Why You Should Make a New Year's Resolution in the Fall

by Sarah Yang
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If you're waiting until December 31 at 11:59 p.m. to commit to changing something about your life—whether it's getting organized at home and at work, eating better, or going to the gym more—we hate to break it to you, but there's no excuse to not just do it right now. The fall season can be a New Year's of sorts for many people, even if you're not going back to school. There's something about leaving behind the laid-back summer days and feeling the need to hunker down and get shit done before the end of the year. We already wrote about the many things you can do before the clock strikes midnight on January 1, and it looks like we're not the only ones that are hyping up fall as a time for a change. 

According to a new Pinterest report, the social media platform sees searches for "organization," "routine," "positivity," and "goal setting," spike twice—during the New Year and in the fall. In fact, a survey "revealed that 57% of adults in the U.S. say they are looking for ways to maintain their positive mindset through fall." Pinterest is calling this mood "Back to Life," what we can only assume is a take on back to school.

So what exactly are people searching for when it comes to these goals? Pinterest broke it down, which we highlighted below. If you're looking for some goal inspo or looking to make a change this fall, let this be your guide.

Life Organization

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Pinterest says that the search term "life organization" is up by 78% this year, evidence that people are looking to get everything from their spaces to finances in check. Should we thank Marie Kondo for the rise in popularity?

In particular, Pinterest users are extremely interested in organizing their budget and finances—the platform saw a search increase of 3298% (yes, you read that right). Pinners are using budgeting templates to help them achieve just that.

Sustainable prod

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Another top search is "sustainable lifestyle," which is up 108% and is no surprise to us since we reported which sustainable products were trending on Pinterest last month. With many people moving toward sustainability globally, we only see this number growing.

And one more search term of note in the organization category is "organization videos," up 230%. Without a doubt, we can attribute this to the KonMari. Plus, there's something so soothing about watching a cluttered space get streamlined in a matter of seconds or minutes in video form.

Feel-Good Routines

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You might not have had a strict routine during the summer, and honestly, why would you? But now that fall is coming around, more and more people are looking to pick back up their routines or start new ones. Search terms like "productive day routine" (+180%), "morning routine videos" (+161%), and "weekend routine" (+144%) are trending. This is another trend we wholeheartedly support since we love hearing about people's routines through our Morning Person series.

Calendar

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Arisara Tongdonnoi/EyeEm/Getty Images

For those with families (or even roommates), you'll be interested to know that Pinterest has seen terms like "routine chart" (+161%) and "family chore chart" (282%) gaining traction, too. Most people seem to have busier schedules in the fall, with back-to-school being a big driving force—so it's no surprise that people are feeling the need for some visuals when coordinating everyone's whereabouts.

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And it's not just all business when it comes to routines—everyone is getting on the self-care train, too. The search term "self-care routine" is up 140% on the platform. A little bit of rest, relaxation, and recharging will do your body and mind some good because it can help relieve some work and personal stress. Just taking some time for yourself can help you do even better at work because you'll feel more refreshed and energized. 

Pinterest found that 56% of American respondents "feel the need to incorporate more self-care especially as they prepare for fall." What are users interested in? Eating more healthily, exercising more or taking on a new fitness routine, and taking care of their bodies generally. 

Positivity

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Pinterest users are also looking to be more positive in their lives—whether that's embracing body flaws, being grateful, and looking for inspiration to keep an optimistic mindset. In terms of body positivity, we were pleasantly surprised to see that trending Pinterest searches included "acne positivity" (+193%), "stretch marks positivity" (+163%), "body hair positivity" (+158%), and "cellulite positivity (+69%). This bit of news is so encouraging, as we dedicated a whole month to body appreciation, with tips on how to practice self-love—so any interest and movement when it comes to the topic is so welcome.

Other ways people are trying to maintain positivity is through inspirational quotes and words, with "inspirational poetry quotes" up 650%, and "positive quotes to live by" up 279%.

Goal Setting

Goal Planning

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Lastly, it's a no-brainer that searches like "goal planning" (+128%) and "goal list" (+101%) are also trending on the social media platform as well. If you're trying to get organized, get a lot more done, and live a healthier lifestyle, you've got to set some goals so you have an idea of what you want to accomplish before the year's up. On that goal-setting front, it seems like everyone has different outlooks: Some are looking for "career planning" (+101%) and others looking to settle in with "dream house plans" (+669%) and "big family goals" (+68%). Other people are looking to feed their wanderlust with "travel dreams (+2178%).

Suitcases

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Whatever your goals or ambitions are this season, it's important to set some realistic ones and not be so hard on yourself if you can't get it done. It's great to try your best (and it's even better to succeed), but there's always next year if you can't do it all.

Next up: 25 Easy Ways to Get Back Into a Routine for Fall

This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions. See our full health disclaimer here.

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