Fresh Season, Fresh Habits: Secrets on How to Create Routines That Actually Stick

There’s something about the shift in seasons that makes us pause. Whether it’s longer evenings, cooler/warmer mornings (depending on where you are!), back to school or simply the sense that time is moving on, many of us feel the nudge to reset.

For midlife women especially, a change of season can be the perfect invitation to create new habits – ones that feel aligned with who we are now, not who we used to be or who others expect us to be.

But here’s the secret: the real starting point isn’t the habit itself. It’s your vision, values, and why.

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🌱 Step 1: Tap into your vision

Before diving into “I’m going to go to the gym/yoga/walk three times a week” or “I’ll start journalling/meditating daily,” take a breath and ask: What’s the bigger picture I want for this season of life and beyond?

• Do you see yourself feeling calmer and more grounded?
• Do you want energy to enjoy evenings with family/friends, not collapse on the sofa?
• Is this the season to focus on creativity, or maybe your wellbeing?
• Wanting to be strong, healthy and independent for many years to come?

Close your eyes and imagine how that vision looks in 5, 10, 15 years time.

What would you feel like when you are more grounded, stronger, energised?

That vision is the fuel.

For me, I have decided to focus on my health and strength this season so I can be fit and healthy for as long as possible and it really motivates me each day.

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💎 Step 2: Anchor in your values

Habits stick when they’re rooted in what really matters.

• If connection is a value, your new habit could be weekly walks with a friend instead of solo gym sessions.
• If growth matters, maybe learning a language or taking a short course is more energising than yet another “should-do” diet.
• If health is a value, you might start with drinking more water, less alcohol, yoga or doing some strength training or going to bed 30 minutes earlier.

Think of values as the compass th-ey keep you facing in the right direction.

My most important value that I am switching up right now is, you might guess, my health so I am incorporating movement each single day, even if it is just 10 minutes.

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🔥 Step 3: Clarify your why

This is the bit that gets you out of bed on grey mornings.
Ask yourself: Why does this habit matter to me now?

Your “why” doesn’t need to be dramatic. It might be:

• “So I feel proud of keeping a promise to myself.”
• “To have more patience with my family.”
• “Because I want to be able to travel in old age and/or play with my grandchildren.”

Write it down somewhere you’ll see it. When the novelty wears off, your “why” will carry you. I write out my values, my why and my core habits and review them each morning to keep me motivated and my why and vision in mind.

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🛠 Step 4: Start small (like tiny)

Here’s where many of us trip up. We go big and fizzle out. Instead, go really small.

• One glass of water in the morning.
• Five minutes of stretching before coffee.
• Writing two lines in a journal.
• 10 minutes earlier to bed without checking your phone beforehand.

Small wins build momentum. And momentum matters more than motivation.

I started small with 10 minutes of exercise, but have also added in more glasses of water, savouring my meals and slowing down to eat them, tuning into my body to what feels most nutritious or what I most need in that moment (If I am really craving carbs or chocolate it is most likely I am tired or need some emotional caretaking – I know from experience!)

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🔄 Step 5: Keep going (with kindness)

Consistency is built on compassion, not criticism. Miss a day? Fine. It’s the return, not the perfection, that creates a habit.

A few practical tips:

• Pair it: attach the new habit to something you already do (stretch after brushing teeth).
• Track it: tick off a calendar or use a simple app. Seeing progress is motivating.
• Celebrate it: a quiet “yes, I did it” trains your brain to want more. Do not underestimate the power of self-praise!

This is a work in progress for me, particularly the praise bit as I sometimes feel that just doing the thing is the reward as I invariably feel much better afterwards and a bit proud of myself.

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✨ Do this for you

Midlife is a season in itself – one where you’ve gathered wisdom, resilience, and a clearer sense of what matters. Habits created now aren’t about proving yourself; they’re about honouring yourself.

So as the season shifts, let your vision guide you, your values ground you, and your “why” keep you moving. Start small, stay kind and let new routines carry you into this next chapter with what matters most to you.

What is most important to you at this stage in life and what one teensy thing are you going to commit to doing today? I´d love to hear from you in the comments below….

With love,

Em