The September reset: Why women need it (and how to actually do it)
Health10.09.2025
For many women, September feels like a second New Year’s. The kids go back to school, schedules return, and after the slower pace of summer, there’s this urge to reset. But, as many of us know, that can also bring increased stress and pressure to our everyday routines.
“Women especially fall into this pattern – we de-prioritize ourselves while holding everything together,” said Christine Harrison, a registered psychotherapist and founder of Focus Forward Therapy. “But taking care of yourself and resetting isn’t a luxury or some bucket list goal. We need to give ourselves permission.”
That’s why she loves the idea of a September reset – not as another set of punishing resolutions, but as an invitation to come back to basics.
What is a September reset?
At its core, this time isn’t about reinventing yourself – it’s about focusing on what Harrison calls the three pillars of lifestyle medicine: eating, sleeping and moving.
“These are the foundations that we all need to be focusing on first,” she said. “We need to have these pillars straight in order to address mental health, or to build on other goals.”
When it comes to nutrition, this can be as simple as integrating more whole foods into your diet – picking up seasonal veggies and making sure we’re getting the right amount of vitamins and nutrients for this time of year.
Rest is also vitally important, said Harrison.
“Try to set a goal for what time you want to be in bed by, and focus on getting quality sleep,” she said. “Are you feeling well rested when you wake up? Are you putting your phone away before bed? These are all things to be aware of.”
Harrison also recommends looking into a mood light or sunlight therapy lamp to help with the dark mornings.
“There are so many mood and health benefits to seeing sunlight when you wake up,” she said. “I actually tell all of my patients to start using mood lamps on October 1, right through until May.”
And, as for exercise, you don’t need to sign up for a pricey new gym membership. A daily walk, stretching, or moving your body in a way that feels good is all that matters.
Tips to be consistent
While this sounds easy in practice, Harrison is quick to point out the danger of setting unrealistic goals.
“We flip the switch into productivity mode and go all in, but then we burn out,” she said. “The real reset isn’t about adding more pressure. It’s about creating a solid foundation that carries you forward.”
So how do you make those simple changes stick? For Harrison, it comes down to clarity and consistency.
“If you mention something, it’s a dream. The moment you write it down, it’s a plan,” she said.
She encourages women to track small daily actions – such as when they go to bed, how they’re feeling, and whether they walked that day – not as a judgment, but as a way to notice patterns. Journaling or keeping notes is also a great way to gain a new perspective on yourself.
“It’s going to go from putting you in the spotlight to being an observer in your life,” she explained.
She also urges women to give themselves grace when motivation ebbs and flows. Hormonal shifts, stress, and seasons all play a role and can impact your routine.
Once you’ve established a solid foundation in eating, sleeping, and moving, you can then set bigger, loftier goals in each of these areas.
“I like to call it habit stacking. Once you’ve noticed you’ve been walking every day, then you can add in stretching or strength training,” she said. “And when your foundation is solid, then you can also look to tackling career or life goals.”
Most importantly, she said, we need to carve out that time to invest in ourselves.
“Taking care of yourself isn’t indulgent. It’s necessary,” she said. “Women hold themselves to impossibly high standards, and September is a great chance to reset those expectations.”
