Hello, September.

At the beginning of August, I set out to find my drive, my work ethic. I gave myself big, lofty goals for the month, including: cleaning out my room entirely. Posting on my blog once a week. Editing and submitting all of the short stories on my computer. Writing three new short stories. Finding freelance work so that I can keep on going without being forced to find another office job. Completely outline my novel and prepare to write in September.

I knew that achieving every single one of these things would be difficult going into the month. But when I finished my job in July I promised myself I wouldn’t waste this time off that I am so, so grateful to have. And then I spent the rest of July wasting it.

And so in August, I got to working. I went through every article of clothing I own, every single book, and all the stacks of papers I’ve had in my life for too long. I re-did the rod in my closet and reorganized it entirely. I took trips to drop off donations at the thrift store and trips to recycle papers. I spent hours thinking about what it would be like to finally have an organized life.

My room feels lighter and cleaner, but I am most certainly not finished. I’ll have to finish this month, instead. So I didn’t meet my goal exactly, but I’m incredibly proud of my progress.

I also submitted two short stories to new magazines this month and started editing many others. I wrote one new short story entirely. I didn’t pick up my novel to work on it, not even once, but I made that decision consciously so that I could focus on short stories for now, which I believe will get me published quicker and are what I’m most comfortable with, anyway.

I also, most excitingly, perhaps, posted on this blog every single week in August, and that feels like an accomplishment. I’m finally feeling committed to this space and much more confident about the way my website looks and feels in its entirety. I’ve been wanting to start blogging since I graduated undergrad four years ago, and I’ve owned this URL for two years or so. It feels so good that it’s finally something I’m starting to do.

So what’s next for September?

I’m really excited for Fall this year. I always have loved that back-to-school feeling of organizing your life and getting on track for the rest of the year. For once, I’m okay with summer ending. I genuinely have been looking forward to September and for the first time since I’ve been giving myself goals (every month this year) I was bursting with excitement to plan out all of September on August 31^st. I love this energy, inspiration, and drive. I’m going to hold onto it tightly.

As far as goals for September, I have quite a few in mind. Firstly, I truly plan on finishing my cleaning/organization goals this month. I really believe if I make the right goals for myself each week I can finish it by October. Who knew I had this much stuff, anyway? I thought for sure that I could get through it all in just one month.

I’d also really like to make it a major goal this month to increase blog readership. So I’m starting to do a lot of research on that. Additionally, I plan on reviewing books on this blog sometime this month, and getting into a regular habit of that as well.

And, most vaguely, I’d like to start planning out an idea I have for an Etsy shop so that it can be ready and set up in time for the Holiday season. Oh, and of course, I’d like to finally make some money freelance writing and/or editing.

It’s going to be a big, busy month. I can feel it. And I might not meet all of my goals, but that’s okay. I am happy as long as I try.

Happy September and Happy Fall, internet friends. I hope that it’s one of your most successful months ever.