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Welcome to The Wellness Rewind, your go-to weekly newsletter for practical tips and inspiration to create a balanced, mindful, and energized life. Forwarded this by a friend? Subscribe here to join the community and never miss out!
Let’s get into it.
Today we’re closing out August, setting intentions for September, and embracing the fact that summer doesn’t actually end until September 22. Think of this as your soft Sunday reset with a little edge.
This week felt like a forced slowdown for me, sidelined by hip pain (thanks, box jumps!), logging fewer kilometers than usual, and wrestling with overwhelm across life and business. But here’s the flip side: sometimes being pulled back is the exact reset we didn’t know we needed.
September starts tomorrow. And today? It’s the last Sunday and the last day of August. And, if you’re in the US, it’s Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end to the Summer season.
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The Deep Dive: Endings + Beginnings
August was heavy. If I’m honest: income stress, training setbacks, and personal frustrations piled up. But today, I don’t want to carry that energy into September.
September intention: keep it lighter, slower, and more grounded.
More kilometers run with joy, not pressure.
More dinners with friends.
More rest, less doomscrolling.
The lesson August handed me: even forced pauses (like an injury break) can be disguised gifts. They remind us to reset, rethink, and restart.
Summer isn’t over yet — we still get three more weeks of iced coffees, late sunsets, and sweaty runs that feel endless. Use them well.
A Personal Reset
This week I swapped long runs for long walks, strength work, pilates, and extra sleep. Instead of resisting, I leaned in and it’s making me realize that sometimes, rest is the work.
The Copenhagen Half is now less than two weeks away. Instead of panicking about lost training, I’m choosing to trust the kilometers I’ve already logged. Sometimes the smartest move is letting your body (and mind) catch up.
Your personal reset this Sunday doesn’t have to be big. It could be:
Writing down one September intention.
Clearing your kitchen counter.
Going to bed an hour earlier tonight.
⚡ The Hot Take: Summer Isn’t Over
Don’t let Instagram fool you as the obnoxious pumpkin spice everything is flooding your feeds. August 31 isn’t the end of summer. The real finish line is September 22. So if you need an excuse to linger in your late summer rituals a little longer (iced lattes, slower mornings, pool days, evening walks in slightly cooler temps), consider this your permission slip.
🛠 The End-of-August Toolkit
A toolkit is a way of grounding yourself when everything feels a little too much. It’s not about doing more — it’s about curating the few things that help you reset, recharge, and keep perspective. Think of it as your personal Zone 2: simple, supportive, and sustainable.
Here’s mine right now:
🎶 Song: Genesis by Grimes — dreamy, offbeat, and the perfect soundtrack for an end-of-August walk when you want to feel like the main character.
📓 Ritual: 5-minute brain dump before bed. Clear the mental clutter so Monday doesn’t feel so loud.
📝 Prompt: “What from August am I not carrying into September?” One line is enough.
🎧 Podcast: Amanda Knox: New Hulu Show and The Story You Haven’t Heard (Not Skinny But Not Fat). Deep, real talk—from media trauma and self-forgiveness to owning your narrative.
🥤 Wellness Add-In: AG1’s new Next Gen flavors, especially AGZ Sleep, clutch for calming nerves + deeper sleep (especially if running or training has you wired).
📚 Read: Funny Story by Emily Henry. Peak end-of-summer escapism — equal parts witty, romantic, and bingeable. A lighthearted read to unwind, different from a heavier topic read, No Trade Is Free by Robert Lighthizer.
Your turn: what would you put in your own end-of-summer reset kit? Think music, rituals, prompts, supplements, or tools that make you feel grounded. The key is to keep it minimal but meaningful.
🌀 Micro-Moment of the Week
Standing still on a morning walk, just to feel the sun. Sometimes the smallest reset is simply giving yourself permission to pause.
If you’re setting September intentions, try this format:
“I intend to ____ in order to ____.”
Example: I intend to protect my mornings in order to feel less rushed.
August was full of warm days, holidays, and those easy summer moments we look forward to all year. Now September is here, and it feels like the right time to reset with new routines, fresh energy, and still a few weeks of sunshine left to enjoy.
Rest up tonight, write down one small intention, and head into the new month ready for what’s next.
Stay well,
Valerie
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