It’s been a while and life as I know it has been crazy. Sick kids, sick dog, lots and lots of work and the start of a new school year have kept me running in circles. But as fall has come, the seasons are changing, I too want to turn a new leaf.

I’ve grown immensely this past year in my position at the marketing agency I work at. I’ve continued to educate myself, find new tools, new people, new knowledge, tactics and strategies. Marketing is a fast changing landscape and I want to be the best I can be. I was able to be a part of some growth hacking campaigns and realized again, how much I love to learn about people. How people think, what they want, what they know, the feedback they have to share and the why’s behind it.

While not everyone believes in personality tests, for me personally and my husband, they have proven to be surprisingly accurate. I am by this test and INFJ: Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling and Judging. Apparently it is the more rare form of them all, with less than 1% of the population that fit the bill. How true it hold though. If you know me you’d bet that I was extroverted when in reality I am very very introverted. I love living in my head and having time to myself, to reflect and to think. By that same token however, I am as empathetic and curious as they come and this is where my “extrovertedness” appears. I genuinely care about people, their feelings, their thoughts, their story. I want to hear it, I want to learn from them and I want to understand. It drives my husband and sometimes even my children a little crazy when I ask:

Why? Why do I want to know? Why do you not?

Take the time to know your co-workers, your teachers, your friends and even your family. Talk to a stranger at the grocery store, the waiter at the restaurant and inquire about them. Often, you’ll be pleasantly surprised what you can learn. If you aren’t a talker, that’s fine too. Remember, I am introverted and there are a lot of situations I just don’t feel comfortable to speak to someone. How can you still learn? By watching. Observing the world around you is one of the most underutilized skills of this generation in my opinion. I watch people go about their day while missing magical moments and situations all the time. As a photographer by heart, I am naturally on the lookout for these moments, but I also make it a conscious effort to observe the world as it happens around me. I find joy and sadness but both are healthy emotions. It stimulates the mind and soul to observe events, people, nature, and oneself. It allows for reflection and discussions that otherwise would never happen.

Over the summer I’ve observed my life less than I like. I was busy and tired with not enough hours in the day. But how can I write about the beautiful world as I see it, when I haven’t paid attention? I can’t and I haven’t. This in turn weighs on my mind and life as I know it is now life as I don’t want it. The beauty of self reflection and being observant is the chance to catch these things and to actively change what doesn’t make you happy. So with fall and this new season, life as I know it may not happen, but life as I want it will.

A change in priorities, a want for more and a passion for life, love and family are part of my plan. A plan for more wisdom, more knowledge, more patience, better understanding and compassion for others and myself.

As the seasons change, what will you change?