Back to school reflections: A season of new beginnings

September has always held a special energy for me. Even now, as an adult, I can’t shake that sense of fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, and the quiet excitement of possibility. There’s something about this season that whispers: reset, realign, begin again.

As parents, we see it in the rush of uniforms, drop-offs, and the bittersweet quiet when the house suddenly feels too still. As leaders, we feel it in the shift from summer’s slower pace to autumn’s renewed focus. It’s a collective reset button.

But beyond the practical rhythm of school schedules and business calendars, September invites us into something deeper: a conscious choice to reflect, reset, and embrace new beginnings.

Why September Feels Different

Unlike January’s pressure-filled resolutions, September feels gentler, yet no less powerful. Perhaps it’s because the seasons themselves remind us of the cycle of change. The long, bright days of summer give way to cooler mornings, earlier evenings, and a pull inward.

In business and leadership, it mirrors what many of us experience: a need to shift from expansion into focus. After months of juggling holidays, lighter schedules, and looser routines, September asks us to return to our core values, priorities, and intentions.

This is why I encourage the leaders and teams I work with to use this moment as a natural checkpoint. It’s not about perfection or starting from scratch - it’s about choosing consciously where to place your energy next.

Three Questions for New Beginnings

In my own reflections, I’ve been sitting with three questions that often become powerful starting points for clients too:

1. What values need to guide this next season of my work and life? Values act like an inner compass. They help us decide not only what to do, but how to do it. If summer felt scattered or reactive, September is a chance to realign with what truly matters.

2. What do I want to leave behind that no longer serves me? Just as children outgrow uniforms and need new ones, we outgrow habits, mindsets, and patterns. Consciously letting go of what no longer fits us clears space for what’s next.

3. What new beginnings am I ready to welcome? Starting again doesn’t have to mean sweeping change. Sometimes the most powerful new beginning is simply choosing to lead with more clarity, to create more space for connection, or to set firmer boundaries that protect your well.being.

Conscious Leadership in Action

Conscious leadership is about exactly this: moving away from autopilot and stepping into intention. It’s noticing the energy you bring into the room, the ripple effect of your decisions, and the values that guide your actions.

As a leader, whether of a business, a team, or a household, your ability to pause and realign in moments like these is what sets the tone for those around you. When you show up centred, connected, and grounded in your values, others feel it too.

For CEOs, this might mean revisiting the company vision with fresh eyes and inviting the team into the conversation. For business owners, it could mean reconnecting with why you started in the first place. And for anyone balancing work and family, it might mean being more intentional about where you place your time and attention this season.

A Personal Reflection

For me, September always carries a hint of nostalgia. It reminds me of standing at the school gates, not just as a student once upon a time, but later as a mother - watching my child step into a new year, with all the excitement and nerves bundled into one small backpack.

Those moments have always mirrored the seasons of my own life. Times when I’ve needed to step into new roles, new challenges, or new ways of being. Some chosen, others thrust upon me. And yet, every single time, the lesson has been the same: new beginnings require courage, but they also bring growth we couldn’t imagine at the start.

This is what I hold onto as I step into my own September. It isn’t about flawless planning or grand gestures. It’s about small, conscious choices that align with my values and create the foundation for what’s next.

Your Invitation 

So, as you move into this new season, I invite you to pause. Pour yourself a cup of tea, take out a notebook, and ask yourself:

· Which values do I want to guide me?

· What am I ready to let go of?

· What new beginning feels possible right now?

You don’t need to wait for January to start again. You can begin again today.

September isn’t just back-to-school season - it’s back-to-self season