September 2026 Intention: Catch the Shift
Welcome to September, which closes my third quarter of the year! We started this quarter by looking at daily goals and trying to move towards a big goal for the month. Then last month, we worked on catching the story we tell ourselves, recognizing that often the story we tell ourselves does more damage than the thing we did.
For example, the story I was telling myself about missing goals caused me to ruminate on something negative instead of figuring out how to take the next small step.
In past Septembers (links below), I have focused on my energy, knowing that "Back to School" energy is different from Summer energy. I've always loved school supplies and the joy of starting something new. I love learning and used to get super excited about all the things I would get to do in the new school year. Of course, reality rarely matched my daydreams.
This September, I'd like to validate my "Back to School" excitement and build on the work we've been doing this quarter. I'm going to check in on my goals for the quarter and continue to examine the stories I tell myself. The twist for this month is that I'm going to use energy changes to trigger a reflection. I'd like to get better at catching when my energy changes and then examine what stories I'm telling myself.
I'm curious if it's easier to catch low energy than negative storytelling, and if the same is true for positive energy and positive stories. Or do I tell myself more stories in one energy state than another?
So the log this month is to catch when your energy shifts (the deviation is the fact), notice the story you are telling yourself, and question its validity using the following questions:
Did my energy increase or decrease?
What stories am I telling myself?
What is my truth at this moment?
As I was writing this, I noticed that my energy changed. My first thought was that I was hungry, but after questioning it, I realized I've been sitting for a long time, and my body might need to stretch. I plan to stretch and then check in on what I want to do next - more work, lunch, or something else!
Since I've been measuring average energy monthly, I'm more aware of my energy levels and where I want my baseline to be. If you haven't been measuring your energy, this month is a great time to start. All you have to do is notice how you are feeling at different points throughout the day. See Mapping Feelings to the Energetic Self-Perception Chart (iPEC Energy Leadership).
Below is this month's tracking sheet.
