Post-September Slowdown?

Can someone please tell me, when did September turn into Crazy Town Time? I thought that was December because of holiday prep or May because of graduation or maybe August because of vacations or perhaps it has always been and will remain forevermore April because of illness? But September? I thought this was a month of back-to-school joy and color-turning leaves and breaking out the sweaters and jeans. However, as it stands on its last day in the year of 2014, September seems a little Cranky Pants inducing. As in, overly scheduled, overly muggy/buggy, and overly too-much-ish. And I know I'm not the only one looking at September like WTG, Dude?! because the general consensus from my people in my places is that we all need a little slowdown and reprieve after this crazy month. Anyone agree? Anyone know why this is?

To begin my own slowdown, I am totally going to start with a reframing that was brought to my attention in a post-yoga-class conversation this weekend. When I smiled and said, "Life is just a bit crazy and chaotic right now" my friend smiled back and said, "Your life is not crazy. It's full." Well, Amen, Lady! She was exactly right and even though part of me wants to keep poo-pooing poor September, and calling it Crazy/Cranky Pants, I know that the real culprit lies within myself. I'm the one who let myself feel crazy (and cranky) this month. I'm the one who let the calendar freak my sh!t out from time to time. I'm the one who needs to step back and look at our busyness not as a burden but as abundance, because that's exactly what this life is. Abundant and full of blessings and opportunities and so much for which to be grateful that I really don't need to walk around thinking or saying that life is crazy. It's just not. And the more I choose to see my day-to-day and week-to-week as full of grace and possibility, the more I will find grace and possibility. The body goes where the mind goes. This I know. So I also know that my stress levels will subside if I simply shift my wording and my thinking (how cool is that?!).

Does this mean I want my October calendar to look just like my September page? Well, no, not exactly. I would like to see a literal slowdown in activity or tag-team-parenting in the next month, although I know that's not very likely to happen. But perhaps I can work on this mental shift if/when there are moments here and there when I can just stop and be still. If those quiet moments arise, I will take them. I will take them and I will do my best to not only notice but also cherish them, for it will be in those moments that I can step back and see all the magnificence that surrounds me and see it as pure and good, not frantic and crazy.