That September Feeling: You’re Not Alone in the Emotional Shift of the Season
Early September is a season of in-between — not quite summer but not yet fall. With 70 degree days, changing landscapes and crisper air, this in-between space can feel both beautiful and unsettling. The cooler weather brings relief from the hot summer days, but also carries whispers of chilly days and long, dark evenings ahead.
As summer winds down, and the season starts to change once again, difficult feelings often surface. Even when change is “good”, expected, or experienced many times over, feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, sadness, or even nostalgia can catch us off guard. No matter how many times we have experienced the transition from summer to fall, its emotional impact can still feel surprising and disorienting.
Why Transitions Unsettle Us:
Our bodies crave predictability. When familiar routines shift, we can feel unbalanced or unmoored. At a biological level, even subtle reductions in sunlight begin affecting our circadian rhythms, potentially disrupting sleep patterns, energy levels, and mood regulation–leaving us more vulnerable to stress or anxiety.
Life demands multiply. The end of summer often brings new routines and responsibilities. For families, the return to school means earlier mornings, packed schedules, homework demands, and shifting household dynamics. These changes can increase stress and conflict as everyone works to find their new rhythm. Even those not directly touched by the school year often feel the cultural energy of this season—the collective sense of gearing up and getting back to business.
The past may echo in the present. Seasonal transitions can stir memories and associations from our earliest school days or childhood experiences of fall. Our bodies and minds carry these past experiences forward, sometimes without our conscious awareness. When the air turns crisp or we hear cicadas singing, we may find ourselves feeling emotions that seem to have no present-day cause—an echo of September mornings from decades ago.
Moving Through Transitions with Grace:
So, as we prepare for the seasons to change, it can be helpful to take a moment to reflect on the ways that change impacts us personally, and what practices or supports can help us feel steady during times of transition.
Create anchoring practices. Moments of transition are an opportunity to slow down and ground ourselves. Simple practices like journaling about what you’re noticing, mindful breathing, or creating small seasonal rituals can help us stay anchored when life feels uncertain.
Connect with the natural rhythm. Even something as simple as taking a walk to notice the changing leaves, making space for stillness in the morning with your coffee, or pausing to watch the light shift throughout the day can remind you that change is natural, gradual, and purposeful.
Trust the process. Just as the earth cycles through seasons, our inner lives do too. We may go through times of growth, rest, or renewal. Remembering this can help you trust that change is not an ending, but an essential and natural part of life.
An Invitation to be Gentle:
By recognizing and making space for these natural rhythms—both in the world around us and within ourselves—we can move through seasonal transitions with more patience, curiosity, and openness to whatever each season brings.
As you navigate your own September feelings, remember to be gentle with yourself and know that seeking support from others—whether a therapist, friend, or community—is always an option, and can be one of the most caring things you do for yourself.
Written by: Emma Wondra