Ria Bhagwat is the lifestyle editor at Real Simple, where she covers stories related to health, wellness, life, and home. Prior to joining Real Simple, Ria was a lifestyle writer at a variety of publications, including Apartment Therapy, Well+Good, and House Digest, where she wrote about everything from color coordination to holistic wellness. In her spare time, you can find Ria taking walks across Brooklyn or obsessing over which Broadway musical to see next.

As we inch closer to October, preparation for fall is in full swing. That means candles with notes of pumpkin spice, apple picking excursions, jewel-toned outfits, and a sense of inspiration and motivation you likely haven't felt since before summer. Beyond the innate newness that each season brings, fall is an especially powerful one to build healthier habits -- mostly due to the "fresh start effect." "The 'fresh start effect' is the effect of offering yourself a clean page to start anew [and] leaving the past behind you as you establish and move towards new goals or to create change," says licensed marriage and family therapist Saba Lurie, LMFT. "These are often associated with dates we associate with the marking of time and the start of something new, like the new year or a birthday (which marks a year at a new age), or even a Monday, which marks a new week, or even the start of a new day."

The "fresh start effect," also referred to neurologically as "temporal landmarks," is especially beneficial in the fall because our brains are wired to associate the start of fall with the beginning of an academic semester. Even when we finish school, the effect still has a mental impact on us: "After experiencing September as the start of the school year throughout our childhood and adolescence, and even into early adulthood, it makes sense that we still experience fall as a significant marker of time," Lurie says. "Additionally, while most adults in the US don't get to experience the joy of a full 'summer break,' many people still slow down, travel, and find themselves enjoying the longer days. As the days get shorter, it can mean wrapping up some of the activities we enjoyed in the summer months, and it can also prompt us to start projects that we may have put off."

Moreover, temporal landmarks remind us that it's never too late for a fresh start or to try again -- and this fall may be a new chance for you to put the theory to work. "Instead of dreading the seasonal shift, I encourage my clients to reframe fall as an intentional transition," Lurie says. "There's something energizing about the crisp fall air after the heat of summer that may have encouraged us to slow down and made those so enticing. This change in weather can actually be invigorating and prompt us to action -- this way, you're being proactive about your emotional well-being rather than just trying to get through the change." If you don't know where to start, consider these actionable ways to turn the transition to fall into your personal reinvention.

Before building new habits and taking on new hobbies, it's important to really know your values, Lurie says. This might look like jotting down a list of what matters to you, how you'd like to execute , and boundaries you want to establish ahead of time. After all, your values are what ultimately steer your decisions.

Connection is essential, especially when the days get shorter and the weather becomes gloomier. "One way to do that in the fall could mean hosting a monthly with neighbors or organizing a walking group with friends," Lurie suggests. "Putting these plans on the calendar helps protect the time."

Aiming to work out more is a commonly shared goal often reserved for New Year's resolutions -- but it doesn't have to be. "I suggest taking a either in the morning or the golden hour right before sunset," Lurie says. "This gives you the benefits of fresh air while also allowing you to soak up those precious daylight hours, which can really help with seasonal mood shifts." If you live in a location with minimal daylight, you might want to time your daily movement with the sun, or invest in a light therapy lamp that can simulate sunlight right from your bedroom.

If you've ever wanted to pick up a new skill or revisit an old one, fall is the best time to do so. "Many classes start in the fall, including some that are offered through different recreation centers and local libraries," Lurie says. Plus, you might just make some new connections with like-minded people.