September is Self-Improvement Month (Plus Various Wacky Days to Observe)
As if your television addiction and absence of muscles aren’t enough of a reminder, along comes September which, for some reason, has been dubbed Self-Improvement month.
Some books, websites and lecturers advise that self-improvement “isn’t going to be easy”—that you should form a plan, write out your goals, research books and articles, make note of helpful tips, and make detailed to-do lists. Yikes! If I had all those tasks ahead of me, you’d probably find me on the couch with my feet up.
When you’re looking for a way to gain greater physical stamina and overall health, you might try a change in diet or exercise routine. If you’re trying to improve your emotional health, you might try anything from positive thinking to hormonal supplements to counseling. If your focus seems to be lacking, mental exercises may help.
If you’re like me, you’ll shop around for something that is effective, easy, accessible, backed by science and that women you respect have endorsed.
Self-Improvement made easy
There is a simple way to do one-stop shopping to accomplish self-improvement. Here is my suggestion of how to improve your mind, body, emotional life, behavior, and job performance in one stroke. You’re on this website, so it must be pretty obvious that what I’m recommending is to learn the Transcendental Meditation technique.
Transcendental Meditation is an effortless method that allows your mind to settle inward to the most silent and peaceful level of experience, your authentic innermost Self. The TM technique is easy to learn and practice, sitting comfortably for twenty minutes twice daily, and requiring no concentration, no religious observance and no change of routine or diet.
Almost 400 peer-reviewed studies have shown that regular TM practice improves our life through a wide range of personal benefits—decreased anxiety and depression, improved memory and clearer thinking, reduced high blood pressure, decreased illness, longer lifespan and more harmonious relationships.
When women learn this technique of meditation, they find that it calms them, centers them, and at the same time enables them to multi-task with greater energy, creativity, ease and focus. The results of TM help young women deal with challenges and insecurities of adolescence, peer pressure, and self-image. Rather than trying to improve each aspect of our self in a multitude of ways, we find that the process of transcending alone results in the improvement of all aspects of our self simultaneously.
Enough said? So go look up your closest TM teacher and learn more about the courses they’ll offer in September—goal fulfilled!
September 2018 daffy days
Here are some more themes of note coming up in September: aside from the Autumnal Equinox, we have many dates in September that commemorate what’s special in our lives. Relevant to women, for example, September 16th is both National Women’s Friendship Day and Wife Appreciation Day.
If you want a way to enjoy more in September, you can start by reading this smile-provoking list of some of September’s proclaimed “special” days. To that end, I left out any days of serious note (such as International Literacy Day), religious holidays (for example, Rosh Hashanah), ironic reminders (such as International Peace Day) or days that suggest you aren’t being appreciative enough during the rest of the year (like World Gratitude Day).It’s not surprising that the majority of themes are about food—it’s the simple pleasures we most celebrate.
- 1st National Cherry Popover Day
- 5th Be Late for Something Day
- 5th Cheese Pizza Day
- 6th Fight Procrastination Day
- 7th Neither Rain nor Snow Day
- 9th Teddy Bear Day
- 10th Swap Ideas Day
- 11th Make Your Bed Day
- 11th No News is Good News Day
- 12th National Chocolate Milkshake Day (My personal favorite!)
- 13th Blame Someone Else Day – traditionally on the first Friday the 13th each year.
- 14th National Cream-Filled Donut Day
- 15th Make a Hat Day
- 16th Collect Rocks Day
- 16 National Play Doh Day
- 17th National Apple Dumpling Day
- 19th International Talk Like A Pirate Day (ahoy, matey)
- 19th National Butterscotch Pudding Day
- 21st Miniature Golf Day
- 22nd Elephant Appreciation Day
- 22nd Hobbit Day
- 22nd International Rabbit Day – Fourth Saturday in September
- 24th National Cherries Jubilee Day
- 25th National Comic Book Day
- 27th Crush a Can Day (and then please recycle it!)
- 28th Ask a Stupid Question Day (Though there’s no such thing as a ….)
- 30th National Mud Pack Day
Hope you enjoyed the list and are looking forward to your butterscotch pudding and cream-filled donut.
Have a great September and let us know if you need information about learning Transcendental Meditation. If you haven’t contacted us by September 6th (fight procrastination day), what are you waiting for?
Connect with a TM teacher to hear more
About the Author
Janet Hoffman is the executive director of TM for Women Professionals, a division of TM for Women in the USA
