Why We Always Crave a Fresh Start
September’s Secret Power
September often feels like the true "new year." Even without school timetables or academic calendars, many of us instinctively link September with fresh notebooks, crisp air, and the sense of starting again. Psychologists call this the fresh start effect, the boost in motivation we feel when time markers (like birthdays, new seasons, or Mondays) separate our past self from our future self.
The Fresh Start Effect in Action
Research shows that temporal landmarks, such as the beginning of autumn or even the start of a week, increase people’s likelihood to pursue goals and build new habits. September, sitting at the edge of summer and autumn, becomes one of the strongest cultural markers of all.
Psychology link: New beginnings give us psychological distance from past failures, allowing us to “wipe the slate clean” and try again.
Creative link: For artists, designers, musicians, and writers, this reset moment often fuels experimentation, risk-taking, and bursts of productivity.
Why Creatives Thrive on Resets
Creativity is tied to periods of reflection and renewal. Studies on creative cognition suggest that breaks, seasonal cycles, and new environments help the brain generate fresh associations. Just as nature resets in autumn, so do creative rhythms.
The end of summer pause often gives space to reflect.
New term energy brings structure and momentum.
The changing season provides new sensory inspiration, colour palettes, sounds, textures, and rituals.
The September Mindset
For creatives, September can act as a pivot point:
Students sharpen focus on projects and portfolios.
Professionals revisit goals after summer’s slower pace.
Artists find inspiration in seasonal transitions.
As neuroscientist John Kounios puts it, creative insights often occur when we “step back, reset, and allow the mind to reorganise” exactly what fresh start moments provide.
Making the Most of It
Instead of setting all resolutions in January, consider leaning into September’s momentum. Ask yourself:
What do I want to reset creatively?
What projects need energy from a fresh season?
What habits could benefit from a “new term” mindset?
Closing ThoughtS
We may not all be bound by school calendars anymore, but the rhythm of September is still written into our cultural DNA. It’s more than a month, it’s a mental reset, and for creatives, it’s the perfect spark for what’s next.
References
Dai, H., Milkman, K.L. and Riis, J. (2014) ‘The Fresh Start Effect: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior’, Management Science, 60(10), pp. 2563–2582.
Dai, H., Milkman, K.L. and Riis, J. (2015) ‘Put Your Imperfections Behind You: Temporal Landmarks Spur Goal Initiation When They Signal New Beginnings’, Psychological Science, 26(12), pp. 1927–1936.
Simonton, D.K. (2012) Taking the Ubiquity of Creativity Seriously: Toward a General Theory of Creativity. In: Kaufman, J.C. and Sternberg, R.J. (eds) The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 21–37.
Kounios, J. and Beeman, M. (2015) The Eureka Factor: Aha Moments, Creative Insight, and the Brain. New York: Random House.