Okay, let’s be honest… August is weird.
You’re still sweating through your tank tops, but somehow your brain’s already whispering things like “back to school,” “fall prep,” and “oh crap, where did the summer go?”
If you’ve been feeling off lately, like your thoughts are all over the place, your calendar’s filling up, and your brain’s basically one big junk drawer, you are SO not alone.
Honestly, I hit a wall the other day. Between the half-finished to-do lists, the texts I forgot to answer, and the pile of random receipts in my purse (why do I even keep those?), I realized something.
It’s not just my space that’s cluttered, it’s my mind.
So I made a decision. I gave myself a little challenge I’m calling the August Emotional Reset. A few simple steps to clear the noise and actually feel like myself again before the chaos of fall kicks in.
And guess what? It worked. It wasn’t perfect or pretty (nothing I do ever is), but it helped me feel grounded. Like I could breathe again.
So if you’re craving that same sense of calm and clarity before September swoops in with its “new season, new stress” energy…
This is for you.
Let’s walk through this reset together. Nothing fancy. Just 7 things that actually help.
1. Do a brain dump. The messy kind.
Let’s not overthink this. You just grab a pen, open to a blank page, and write everything that’s swirling around in your head. The to-dos, the worries, the random “don’t forget to buy almond milk” reminders. All of it.
This isn’t about organizing. It’s about unloading the mental junk that’s been quietly stressing you out.
When I did this last week, I legit filled two pages in ten minutes. Everything from “schedule dentist” to “am I doing enough with my life?” to “figure out what that weird noise in the car is.” You don’t need to make it pretty. You just need to make it real.
Think of it like clearing off your kitchen counter before you cook. You can’t make space for what matters until you move the mess out of the way first.
Give yourself 5 to 10 minutes today to do this. Set a timer. Don’t censor yourself. You might be surprised what’s been hiding up there behind the mental tabs you keep open 24/7.
2. Clear out the digital noise
You know that feeling when your phone lights up for the 37th time and you don’t even know why you’re picking it up anymore? Yeah, same.
This step is all about taking back a little control. Not forever. Just enough to breathe.
Start with the easy wins. Mute the group chat that won’t stop. Delete the apps you haven’t opened in months. Unfollow the accounts that make you feel like you’re constantly behind in life. You don’t owe your attention to everything ALL THE TIME.
Last August, I deleted three apps off my phone just to “try it for the weekend.” I didn’t put them back. The silence? It was weird at first. Then it felt like peace. ACTUAL PEACE.
Here’s the truth. Your brain wasn’t built to handle constant pings and scrolls and tabs and alerts. No wonder we’re all mentally fried.
So give yourself permission to unplug from some of it. Not all. Just enough to feel like your brain is YOURS again.
Even turning off notifications for one day can make a difference. Try it and see how it feels.
3. Create emotional buffer space in your calendar
Let me guess. Your calendar looks wide open, but somehow… you’re already exhausted?
I used to think that if I had time, I should say yes. Coffee with a friend? Sure. Quick Zoom meeting? Fine. Help someone move a couch? Why not.
Then one Thursday afternoon, I realized I hadn’t had a single minute alone in four straight days. And I was DONE.
That’s when I learned this: empty time is not the same as available energy.
You need space in your week that isn’t scheduled. Not for chores. Not for people. Not even for productivity. Just space to rest, breathe, stare at the ceiling if that’s what you need.
I started blocking off “buffer hours” in my calendar. Like, literally putting in a fake event called DO NOT BOOK ME. Because if I didn’t protect that time, it got swallowed up fast.
So look at your calendar and ask yourself.
Where can I build in some breathing room?
Even 30 minutes of protected space can make a difference. And no, you don’t need to earn it. You’re allowed to rest before you break.
4. Check in with yourself like you would a friend
You know how you’ll ask your friend “Hey, are you doing okay?” and really mean it?
When’s the last time you asked yourself that?
Most of us are walking around carrying stuff we haven’t even had a second to name. Stress, sadness, decision fatigue, that random guilt about not texting someone back. It builds up. Quietly. Until we snap at a sock on the floor for existing.
Here’s your permission to pause and ask yourself the real questions.
How am I feeling right now
What’s been weighing on me
What do I actually need
This isn’t about fixing everything. It’s about noticing. Naming. Being honest with yourself without jumping into fix-it mode.
When I did this last week, I realized I’d been saying “I’m just tired” when what I actually meant was “I feel unappreciated and overcommitted.” Big difference. And being real about that helped me stop pretending I was fine when I wasn’t.
You matter too. Your emotions deserve the same care you give everyone else.
So take five minutes today. Sit somewhere quiet. Ask yourself how you’re really doing. Then listen.
5. Clear one physical space that’s driving you nuts
Let’s be real. Mental clutter and physical clutter? They’re besties. They feed off each other.
You ever walk into a room and suddenly feel overwhelmed for no reason? Yeah. It’s probably that chair in the corner that’s holding 17 half-folded laundry items and a purse from last month.
So pick one spot. Just ONE. Not your whole house. Not a full closet. I’m talking one junk drawer, one nightstand, one random surface that collects stuff like it’s its full-time job.
For me, it was the weird little shelf near the kitchen that became a dumping ground. Mail, receipts, random toy parts, a half-burned birthday candle. I cleared it off in 15 minutes and I swear it gave me a whole new mood.
You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect home. You just need one space that doesn’t make you sigh every time you see it.
Set a timer for 10 or 20 minutes. No pressure to finish it all. But clearing out even one messy zone can send a message to your brain like
Hey, we’re making space again. We’ve got this.
And honestly, that tiny shift can make a BIG difference in how you feel going into fall.
6. Write down your mental anchors for fall
Let’s face it. Fall comes in HOT. School stuff, work projects, family obligations, holiday prep sneaking in from the sidelines. Before you know it, you’re running full speed into October and forgetting what even matters to you.
That’s why this step is all about intentional focus. Not goals. Not tasks. Just a few core things you want to stay grounded in.
Ask yourself:
What do I actually want more of this season?
What do I want to protect?
What’s something I don’t want to carry with me anymore?
Write down 3 to 5 things that matter to YOU. These are your mental anchors. The stuff you come back to when life starts spinning again.
Here’s what I wrote down this year:
- Slow mornings
- Saying no without guilt
- Family dinner three nights a week
- Laughing more
- Not checking my phone the second I wake up
This isn’t about being productive. It’s about staying connected to what makes you feel like YOU.
When things start getting hectic, you can come back to this list and say
Right. This is what I care about. This is what I said matters.
It’s such a simple shift, but it keeps your energy from getting yanked in fifty directions.
7. Choose one gentle habit to support your peace
Not a new routine. Not a big life overhaul. Just one small thing that helps you feel like you again.
This step isn’t about fixing your whole life in a week. It’s about choosing something simple and supportive, something you can actually keep doing when life gets busy again.
Think of it like a soft place to land when your brain feels loud. It could be:
- Five minutes of quiet in the morning before anyone talks to you
- Stretching before bed instead of scrolling
- Drinking your coffee outside instead of at your desk
- Listening to music on your walk instead of checking emails
- Writing down one thing that went right today
Mine right now? I light a candle at night when I clean up the kitchen. That’s it. No fancy routine. Just a little signal to my brain that the day is winding down. And somehow, that small habit helps me sleep better.
The goal isn’t to be better. The goal is to feel more like yourself.
So ask yourself:
What’s one tiny thing I can do this week that helps me feel calm, steady, and okay?
Write it down. Try it out. Keep it simple. That’s where the magic usually happens anyway.
Let August be your deep breath before fall
Here’s the thing no one talks about.
We prep our homes for fall. Our closets. Our calendars. But our minds? They’re usually running on fumes by the time September hits.
This reset is your permission to slow down. To clear the noise. To make space to feel again.
You don’t have to do all seven steps perfectly. You don’t have to journal every day or declutter your whole house. Just start with one thing. One step that speaks to you. That’s enough.
Because the truth is, you deserve to head into this next season feeling grounded — not overwhelmed. Present — not panicked.
And that starts now. With this moment. With this choice.
So tell me.
Which of these 7 steps are you starting with this week?
Leave a comment and let me know. I’d LOVE to hear what your reset looks like.
And if this helped you feel even a little lighter, please share it with a friend who might need it too.
You’re not behind. You’re right on time.
Let’s breathe into fall, together. 💛
