Guest opinion: New year, new crayons
This time of year tends to bring about fivea host of emotions, as we transition from the twinkling hours of our bustling summer season and look ahead to crisp autumn mornings and the ever-popular pumpkin spice latte. Memories are triggered and tied to the distinct smell of a new box of crayons, with its fragrant reminder of a new school year and vibrant colors abounding. Fall is reminiscent of end of-summer family vacations, and we look forward to our beloved American football traditions.
It does feel a bit like the start of a new year, doesn’t it? You could perhaps argue that this time of year, early fall, may be the greatest season of change that we experience throughout the calendar year.
Why wouldn’t we use this time of year to reset, recalibrate and remind ourselves of the goals, priorities and spirited resolutions we so diligently spent time working on in January? Remember how excited you were to open up your new BlueSky scheduler, with its blank pages and wide-open spaces of opportunity on Jan. 1? Much like opening up that new box of crayons, that feeling can be found again.
We still have nearly three full months in this year to accomplish what we started, and to capture a new wave of energy in reevaluating our original strategy toward goals that may provide us a more appropriate direction.
It is certainly easy to let “life” throw us off track, but it is up to us to determine when to take a pause and to start anew. A time to honestly check in with yourself to celebrate what you’ve tackled since the start of the year and to readdress what you’ve yet to accomplish.
If you find yourself coasting along in complacency, viewing this season as a new year may also benefit you. Much like a fitness routine, it is quite healthy and recommended to pivot from your traditional workout routine, to challenge new muscle groups, build up stamina — and to provoke your mind, as well. Why would we operate differently as we go through the routine called life?
While new boxes of crayons may take on various forms in our professional and personal lives as we get older, I believe there is an absolute correlation to the feeling of newness — as we find a renewed spirit within ourselves this fall.
Seek to find whatever may energize you to power through the months ahead toward 2019. Remind yourself that just as a crayon is a tool in the classroom, to be a consummate pupil and student in this life means you’ll never stop growing — and reaching for more.
Susan Hatten is an account executive at Holmes Murphy where she also assists in sales and strategic partnerships. She dedicates much time to community involvement through fundraising and volunteering for several organizations, including Variety – The Children’s Charity, WineFest and the Variety Riverview Park Star Playground campaign. She is a founding member of the Junto Networking group and is an active member in Lead Like A Lady. She was named the 2017Meredith Corp. Emerging Business Woman of the Year and a member of the 2011 Forty Under 40 class by the Business Record, dmJuice Young Professional of the Year, Variety’s International Ambassador in 2012 and the Downtown Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of the Year in 2012, among others. Hatten is a graduate of Iowa State University. Contact her via email.