Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat’s the October Theory?The Psychological Impact of Seasonal ChangesMotivation and Goal-Setting in OctoberBenefitsCriticisms and Challenges

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What’s the October Theory?

The Psychological Impact of Seasonal Changes

Motivation and Goal-Setting in October

Benefits

Criticisms and Challenges

Close

Recently, I was talking with a friend about his plans for the fall. He told me thatautumn is always a good time of yearfor him—it’s a season that usually brings some kind of transformation in his life.

As it turns out, he is not alone in this. TikTok lately has been abuzz about “October Theory”—the idea that fall, and specifically the month of October, is the perfect time to implement change in your life.

So what is the “October Theory,” and why does it ring true for so many people?

Understanding the October Theory

“October Theory” basically states that, just like New Year’s on January 1st, the month of October is actually a great time to reevaluate the goals you’ve made for this year and set new ones for the year ahead. However, unlike the immediacy that accompaniesNew Year’s resolutions, in October you have time to accomplish goals and face challenges before the year ends.

This takes some of the pressure off of you in a way that normally doesn’t happen with New Year’s resolutions—you feel like you’ve still got a couple of months to make stuff happen.

So, instead of the (usually harsh and often unrealistic) expectations that you might set for yourself on January 1st, October Theory allows you a grace period of a few months to do the things you want to do, without all the self-judgment.

It’s well established thatseasonal changes affect many people’s mental health—everything from experiencing depression as the days get shorter and darker, toseasonal affective disorder(also known as SAD),to a literal deficiency of vitamin D because we’re staying indoors as the weather gets colder.

“Many people experience mood changes when the seasons change,” explainsAmy Marschall, PsyD. “Most commonly, when we experience colder temperatures and lower light in fall and winter, this can triggerdepressive episodes.

“Additionally,” she says, “in an existential sense, reminders that time is passing can highlight the ways we have not made progress towards our goals.”

This is why the concept of October as a “second New Year” can serve as a bolstering experience for anybody who is feeling a little (or a lot) more down as the weather changes.

Finding purpose in the changing season can make the transition easier.

The upcomingholidays can also be stressfulfor people. Whether you’re doing a lot of traveling (an inherently stressful activity, especially in the holiday season) or know that you’ll be spending a lot of time around family,the holidays can bring up some very negative emotions.

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“It is always an appropriate time to recommit to goals! If you have the motivation now, go for it now,” suggests Dr. Marschall. “At the same time, external factors can help give us a motivation boost, which is why so many people commit to changes around the new year. Implementing another ‘new year’ during the year can help re-commit to these changes.”

Looking to make some October goals of your own? Bear these things in mind:

Dr. Marschall has some great suggestions for making goals and staying motivated. “We hear a lot aboutSMART goals, which help in making goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant to our lives, and time-limited. This can be motivating because it gives us a clear picture of what we want to do. But I also like PACT goals, which are purposeful, actionable, continuous, and trackable.

“SMART goals focus on the outcome, while PACT goals focus on the action of working towards the goal,” she explains. “For example, a SMART goal might be, ‘I want to complete a marathon,’ while a PACT goal would be, ‘I will practice running for one hour five times a week.’ Sometimes we don’t achieve our SMART goals because of factors outside our control, but PACT goals instead focus on the journey rather than the destination. That’s my favorite tip in setting goals—shifting focus to the journey so that you can keep working towards it even if roadblocks interfere with your destination.”

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Potential Benefits of Embracing the October Theory

Having increased motivationto achieve a goal is great for your mental health. Feeling like you are actively working towards something that will make your life better can help youfeel more productiveand introduce a feeling of self-care. It’s always a good thing when we are prioritizing our health and happiness!

“In October, it can be a good time to get back into a project you’ve been neglecting or working towarda goal you might have lost track of over the summer,” says Dr. Marschall. “By making a collective effort to commit to a second new year, this can make October a time of motivation.”

In addition, pulling yourselfout of the rutof your day-to-day life and committing to a new goal can feel invigorating and help you kick some not-so-great habits that you might have built up through your old routine.

TikTok is abuzz with people extolling the virtues of this October Theory.

Whether it’s confirming that their lives do always change during this part of the year or talking about their personal goals for this upcoming season, this phenomenon is ringing true for thousands of people on social media.

Personally, I love this idea. As someone who, as a rule, does not make New Year’s resolutions, the October Theory feels like a much kinder way to light a fire under my butt and really prioritize the things that need doing in my life. And the timing rings true—a writing project I have been working on for the better part of a year is kicking into high gear now, and giving myself an unofficial deadline of the end of the year creates space for me to do what needs to get done without placing any unrealistic expectations on myself or my process.

The Expectations vs. Reality Trap

One thing that people might find tricky about the October Theory is the way it aligns with the holiday season. While some people might see this as a natural time for exploration and reinvention, others might find it difficult to stick to goals with the interruption of holiday celebrations. If you know you are celebrating, it might not be the best time to make goals around food or weight loss, because chances are those goals are unrealistic and will only make you feel worse about yourself if you can’t stick to them with all the holiday temptation around you.

The holiday season is also a difficult time financially. Whereas at any other time of the year, your finances are usually stable and predictable, the holidays pose a particular challenge because you have to budget for travel expenses and presents. This can make financial goals harder to reach at this time of year.

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Conclusion

The October Theory proposes that the autumn season is a natural time to reevaluate your life and set goals to work on before the end of the year. Unlike New Year’s resolutions, goals set in October give you a natural deadline, making it easier to plan and carry out those goals. So if you’ve ever noticed that you feel motivated in the fall to explore new challenges and make plans, you’re not alone.

2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.).Seasonal affective disorder. National Institute of Mental Health.Baylor College of Medicine.Getting adequate vitamin D in the fall and Winter.

2 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.).Seasonal affective disorder. National Institute of Mental Health.Baylor College of Medicine.Getting adequate vitamin D in the fall and Winter.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.).Seasonal affective disorder. National Institute of Mental Health.Baylor College of Medicine.Getting adequate vitamin D in the fall and Winter.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.).Seasonal affective disorder. National Institute of Mental Health.

Baylor College of Medicine.Getting adequate vitamin D in the fall and Winter.

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