Autumn is a time of transition in several ways. There are the obvious changes of temperature and scenery, and there are also changes energetically. The ancient wisdom of Ayurveda brings us the understanding that while summer’s qualities are hot, sharp, and penetrating (Pitta), fall begins the shift to the Vata qualities, which are cold, dry, light, clear, and moving.
Seasonal changes also bring opportunities to approach everyday life differently. In nature, there are certain times of year to plant and nourish, others to harvest and consume, others yet to take stock and store, and then time to rest and renew.
Fall inventory–taking stock, evaluating, and planning–is a great thing to do this season. It’s also the perfect time to reflect on the past; to assess what’s worked for you in the past year across various aspects of your life. You get to decide what you’d like to see repeated or increased in the next cycle, and also determine what’s no longer serving you and is best left in the past. It’s also an opportunity to look to the future and plan for new and exciting things.
Here are 3 suggestions for how to take a fall inventory of your kitchen, skincare routine, and business.
Feel free to write down your answers to these questions in your business planner or journal!
1. Go through your kitchen and/or pantry. What foods do you tend to buy often, but not eat before they go bad? What’s taking up too much space? What needs more space? What did you do really well in terms of cooking, planning, and eating, and what would you like to do more mindfully moving forward?
2. Go through your skincare products and makeup. Do you find yourself overwhelmed by too many products–or are you always running out? Do you still have shadows and blushes from 1996 that were discontinued but you just can’t bring yourself to get rid of? When’s the last time you replaced your mascara or foundation? Does what’s in your skincare cabinet or makeup bag reflect your skin as it is now, and how you’d like to express yourself in the next year–or is it more about holding on to a past version of yourself or an unrealistic image portrayed in the media? What can you let go of, and what still suits your needs and goals?
3. Assess your business. What was your most successful or profitable product, service, or launch this past year? What’s one word you’d use to describe how you felt while working in your business (meaning directly with clients, teaching classes, doing events, making sales, etc), and what’s another to describe how you felt while working on your business (planning, strategizing, marketing, organizing, bookkeeping, project or team management, etc)? Were those words positive? What words would you use to describe how you’d like to feel working in your business and on your business as we move into the next cycle? What needs to stay and what needs to change in order for you to achieve those feelings?
Do you plan your meals, skincare routine, or business according to cycles of the year?
Please share your experience in the comments!
References:
https://yogainternational.com/article/view/10-ayurvedic-tips-for-summer
http://www.chopra.com/articles/stay-centered-and-energized-during-vata-season