one of the best ways to hack change or productivity or feeling motivated Is by setting up your environment to support you in being motivated and productive and the coolest
thing about september Is that the entire month is already set up to make you feel that way.
It's like the universe said Here i'm just gonna hand you back to school messaging everywhere you go You're gonna see back to school.
You're gonna hear about back to school Everyone's gonna be talking about back to school You're gonna log on to tick tock and see these back to school halls Then we're gonna send the buses out cue the buses Let's get the buses onto the road and as you see the buses you're like, oh we're back to school
And everyone around you seems like they're kind of in a different pattern and they're organized and they're dropping people off and they're doing This and they're going here and they're kind of stepping up at work All of that's going on subconsciously And I think you kind of understand what I mean when I
say the back to school effect but it goes way deeper than just the signs that are in all the stores and the school supplies that we're buying and the New clothes that we have to get to go back to school It actually impacts your nervous system your brain wiring all of it And we're going to dig into that and why
it matters after we hear a short word from our amazing sponsors So don't you dare go anywhere we're going to talk about the back to school effect when we return stay with me Welcome back, it's your friend mel robins and you and I are digging into why we would both be idiots not to focus on ourselves
right now Fall september it is the season when everything's changing and one of the reasons why there is so much momentum So much productivity that is available for you to tap into just naturally Is because of something called the back to school effect It is this energy and this conditioning that goes
way deeper Than all of the signs and the shopping habits and the fact that we got to get the kids back to school It's part of your nervous system This is a phenomenon and here's the thing about the back to school effect.
This is in your dna I don't care how old you are.
I don't care if you're in school if you've been out of school for decades You have experienced Every single fall of your entire life back to school energy This renewed sense of motivation.
You may even feel nostalgia every time the fall hits And the reason why you feel this is because you have lived it You don't just unlearn these things They go with you in your life and that's why at the beginning of every academic year You automatically think about fresh starts.
You automatically think about new opportunities.
You automatically think about your own growth and every single human being including you knows What this back to school effect feels like right because this is literally in your nervous system Do you remember you remember what it was like?
To go with somebody to go back to school shopping Whether you were getting new jeans because you grew two inches over the summer or you're getting new supplies because you can't find the folders And the pencils from last year you have been conditioned as part of your lived experience To think about starting
something, you know in some ways New year's is optional.
I mean the new year's going to come and go no matter what there are some years that you probably set goals Other years that it's sort of an afterthought with the hangover But back to school is different Like you you you were conditioned To shift the way that you feel and think since you were a kid To
just kind of feel like you should be starting something And you don't just lose that when you become an adult.
It's part of who you are I mean, I love back to school shopping as a 56 year old woman I'd love to walk into a store get me some pencils and a new notebook.
In fact You know when you get that new notebook Oh gosh, and it's got that crisp like crack sound and you flip it open and you look at the blank page you could almost Feel it can't you?
You can hear a pencil sharpening.
You can almost smell that smell What what if when you walk into the grocery store?
Or any store and you see the back to school signs today or tomorrow?
What if you bought yourself a new notebook?
I mean, why not? It's two dollars Buy yourself a new notebook When you pick up a brand new notebook and it's got that bendy sound, you know to in the fresh blank pages That's you saying i'm jumping in That's you saying I recognize That this is an experience that I miss of having something new And i'm
going to buy myself this notebook and i'm going to keep track of this change and i'm going to journal I mean, this is gonna be cool.
This is your new notebook mentality Yeah, i'm giving you permission to go spend two dollars on yourself.
In fact, it might only be a dollar by now I mean since everything's on sale is second that the kids go in You know, I remember when I was a kid Simply getting a new binder and a brand new notebook.
It was like, okay. I'm gonna valvatorian this year I wasn't but you know you get it and you're like, oh i'm smarty pants That's a way that you can opt into this season And then here's what I want you to do.
I want you to not only go buy a blank notebook and Take a photo of yourself with it Put it on social media tag at mel robins tag the mel robins podcast and we will find you and repost you But here's how I want you to take it another step further take that brand new notebook and then take a sharpie and write
september 2024 on it and you're gonna claim it.
This is gonna be my semester, man My semester of change and if you're listening to this year from now Write september 2025 on it to signal that's it.
I'm in whatever year you're listening write fall and then the year Just like when you were in college and you got new notebooks with the college label on it With the college seal on it.
You can create your own You know what?
I love about this idea I mean i'm just sitting here riffing.
I'm like, I need a new notebook right now is because You're saying i'm taking the next four months of my life into my own hands The notebook symbolizes you making a decision To take advantage of this moment that every single fall creates To tap into the momentum and the productivity and the organization all
around you That's why reason number two the fall is so fabulous for momentum and productivity Is because back to schools in your dna, you know how to do this You do and the second that you drop back into it You're going to remember how good it feels to really focus on yourself and that brings me to
reason number three Like it or not You're going to be getting things done in the fall anyway So why not be intentional about what you want to get done instead of just like ramping up that productivity and drilling it back into work Why not recognize?
Oh wait, i'm in the season of change I'm going to grab my pumpkin spice latte in my brand new notebook and i'm going to write september 2024 on that sucker and then i'm going to get to work and i'm going to put all this momentum an organization that's around me I am going to use this for something that matters
to me Because the fact is the fall is the time that everyone Everyone is naturally the most productive and this isn't just me saying that this is the research And the cool thing about the fall is you don't just get the boost in september Like one of the downsides of january is you get that big boost
of planning your goals But then you got to carry it out for 12 months.
It's like holy cow Not with the fall The research shows that you get the boost in september and it carries all the way through october november.
Boom The statistics prove it that this is the time when most people enroll in a weight loss program Go to the gym start cooking at home change their haircuts start getting serious about their finances You know, they did this study where they surveyed adults in the uk and I love our listeners in the uk
So I wanted to shout out this uk study 69 % of adults Believe that small improvements in september are way easier to achieve the new year's resolutions How cool is that?
And now you're starting to understand.
Well, of course they are Because you got the back to school effect You're energized from the summer You have all this momentum and organizing energy around you.
Everybody around you is in new change.
Your dna is like let's do something Of course, it's easier Plus studies show check this out.
You want to know the season that ranks the highest when it comes to productivity?
That's right. Give it up for fall.
Give it up. Let's go Fall is head and shoulders.
I'm not even talking competition here people You want to know the least productive season?
Winter winter you are 25 less productive in the winter than you are in the fall case closed So this is happening whether you realize it or not And i'm saying that because I think this back to school dna effect is a very real thing That your giddy up and go is just triggered by the changing of the seasons
and the changing of everybody around me And so I want you to wake up and go.
Okay, if i'm naturally going to be more productive and motivated What do I want to be productive and motivated around and here's what I don't want you to use for it Do not use this for work Use this for you.
You're already pouring so much into your work I want you to take this lift and this productivity and organization and I want you to aim it at yourself because like it or not You're getting things done.
You're getting more done than you realize right now And so let's get things done that really help you Got it.
Good. And that brings me to the fourth reason why fall september right now is the single best season to use to your advantage And the reason is simple.
It's only four months.
This matters a lot.
We've talked about january versus september, right?
And this isn't like a death match between these two things It's about you understanding the context of those seasons and how to use them to your advantage And earlier I shared with you that january is important because it's a whole year Because it's a clean slate because it opens up this ability for you
to dream bigger than you normally would and that's super important But let's go to september You only have four months between now and the end of the year And this matters when it comes to productivity because of something called parkinson's law Now parkinson's law is this law of nature about time and productivity
and here's what parkinson's law says any project that you have Expands to the amount of time you have to give to it.
I'll give you an example If you have two weeks to finish a presentation for work, how long is it going to take you?
Mm -hmm two weeks If you have 20 minutes to finish the presentation, how long is it going to take you?
Mm -hmm 20 minutes See any project that you have Expands to the amount of time that you have to give to it now what's interesting about this is think about january and when you're Thinking about your resolutions or thinking about your dreams and thinking about this plan to achieve your dreams.
How big Did those plans and those dreams expand 12 months?
Why parkinson's law?
It expanded to the amount of time you have to give to it Now let's think about september how much time you got between now and the end of year you got four months That's what you're working with and the shorter the amount of time you have the more productive you're going to be Why you have no choice?
Tight deadlines amplify your focus.
They increase your adrenaline if they're short enough They force you to narrow your attention And september creates a situation where your new goal or the thing you want to work on We're shrinking that down into four months until the end of the year Now just think about how different a goal feels when you
make it in september.
All right, I want to Stick to a budget between now and the end of the year versus january.
I want to stick to a budget this year Whoa, that's a big one I want to get in shape in the next four months I think i'm gonna get in shape this year Do you see the difference?
I gotta write a book by the end of the year.
I think i'll write a book this year Do you see how different that feels?
Do you see how the difference of dreaming and expansion and 12 months to get something done versus?
Oh my gosh It's gonna be january before I know it and if I want to make some stuff happen I better use september and this fall season to my advantage I better tap into the natural momentum and organization Because if I want to get this thing done by the end of the year, I gotta giddy up If I want to
be in a better place financially, I better get my budget done now and you want to know something cool I have to take this coding class now if I want to get it done before the end of the year I have to get my resume done now if I want to have a new job by the end of the year And this goes even deeper
than parkinson's law, which has been around since the 1950s It is a law about time That anything that you have to do will expand the amount of time that you give to it And if you want to increase your productivity shrink the amount of time that you're going to spend on something But it goes even deeper
and I love this next piece that i'm going to share with you because it allows me to bring january Back in and allows me to bring january back in as a helper instead of somebody that we're up against right now So forbes health did this survey where they looked at the goals that people set in january
And how long? Do you think?
The average goal lasts When someone sets it in january, so we're talking resolutions.
I'm going to give up gluten.
I'm going to exercise five days a week I'm going to lay off the alcohol whatever the goal is, right?
How long do you think the average goal lasts for someone?
And by that, I mean how long are you thinking about it?
You're working on it It's on your radar you're chipping away at it like before you actually either achieve the goal or you putter out What is the average in months?
Are you thinking about it?
Do you have a number in mind?
good Because I want to take a second so we can hear a short word from our amazing sponsors And when we return I'm going to reveal what the answer is how long an average goal lasts when you make it in january I think the answer is going to surprise you and the cool thing is it actually relates To september
and why this is the season for change for you to take advantage of don't you dare go anywhere because i'm waiting for you When we get done with the short break stay with us Welcome back.
It's your friend mel robbins you and I are digging into The reasons why fall september in particular is the season of change how you can use the natural momentum And the back to school effect and all of this stuff that's happening naturally to your advantage Right before we took that short break.
I asked you this question If you were to guess how long the average goal lasts when somebody makes it in january How many months?
What was your guess?
You got a you got a number of months in mind Well that survey found that the average goal lasts meaning somebody's got a top of mind they're chipping away at it 3 .74 months That's it That's your attention span.
That's your stamina for this kind of thing and Just stop and think How many months are there in the fall season before we get to january pretty much the same pretty much 3 .74 months right around the same.
That's what you got until the end of the year.
Isn't that great news?
That right there another example of why your chances of being successful Are much higher right now.
You not only got the end of the year as your deadlines We've got parkinson's law working for you.
We also got all this research that shows that's about what the attention span is Anyway, when somebody sets a goal you also have all this momentum and organization And amazingness happening around you you've got the back to school effect that is in your dna And so right now is the time For you to focus
on you for you to decide i'm going to be more productive just naturally anyway because The fall is the season when life changes.
So let me use this to my advantage I don't know about you, but when I hear all this stuff I literally say to myself This is so obvious Why why have I not seen this before you're right mel Why does september not have a ball drop and a big theme?
And why are we not like all recognizing and waking up that this is the moment for me?
That september is me time.
It's go time. It's back to me time.
Let's do this So I rest my case That is all the evidence I have for why september not january is the single best time for you to get productive For you to tap into the momentum and the energy of change around you and for you to focus it on yourself And those four reasons are that number one september
is the true season of change January is just when the calendar changes, but september is when life changes So that's reason number one reason number two back to school energy is in your dna And let's use that coding and that life experience in your dna Not to go back to school unless that's what you
want to do this fall But to go back to you and to channel all of this back to school energy Into you going back to focusing on yourself Number three like it or not in the fall You are going to be more productive.
You are going to get things done You are going to feel the lift of everyone around you also in this cadence of change and stepping it up and Doing new things and going to school And so that is going to impact you and I don't want you to just waste it on work I want you to Put it into something that's
going to make you happier.
I want you to put yourself first I want you to use that motivation to do the things that you've been putting off for too long This is the season for you And number four, it's only four months We got four months until the end of the year four months.
Do you know what you could do in four months?
Holy cow, if you Really just opened your arms to the fall And you said I am going to make these four months my month.
I'm going to write that book.
I'm going to start that youtube channel I'm going to take that ai certification class.
I am going to go back to school.
I'm going to lose the weight I'm going to put myself first.
I'm going to really focus on what I want to do.
I'm going to go to bed an hour earlier I'm going to wake up 30 minutes earlier.
I'm going to get out the door and walk these next four months there for me Why wouldn't you take advantage of all that the fall has to give you?
Why wait until it's cold and your money is gone and it's dark and it's after the holidays get selfish now You've had a few months I hope to take the foot off the gas I hope that you have had a really good summer or a good break between now and the fall It's time to get serious about what matters to
you Put your money where your mouth is buy that $2 notebook Then write september and the year on the cover All you have to do is get started Just pick one theme that you want to make some moves in And here's what i'm going to tell you if you don't know immediately What one project or one change or one
habit or one? Anything that you immediately want to focus on I'm going to tell you Exactly what to do right now Just focus these next four months on improving yourself That's it Focus on making yourself a little healthier or focus on doing something every day That makes you a little happier.
I mean it could simply be Signing up for an art class.
It could be Promising yourself that you're going to read for 10 minutes every night before you go to bed It could be that you're going to go to bed a half an hour earlier It could be anything anything that is going to make you feel like you are focused on improving yourself I promise you that is always
where you should start when you don't know what to work on because when you improve yourself It starts to improve everything about your life because your experience about life is generated based on how you feel Based on what you pour your time and energy into so if fall is the time where you're going
to be the most productive and you're going to have the most natural sense of momentum and Organization and you're going to have this innate sense in your dna That you want to be doing something new you want to be learning something The single best subject always and forever is going to be deepening
your understanding of yourself It's going to be investing time in bettering yourself.
It's going to be pouring your energy back into yourself And so just like when you were a kid and you go to class all day You're probably going to work all day or class all day now when you get home at night the homework Isn't for school.
It's not for your boss.
It's for you Those 30 minutes aren't going to be about reading a book so that you can take a test It's going to be about pouring that time into something for 30 minutes that makes you happier that makes you better That's what this is about And so you either at this point in our conversation today or like
i'm writing that book by the end of the year or I am going to Uh get to my goal weight by the end of the year or I am going to Find an apartment and move out of my parents basement or whatever the situation may be You either have that thing.
I'm gonna apply to law school this year.
That's what i'm gonna do Or you don't and if you don't I just gave you your assignment and your assignment Is always and forever whenever you're stuck or you do not know what to work on always work on improving yourself Research has shown that if you really want to make the change stick and be successful
and have an easier time at it Do not frame the thing that you're working on as you're going to stop doing something Instead frame the change as you're going to start doing something Just like you're going to start a new school year So for example instead of saying i'm going to stop eating sugar.
I'm going to stop eating gluten Say i'm going to start eating gluten free I'm going to start walking every day.
I'm going to start eating fruit instead of cookies with processed sugar Do you see what i'm saying instead of saying i'm going to stop drinking say i'm going to start drinking non -alcoholic beverages And here's the thing about this topic Sometimes I feel like a broken record even when i'm talking to
myself Yeah, you hear this stuff over and over and over again But it's like every single time I have a breakthrough It never ceases to amaze me that this is true That you have to hear the same thing over and over and over again In order for it to stick and you also have to hear it because you are always
and forever changing and growing So who you were when you maybe heard that september was like a january and it's a great time to start You're a very different person right now.
I'll give you an example.
So A couple weeks ago.
Our family climbed this mountain mount katadin up in maine and I kind of hurt my hip I've been like wobbling around for a little bit And so I went to the gym for the first time in a few weeks this morning And I did a little exercise class.
It was like a 15 minute like pilates mat thing that I streamed online And the second that the 15 minute class was over.
I thought I should do more Why mil Why Why can't I just say that?
Right now 15 minutes is enough and leave it at that and so here's One change that i'm working on right now, and this is something i've tried in the past This is something I already know.
This is research by the way that I just told you about Saying you're going to start something instead of stopping it But I need to hear it again Just like every single september you are going to need to hear Again and again and again.
Hey reminder It's time to get your pumpkins and spice lattes and go back to school and to focus on you Reminder september and fall is a season of change and so here's one thing i'm focusing on I'm going to stop focusing on how long i'm exercising for whether it's 15 minutes an hour who cares And instead
i'm just going to focus i'm going to start focusing on being Consistent that every day even if it's just five minutes That's enough.
It's the consistency that i'm going to start to focus on instead of how much time I have to give to it And look, I know this But i'm reminding myself And it's the same as september You may know the back to school effect You may feel in your bones that there is this sense of organization and momentum
You maybe have already created a plan for the last four months of the year the last 90 days of the year But you need to be reminded why?
Because the person that you were last september and last fall very different than the person you are right now So last fall a year ago Chris and I we still had a senior in high school I was only 11 months into a new job, which was hosting the mel roberts podcast Our daughter soyer was just leaving to
go on this four month solo backpacking trip around asia Our daughter kendall was moving into her first big girl apartment after graduating from college in la Chris was starting his master's in spiritual psychology That was all happening a year ago.
Everything's changed Everything's changed who I was a year ago who my husband was our three kids Everything is different Which is why I needed to hear this reminder as much as you do Because september is when the wind is at your back September is when you feel like oh my gosh The first three quarters
of the year is over and i'm standing on top of this mountain that I climbed And now you can roll downhill toward the end of the year september is the time when it's time for you to get selfish to double down what matters to you and that's What i'm inviting you to do To go back to what matters to you
To go back to focusing on yourself To grab that notebook and go back to what really is important for you to learn about yourself Isn't that what school's all about learning and growing So you can become the best version of yourself Isn't learning just about bettering yourself of course it is and so is life
So I want you to imagine that the school bus is pulling up And that door is opening up And oh looky there Look who's driving the bus It's your friend mel robbins And i'm inviting you to get on board.
It's time to go back Back to being productive Back to learning new things Back to holding yourself to a higher standard Back to chipping away every night on your homework.
Just like you did when you were a kid Only this time instead of doing it for your teacher You're going to be doing it for you And don't you dare be taking all of this productivity and all this wind at your back and throwing it into your work for crying out loud You already give enough to your work Take
all of this and pour yourself into that notebook Show up this fall not for your boss not for a raise show up for yourself Raise your own standards for yourself This back to school season gets serious not about getting good grades But doing what you can do every day to wake up and make today A good day
That's the secret You're gonna have good days.
You're gonna have bad days But every day that you can wake up and grab that notebook and get back at it just like you did when you were a kid You can get back on that bus And you can do whatever is in your power to try to make today a good day That's what a good life is A good life is a life with a lot
of good days And september is the most amazing time to create So many good days Because the wind is at your back It's a downhill roll to new years from here, baby Everyone around you is creating that change They're in organization mode.
They got their back to school energy.
So you will not be doing this alone I mean you already had to organize everyone else to get back to school or to get yourself back to school Or back into work after the summer routine So now it's your turn It's not just back to school Back to school now means it's time to go back to me And in case no one
else tells you I wanted to be sure to tell you that I love you And I believe in you and I believe in your ability To create a better life by focusing on creating good days So take that little $2 notebook and you better write september in the year on it And make sure you put a photo online so I can find
you and tag this show so I can cheer for you And now you've got everything you need to have an absolutely amazing Fall season now go do it And I cannot wait to be together again in the very next episode.
I'll see you there I need to eat.
I am starving. Let's see.
Okay september Season of change september is the true season of change Am I the wrong speaker?
No, you're good. No, you're good.
We had like something pop up.
Okay, you're ready Go ahead jace And you see the back to cool and you see the back to school signs today or tomorrow Tag at mel robins or at mel or at the mel robin tag at mel robins tag and what I love about this idea I've just thought of this when I love I love about the you know what I love about this idea Oh
And one more thing and no This is not a blooper This is the legal language, you know what the lawyers write and what I need to read to you This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes I'm just your friend I am not a licensed therapist and this podcast is not intended as
a substitute for the advice of a physician professional coach Psychotherapist or other qualified professional got it.
Good. I'll see you in the next episode Stitcher
