I don’t know about you, but September has always felt like the other January to me.
Not in a loud countdown, fireworks kind of way. Not with gym memberships, resolutions and the pressure to transform yourself from excessive food eater to fitness god overnight. But still, something shifts.
Yes, the weather begins to change – but it’s something deeper than that. The pace changes. People are back from holidays. Meetings reappear in the diary. The inbox swells, the calendar wakes up, and suddenly the busier but more spacious summer feels abruptly over.
September, like January, carries a sense of reset – of beginning again.
And yet, how easy is it to fall back into the busyness, back into bad habits, back into unhelpful rhythms? In some ways, it’s not our fault that the opportunity to truly reset and take stock passes us by. Because September isn’t New Year. We don’t have massive celebrations and societal expectations that the next 12 months will be different from the past 12. Instead, we have to be intentional.
An invitation to take stock
Maybe it’s the rhythm of our household. My wife works in education, so September always feels like a natural turning point. New terms. New timetables. A different kind of focus. I don’t have kids and I’m not in school, but I still feel that invisible gear shift – like the world is waking up and expecting me to do the same. Even in the corporate world, this shift is felt.
And honestly? I still love it.
There’s something about this time of year – the fresh stationery, the unopened pens, the clean corners of a new notebook. I used to love the feel of a new exercise book as a kid – crisp pages that hadn’t yet been bent, scribbled on, or marked in red pen. That same feeling still gets me now. That small rush of possibility. A fresh start, even without the formal beginning.
That’s why I think it’s a good moment – between now and Harvest – to pause and take stock. Not in a pressured, performative way. But in a real, curious, spiritually attentive way.
Where have I seen God at work in recent months?
Where is He present now, even if I’ve been too busy to notice?
What might He be calling me into next?
A gentle invitation
I know that for many of us, life is already full. The idea of adding a reflective session into the diary might feel impossible. That’s okay. You’re under no pressure here.
But if part of you knows it would help to carve out some protected time – to step back, reflect, and breathe – then you might want to consider joining a Growing with God taster session.
Each one is three hours, held gently in a small group, with space to pause, listen and reflect. There’s no expectation to share if you don’t want to. It’s £15, and we’ve made it as accessible and simple as possible.
You can explore the dates and book your place.
Whether you come or not, the invitation to reset remains open – God meets us in all sorts of spaces, not just the ones we schedule.
Going deeper (but staying gentle)
If you’d like to spend a bit of time reflecting in your own rhythm, the rest of this post is designed to help you do just that.
These aren’t questions to tick off like a form – they’re prompts to sit with. Some might speak to you more than others. Don’t feel the need to get through them all. Maybe pick one from each section. Let your curiosity guide you.
And if now isn’t the moment? That’s okay too. You can always come back later.
Three movements for September
1. Looking back
What surprised me this summer?
Where did I feel most like myself?
What have I quietly let go of…and was that loss or freedom?
Where did I experience God, even if I didn’t recognise it at the time?
A note: Looking back might stir things you didn’t expect. Be gentle with yourself. Let God hold the whole story.
2. Noticing now
What’s the current pace of my life – and how does it feel in my body?
Where do I feel most present these days – and where do I feel distracted or stretched thin?
What might God be inviting me to notice that I’ve been ignoring?
What’s giving me life right now, and how can I make space for more of it?
A note: You don’t need to clean up the present moment before God meets you in it.
3. Wondering forward
What might faithfulness look like this month?
What small practice could help me remain grounded and open?
Where is there risk or discomfort that feels like invitation into something?
What would I love to look back on in a month’s time and say: “I’m glad I did that”?
A note: This isn’t about strategy. It’s about listening – listening before leaping.
And so, we begin again
This quieter kind of reset is part of what’s woven into my new book, The Radical Recall to Rest, which (God-willing) will be landing this autumn. It’s not a book about doing less for the sake of it – it’s about noticing more. Living slower, deeper, and more intentionally, even as the world speeds up.
But whether you read the book or not, whether you join a session or not – the invitation to reflect remains open.
September doesn’t need to be dramatic. It just needs to be noticed. Not a resolution – just an opportunity. Not a performance – just a pause.
If you’ve been meaning to take stock, but haven’t known where to begin – this is your sign.
If you’ve felt tired, distracted, or disoriented – you’re not alone.
And if you’re longing for something slower, deeper, more grounded – there’s space for you here.
Here’s to September – the other January.
Josh | A Curious Follower
A Curious Follower is a space for anyone learning to slow down, live with intention, and follow the quiet tug of something deeper. However you come, welcome. Thank you for being here.
If something in this reflection resonated, you’re invited to share it with someone, leave a thought below, or simply sit with the question in your own way.