Autumn: reflection & stepping back.
Oh lovely, you’re in an Autumn season of business right now. It’s time to embrace the cosiness of the season, as the leaves start to fall from the trees and the world starts to slow down a little. Use that inspiration in your own business as well, stepping back from a season of “business” and starting to reflect.
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This season is all about figuring out if you’re still aligned with the path that you’re walking, ensuring that you reflect on your mission, vision and values and other parts of your brand foundations to make sure they’re supporting you and not draining you.
Ask yourself – are these still aligned with where you want to go? And where you are now? If not, now is the perfect time to re-align them with your vision for your work in future seasons.
This is also a time of Harvest, where farmers reap what they have sown in earlier seasons. This is that time now for you, also – where you are able to reap the rewards of all of your hard work in previous seasons and have a season where you focus on rest and reflection.
This is also a time for self-reflection and to go inwards – take the time to nurture yourself, look after yourself, and seek support wherever you need it to navigate through the challenges this season will also bring.
Remember that more than anything, Autumn symbolises transformation and preparation for new beginnings – embrace this by continuing to take small yet inspired action towards your goals. Trust in yourself fully and also allow yourself to trust in the process, knowing that just as nature continues to evolve during an Autumn season, so can you.
What this result means
How this result impacts you, your work & your business
Being immersed in the Autumn season is such a magical time for your business. It’s like nature’s way of reminding us to slow down and take stock of all that we’ve achieved so far – just like many of the trees around us being to shed their leaves, it’s a period of shedding all of our old ideas and embracing all that’s possible for us in future seasons.
Autumn is also the perfect season for reflection… gathering all of the data and reflecting on our past experiences, successes, launches, failures – you name it! It’s a time where we can gather up all of our ideas, see what worked and what didn’t, and use it as fuel for our future growth. It’s about taking these valuable chunks of knowledge and wisdom that we’ve gathered through the previous seasons – and **now** is the time to integrate them.
Autumn is also one of my favourite seasons to focus on my strategic planning. Between Spring (nature’s most natural new year) and Autumn, they become beautiful half-way points in the seasonal, physical year for planning. But in an Autumn season of business, you’re even more ready to do so as all of your previous data is there to help inform your future plans and goals. And don’t be afraid of trying new things – Autumn is also a perfect time to plant some seeds out in the real world, so there’s no reason you can’t also do it in your business here and now.
But though Autumn is about reflecting and introspection – it can also be about taking action now as well. But the action you take will be defined by the season you’re in. So in Autumn, it’s less about taking bold action and more about taking action where you can store away ideas, strategies or plans for the future you to action. That way, you’ll be ready to go when you’re ready instead of feeling behind.
How to grow more intentionally in an Autumn Season
So that you can grow more intentionally during an Autumn season, you need to embrace all of the beautiful changes that are happening around you. Some see the leaves falling from the trees as a bad thing, but in reality there’s so much beauty in the process. Leaves change to a huge variety of different colours, all burning brightly from yellows through to oranges and reds before turning brown and falling to the floor.
Just as the leaves fall, we can also learn from that and let go of what’s no longer working well for us and make space for new possibilities, new collaborations, new opportunities of what’s to come.
Although Autumn is about reflecting on ALL that’s happened to us, both good and bad, try not to let your so called “failures” be something you dwell on. Instead, reframe your supposed failures as learning moments, stepping stones along the way where you are able to take what you’ve learned and make a change for the future to avoid it happening again.
Also embrace this season by learning to love data – data, as one of my dearest online business friends tell me, isn’t a bad thing! It’s simply numbers and words that help us see the real information about something. We can then use the data we have to learn patterns, see what works best for us, and refine our larger strategies to make more impact to our businesses than we could without it.
But also remember that growth isn’t just about reaching milestones – it’s about becoming the best version of ourselves. And I believe that the more we can show up in our work as our truest selves, the more we encourage others to do the same. Spend some time this season building the trust you have in your intuition, honing that skill of listening to your inner voice that’s guiding you on this journey.
How to harness this seasonal energy
Finding balance
Harnessing the Autumn season in your business is all about finding the perfect balance between reflection and action. It’s all about blending how much reflection you do with deciding on the actions you’ll take afterwards, so that you don’t get stuck in the weeds reflecting and thinking too much.
Be more curious!
Autumn is truly a season of change - and it’s time that we can draw inspiration from the physical seasons around us. Think back to what Autumn looks like. Visualise the warmth of the colours and the way that the world suddenly seems to slow down. Use those images in your mind to also inspire the actions you take. Focus on nurturing your self and your mind, so that you can step into this season of rest & reflection but also feel ready to take action once that phase is completed.
Nurture yourself & your work
Autumn also makes way for new growth by shedding all of its old layers, so feel free to dig deeper into what those layers of your business look like for you.
What’s going well and you want to do more of? What’s not working anymore but you’re resisting letting go of? What are you not making the time for that you know you want (or need!) to do?
This season is all about asking yourself the right questions to make sure that you’re adapting as you need to, building flexibility into your work, and giving yourself the space to not only search for answers yourself, but also be open to receiving feedback and adjusting as you need to as a result.
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The benefits of this season
I’m always so inspired by an Autumn season in my business - as someone that loves reflecting, asking myself the hard questions and really journalling on them… I just love Autumn. But there are so many benefits to this season as well, that it’s genuinely hard to contain them all here!
You have a solid foundation
One of the key benefits of this season is that you know you have a solid foundation for your business that has grown from previous seasons. And if there’s anything that needs to be adjusted or tweaked, it’s the perfect time to do so without disrupting any of your carefully crafted plans or launches. I always love Autumn for reflecting on my brand’s foundations (think your mission, vision, values, story, personality, and so on) and making sure that they’re still aligned with both who I am, who I want to become, and what my business represents.
It's a confidence boost
Autumn is also an incredible season for growth, both personally and in business. Not only can you reflect on previous seasons, but you’re also able to reap the rewards of all of your hard work from previous seasons - and that can continue to flow through into an Autumn season too.
For example, if you’ve worked hard to build in more flows of income or various income streams into your business, these can hopefully continue to flow through even when your season of business changes.It helps you make more informed choices
Autumn is also about evolution and transition - by reflecting on your past experiences, decisions, and what has gone well (and not) in your business, you’re able to make more informed decisions and create more strategic plans moving forward.
In my eyes, Autumn is also about courage. In nature, everything starts to die back and shut down. They trust and know deeply and intuitively that come Spring the time that they spent during Autumn and Winter will feed them, nourish them, and allow them to grow back bigger and better than ever. In the same spirit, allowing yourself this time to step back, to reflect, and to grow will mean that when you’re back to taking full action again, you’ll be able to do so even bigger and better than before (if that’s what you wish to do - you can always simply maintain where you are now!).
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The challenges of this season
Autumn is a season of deep change, both in nature and in our businesses. As creative business owners there are also a few challenges to this season that can trip you up if you don’t keep an eye out for them.
You can get lost in reflection
One challenge is that you can almost get too lost in the time of reflection that you don’t start to think about your future seasons. It’s important that you give yourself time to reflect in all of the ways I’ve already mentioned - but try not to get stuck there. It’s a skill that will take time to hone, but allow yourself the chance to reflect but then also start to use those reflections to put them into action, or at least a strategic plan of action for you to start later on.
It's easy to become complacent
The other challenge with being in an Autumn season is that it’s really easy to become complacent and to not keep taking small actions. Although this is a time for rest, we still need to keep things ticking over or we’ll have nothing to come back to once we move into a new season! That’s why it’s so important that we keep that blend between reflection and action as balanced as we can.
Embracing failure is hard
It’s so natural as well to feel some resistance or fear that comes up in Autumn. Whether you tried something new and had a great response, or you felt like it completely flopped… you’ve been testing your nervous system by pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, even in simply trying new things. We don’t know what the response will be to it, and so that fear is natural. We may even start to question ourselves or doubt in our abilities - but Autumn comes in and reminds us that through all of these challenges and question marks in our mind, change is inevitable. So we may as well embrace that time instead of fighting it, and instead conserve energy for the things that really matter.
Finally...
Your best next steps
Finally, let’s explore the best next steps you can take to make the most of the Autumn energy that your business is experiencing right now!
Now that you know you’re in an Autumn season, it’s important that you not only take the time for reflection but also create time for you to plan ahead for the future seasons ahead. Remember, the seasons in business aren’t like your typical seasons that follow on from one to the other… you may go from a Summer to an Autumn to a Summer season, so it’s important to be prepared no matter what for the actions you might need to take and the projects you might need to launch!
Being in an Autumn season is allllll about the strategy. Make sure that you give yourself time to reflect, but then focus on using that reflection and all that you’ve learned to pour it into creating a strategic plan of action for the projects and goals you want to bring to life. Remember to tweak and align your approach based on what you learn from the data and your reflections.
Also embrace the energy and spirit that Autumn brings to your work - use it as an opportunity to check in with your brand foundations, but in particular with your mission, vision, and values, so that you can make sure they’re still aligned with who you are, who you want to become AND what your business stands for.
And don’t forget to celebrate the successes you *have* had during your previous seasons in business, and in Autumn while you have them! It’s so easy to keep reflecting on what you’ve done and create the strategic plan to move forward, but make sure to still celebrate and acknowledge how far you’ve come and how much you’ve achieved.
Above all else, remember that Autumn is all about transition - so find ways to keep yourself rooted in what matters to you, what feels aligned, and what can offer you the possibilities that lie ahead in future seasons so that you can stay inspired and excited for what’s to come.
How I can help you
How I can help you make the most of your Autumn season
If I may, I'd love to offer you a couple of ways that I can offer you more support during this season of business - simply read on to find out more!
Plan your next season
1:1 Seasonal Vision Workshop
If you’re inspired by the energy of the seasons & nature, in this workshop we’ll sit down together on a call and help you gain a deeper understanding of how the season of business that you’re in can influence your work, how you show up, and the actions you take moving forward. Together, we’ll create a clear and actionable plan tailored & personalised specifically to your energy, time or other needs, and designed to leverage these seasonal shifts for your growth and to help you work towards your goals.
You’ll also receive my seasonal planning template as a roadmap to help guide you and keep you on track long after we’ve met and all through your next season, where you can come back to it time and time again. If you’re ready to improve your focus, get more done (whatever the season) and grow your inner confidence in how to navigate your business through each season then this is the perfect workshop for you. Don’t let planning keep you stuck in the weeds – let’s explore the magic of your next business season together!
Grow your brand through *every* season
Seasons
Doors are open until April 1st!
This is the ultimate group program designed to help you adapt and evolve your brand in alignment with the different seasons of YOUR business. It’s my belief that we can’t all follow the same cookie cutter templates or ways to do things, because we’re all so beautifully unique and we live through different seasons of our business. What works for one season won’t work for another – and for good reason!
Inside of Seasons, you’ll find monthly trainings on a specific theme, with clear and seasons-aligned action steps for you to take afterwards. Plus, we’ll gather around the virtual campfire for our weekly Campfire Chats where you can submit questions and get extra, personalised support. But that’s not all – there’s also seasonal planning reviews from me personally, guided meditations to ground yourself into the intention of each month, and journal prompts to reflect on your growth. Seasons is a chance for you to root into your next season and focus on creating intentional growth in a community of incredible like-minded souls.
My Signature Course
Your Brand Ecosystem
Are you ready to design and grow a brand that truly reflects your most authentic self? This course is designed to help you create a full brand ecosystem for your business, from the foundations through to the branches and then the blossoms. This course is rooted in my own signature branding methodology, grounded in values-led design and symbology inspired design.
But more than that, this course will help you figure out and cultivate every part of your brand and business. Starting with your brand foundations we’ll explore what makes up your brand roots; then you’ll create a visual design that covers all the brand-ches you might need to showcase your brand to the world using my signature values-led approach; finally you’ll learn how to embody your brand in every possibly way.
On a practical level, this course has been designed from the ground up to help you move through each part with ease – with pre-recorded videos, practical examples, actionable workbooks and opportunities to get my personalised feedback at every turn you’ll not only learn the essential bits of design theory you need but see it in action too – without getting stuck or overwhelmed. Come on in and explore how to fully integrate your vision & values into a beautiful visual brand that truly represents who you are – and then share it with the world (that truly needs what you have to offer it).
