Your New Beginning - How to Set Intentions When Life Feels Too Fast
Finding Your Rhythm in a World That Never Stops
Does September feel more like a fresh start than January ever did? You're not alone.
As the leaves begin their gentle shift and the air carries whispers of change, many of us feel called to pause, breathe, and reconnect with what truly matters. Yet in our busy world, the art of slowing down can feel impossible - even when our hearts are crying out for it.
We understand that pull between wanting to embrace stillness and feeling like there's just no time. The truth is, setting intentions isn't about adding more to your already full plate. It's about creating space for what your soul truly needs, especially as we prepare to move through the quieter months ahead.
Why September Feels Like the Real New Year
There's something magical about early fall that awakens our desire to begin again. Maybe it's the way nature starts its own gentle transition, or perhaps it's the memory of school years that makes September feel full of possibility. Whatever the reason, this season offers us a beautiful invitation to pause and reflect.
Unlike the pressure-filled resolutions of January, September intentions feel softer, more connected to our natural rhythms. As busy humans, we often push through summer's intensity only to realize we've been running on empty. September whispers to us: "It's time to slow down. It's time to listen."
When we honor this seasonal shift, we're not just setting goals - we're creating a relationship with rest, with reflection, and with the parts of ourselves that thrive in stillness.
The Art of Slowing Down (Even When Everything Feels Urgent)
Slowing down doesn't mean stopping completely. We know that's not realistic for most of us. Instead, it's about finding pockets of stillness within your existing life. It's about shifting from constantly doing to sometimes just being.
When life feels too fast, our nervous systems often get stuck in survival mode. Everything feels urgent. Every task seems crucial. Yet this constant state of activation leaves us feeling disconnected from our deeper wisdom and intuition. Setting intentions from this place rarely leads to lasting change.
That's why the first step in intention-setting is creating space for your nervous system to settle. This might look like taking three deep breaths before checking your phone in the morning, or pausing for a moment of gratitude before rushing into your next meeting.
Discovering Your Core Values
Before we can set meaningful intentions, we need to get clear on what actually matters to us - not what we think should matter, not what others expect from us, and what our own hearts truly value.
Your values are like your inner compass. They're the principles and qualities that feel most important to you when you strip away all the external noise. Maybe you deeply value connection, creativity, peace, adventure, service, or authenticity. These aren't right or wrong - they're simply yours.
Have you ever taken time to really identify our core values? A lot of your clients have been so busy living life that they haven't paused to ask: "What do I actually care about most deeply?" This kind of reflection can feel vulnerable, and it's also incredibly liberating.
One gentle way to explore your values is to think about moments when you felt most alive, most yourself, most fulfilled.
What was happening in those moments?
What qualities were you expressing?
What felt most important?
These experiences often point us toward our core values.
Naming What You Value Without Guilt
Once you start identifying your values, the next step is naming them without guilt. This is where many of us get stuck. We think our values should be more noble, more practical, or more like someone else's.
Maybe you discover that play is one of your core values, and you feel silly about that because it seems childish. Or perhaps you realize you deeply value solitude, and you worry that makes you antisocial. These guilty feelings can keep us from fully embracing what actually nourishes our souls.
The truth is, there are no wrong values. What matters is that they're authentically yours. When you can name your values without shame or apology, you create space to build a life that truly fits who you are.
A Three-Step Process for Identifying Your Values
Step 1: Notice Without Editing
Pay attention to moments when you feel most alive and energized. Grab your journal and a pen or your notes app and write everything down without censoring yourself.
What's happening around you?
What qualities are you expressing?
What makes you feel drained or frustrated? This often points to values that aren't being honored.
Step 2: Name Without Guilt
Look at your list and simply name what matters to you.
Some people value stability and routine.
Others value adventure and spontaneity.
Some people thrive on deep, intimate connections.
Others need lots of variety in their relationships.
None of these approaches is better than the others - they're just different ways of being human. Let go of what you think you should value.
Step 3: Honor Through Action
Choose one value and think of one tiny way you can honor it this week.
If you value creativity, maybe you doodle for five minutes.
If you value connection, maybe you text a friend just to say hello.
These small acts help you build trust with yourself and create momentum for bigger changes.
Living in Alignment (Even When Life Gets Complicated)
Once you've identified your values, the next step is learning to live in alignment with them. This doesn't mean your life has to be perfect or that you'll never face difficult choices. It means making decisions from your values, a place of clarity about what matters most to you.
Living in alignment with your values looks different for everyone.
If connection is one of your core values, you might prioritize regular phone calls with friends even when your schedule feels overwhelming.
If creativity matters deeply to you, you might carve out small moments for artistic expression even during busy seasons.
The beautiful thing about values-based living is that it actually simplifies decision-making. When you're clear on what matters most to you, choices become easier. You can ask yourself: "Which option best aligns with my values?" and often the answer becomes clear.
When Your Values Feel Different from Others
One of the challenges in identifying and living by your values is that they might be different from what's expected in your family, your workplace, or your community. This can feel scary, especially if you've spent years trying to fit in or meet others' expectations.
Maybe you grew up in a family that valued achievement above all else, and you're discovering that balance and peace matter more to you than success. Or perhaps you're in a workplace that prizes constant availability, and you're realizing that boundaries and family time are non-negotiable for you.
These differences don't mean there's something wrong with you or them. They just mean you're different people with different needs and priorities. Learning to honor your own values while respecting others' choices is part of developing a healthy, authentic relationship with yourself.
Creating Intentions That Honor Your Values
Now that you've spent time identifying and naming your values, you can create intentions that truly support who you are. This is where the magic happens - when your intentions aren't based on what you think you should be doing, they're rooted in what actually matters to you.
Start by asking yourself: "How do I want to feel as we move into fall and winter?" Then dig deeper: "What would it look like to honor my values during this season?" Maybe you want to feel more grounded, more connected, more present. Maybe you're craving more peace, more joy, more authentic connection with others.
These feelings become the foundation of your intentions.
Instead of "I will exercise five times a week," you might set an intention like "I will move my body in ways that feel nourishing and bring me joy" (honoring values of self-care and pleasure).
Instead of "I will be more productive," you might choose "I will honor my natural energy rhythms and work with them, not against them" (honoring values of balance and self-compassion).
When your intentions align with your values, they feel energizing rather than draining. They feel like coming home to yourself rather than forcing yourself to be someone you're not.
Values-Based Decision Making in Daily Life
Living in alignment with your values isn't just about big life decisions - it's about the small, daily choices that shape how you move through the world. When you're clear on your values, even mundane decisions can become opportunities to honor what matters most to you.
If you value connection, you might choose to put your phone away during family dinner. If you value creativity, you might decide to spend your lunch break sketching instead of scrolling social media. If you value nature, you might take the long way home so you can walk through the park.
These small acts of alignment add up over time. They help you feel more like yourself, more grounded in what matters. They're also incredibly practical - when you're living in alignment with your values, you tend to feel more energized and less conflicted about your choices.
Creating Rituals That Support Your Values
Rituals help us mark important transitions and create meaning in our daily lives. As you set intentions for the coming months, consider what rituals might support your values and desired way of being.
This could be as simple as lighting a candle each evening and taking three deep breaths, or creating a weekly practice of journaling about what you're grateful for. The key is choosing rituals that feel meaningful to you, not overwhelming.
Bath rituals can be particularly nurturing during the transition into fall and winter. Creating your own intention-infused bath salts, for example, offers both the ritual of creation and the ongoing practice of self-care. Each time you use them, you're reminded of your commitment to slowing down and honoring your needs.
Sometimes the most powerful rituals involve stepping away from our regular routines entirely. Attending retreats or workshops that align with your values can be deeply transformative. These experiences create sacred space for you to explore what matters most without the distractions of daily life.
Whether it's a forest retreat focused on slowing down, a somatic movement workshop, or a gathering centered on connection and community, these immersive experiences help you live more authentically. They remind you that you're not alone in wanting to live differently and give you practical tools for honoring your values in everyday life.
The ritual of committing to these experiences - of saying "yes" to what nourishes you - is just as important as the experience itself. It's a way of telling yourself that your wellbeing matters, that your values deserve attention and care.
Moving Forward With Compassion
As you begin to set your September intentions, remember that this is a practice, not a performance. There will be days when you forget to slow down, when you get caught up in the busyness again. This is completely normal and human.
The invitation is to approach yourself with the same compassion you would offer a dear friend. When you notice you've been rushing through life again, simply pause, take a breath, and gently return to your intention.
Change happens slowly, like the gradual shift of seasons. Trust the process, celebrate small steps, and remember that every moment offers a new opportunity to choose presence over pressure.
Your intentions are seeds you're planting now that will bloom in their own time. Water them with consistency and kindness, and trust that they will grow into exactly what you need.
Taking the Next Step
If reading this has stirred something in you - a longing to slow down, to reconnect, to live more intentionally - we want you to know that you don't have to navigate this alone. The pull toward stillness and presence is your inner wisdom calling you home to yourself.
At Nurtured Minds Wellness, we understand the unique challenges busy humans face when trying to create more balance and peace in their lives. We know what it's like to feel caught between wanting to slow down and feeling like there's just no time.
Our team of holistic therapists is here to support you in creating sustainable practices that honor both your responsibilities and your need for rest. Whether through individual therapy, group work, or immersive retreat experiences, we're committed to helping you find your way back to yourself.
Ready to explore what it might look like to live more intentionally? We'd love to connect with you for a discovery call where we can talk about your specific needs and how we might support your journey toward greater peace and presence.
