Thank you for opening my letter. As always, I am so grateful. I hope your summer break was relaxing and pleasant. It often feels like a blur when September comes. Was summer a dream? Is it gone already? More than the weather, it is the colours I want to hang on to. It's the greens of leaves and the vivid colours of flowers that I desperately miss when November comes.

When nature is so alive, we almost have a duty to enjoy life more. And so when autumn comes, we have this extra bit of life left within and know it is an excellent time to start something new. What is calling your heart? What is your soul whispering?

Every morning, I start my day writing a poem, the same way you stretch your body, do scales on a piano or check the temperature on a thermometer. There isn't any obligation of poetic form, rhyme or convention; I just let my Self express what she has to say. These poems are for my eyes only. On the first of September, I wrote: September, September, Please Remember and then I wrote what I most wanted to see in the coming month.

What two things would make you happy or your life more sustainable? What needs to happen?

Many things are out of our control and, yes, we could pray for them, but we must focus on what it is we can do to make it happen.

Take a few minutes to think about what your two real priorities are for September. When you have identified them, think of one thing you could do within 24 hours to start the ball rolling for each goal. Is there something you can do as soon as you close this letter?

The sooner you start, the better. Don't procrastinate as it will poison your mind every day until you do it. View it as an act of self-love.

Make time for your goals and dreams. It's amazing how much time you gain when you keep your electronic devices at a distance. My brother confessed to me that he hadn't read a book in five years. Now, I know it is common, but we are a family of big readers — I have read or listened to 47 books so far in 2022. His job stresses him so much that he has come to believe that spending most of his spare time on his iPad helps him relieve the pressure, but I disagree. He just numbs himself, whereas I either learn or I dive into someone else's life, discovering new perspectives on life through a character's experience. He admits he has lost the ability to focus and only his regular trips to the theatre, walking his dog or dinner with friends provide real relaxation.

The online world offers amazing things, interesting or fun, but we can so easily get lost in it and we are left with so little time. When online, the lifelong learner in me feels like a dog in a park, curious and eager, running from one thing to another, but I'd rather be sauntering so I shut off my devices and read, write, go for a walk and do what matters to me, although sometimes, I must confess, I have to tear myself away from books and notebooks to do what needs to be done. Life is an exercise in practising... No one has got it all figured out and under control. Every day we must practise what matters to us.

I don't want to give you any recommendations that would keep you longer online: I just want you to spend more time with yourself, listening to your soul's whispers and your heart's desires.

Having said that, I've been following @asoulcalledjoel on Instagram this summer and when I hear his voice, all muscle tension completely melts away in the matter of seconds. He always starts with, "Good morning beautiful soul! How's your heart?" and it just gets you to center yourself very powerfully. His reels are only a few seconds long but they might make a big difference in your day. Check him out!

Valerie 

http://valeriemarsh.com