I’ve let work “get in the way” of going to the gym lately. I blame the time change, how dark it gets at 4pm, how dreary it is in the mornings. My bag of excuses is endless.

One of my new favorite podcasts is The Accidental Creative with Todd Henry. He recently interviewed James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits. Clear’s logic is sound: habits are made up of moments. And there’s one so pivotal that can make or break habits.

Of course, he used exercise as an example. (Can you see me rolling my eyes?)

“I know that if I walk on the door and change for the gym, I’ll go to the gym. If I don’t, I’m on my couch, ordering food.”

I’m a little meh about this illustration (low-hanging fruit!), but I get the concept. It’s an interesting thing to pay attention to these tiny, pivotal moments.

This morning, my yoga mat was calling. On the way to the studio, the gradient trees caught my eye. I snapped a photo to capture fall very much on display: muted greens flowing into vibrant yellows, highlighted by flaming reds.

Isn’t there just something about fall?

Year after year, I wait for this season. I dream of apple cider, pumpkin patches, boot weather, and butternut squash soup. It’s fitting, too, that my birthday always falls within days of (sometimes ON) Thanksgiving! The whole season feels like a refreshing breath of crisp air, brimming with possibility.

The only problem is, we always turn out to be so busy. Everything happens on the same days and it’s near impossible to fit it all in.

Being exhausted and complacent this year, I didn’t even buy Halloween candy, let alone dig my costume out of wherever it’s hiding. And I let something this small and insignificant bum me out in the worst way.

I recalled all of this while driving under the colorful canopies, watching leaves fall to the ground. Lauren Daigle’s new Christmas Album, Behold, found it’s way into Google Music’s random selection and I remember simultaneously thinking, “Is it too early to listen to this?” I found myself singing along to the chorus of O Come O Come Emmanuel, anyway – mildly resenting the people who skip over Thanksgiving because they just can’t wait for Christmas.

I thought about all the “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” bumper stickers while feeling afraid that I wasn’t doing enough to enjoy fall to the fullest.

As if on cue, a thought impressed upon my heart: “I am the reason for every season.” It left me wondering if this was the still, small voice to which people refer.

In this season of Thanksgiving, I am giving thanks for the beauty of fall, but also the beauty of my 38th year — the season I’m currently in and the one that’s on its way. I’m grateful for the tiny, pivotal moments in life, and, my friends – I have so much gratitude for you.