We didn’t finish the list.

~Letting Go of Summer and Welcoming Autumn with Self-Compassion.~

Before last term even ended, we had a summer list in our house. My youngest planned things he wanted to do, full of hope and ambition, and we wrote it out together: Summer 2025!

And then reality hit. Hayfever had me floored, schedules shifted, plans got cancelled, the weather didn’t always play ball — and honestly, none of us felt as enthusiastic as we’d imagined. Some days just became “jarmie and chill” days. Other days I was juggling so much it felt like spinning China plates while balancing on one leg, on an upside down pan. Cue the mam guilt, creeping in around the edges.

By Mid August, I felt a sadness that the summer we’d imagined slipped away. But I also remind myself: our family is changing and growing, and our needs shift too. This wasn’t the year for big adventures — and that’s okay. Sometimes we’re in a season of simply “getting through” and slowing down.

Now, with giant tins of sweets on the shelves and Halloween decorations popping up, routine is back. There’s comfort in structure, but also some fear and anxiety about change (our house is full of both). Change is never easy, but it always comes — and the best thing we can do is meet it with gentleness.

So if you’re feeling all the feels as one season ends and another begins, please be kind to yourself. Whether you’ve got kids at school, in home ed, or still in nappies, take five minutes for you: a quiet cuppa, a walk around the block, or a page of a book. Something small to remind you you’re a person, not just a parent.

We didn’t finish our summer list.

But maybe we’ll swap ice-lolly making for s’mores, or just roll with each week as it comes. Letting go doesn’t mean it’s lost — sometimes it just transforms.

And if you need a little anchor for the weeks ahead, here’s a simple Mini Reset Breath (pairs perfectly with a hot cuppa):

• Inhale slowly through your nose for 4

• Hold for 2

• Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6

• Repeat 3 times

• Enjoy your cuppa, (even better in silence)

• 
  

It’s amazing how something so small can bring you back to yourself.

So, as we step into autumn: go easy, breathe deep, and know you’re not alone.

Together, we are Found x