Typically our society views New Years as the time for carving out new beginnings. But a now-viral TikTok trend called the “ October Theory” argues that this month is actually just as good for recommitting to our goals—which can be great news for folks who have lost a little steam as the year’s end approaches.
As the theory goes, October can elicit a lot of the same feelings of self-reflection that January does. But the key difference—and benefit—is that with October you can act on whatever insights you’ve gathered while you still have a substantial 90 days left with the current year.
In other words, October can act as a “ mini New Year. ”
Macy Morgan, who shared her interpretation of “October Theory” as early back as last year , and perhaps might have even originate the idea, told TODAY.com , “People get this feeling of anxiousness but also motivation like you would for a new year.”
“People realize that they’re going to be seeing a lot of friends and family who are going to ask a lot of questions, and it just makes them realize like, ‘oh my gosh, we’re really, really close to the end of the year,’ but we’re not there yet. I still have a couple of months left to get my life in order,” she explained.
Recently, several more people have shared how they've applied the October Theory to their own goals—beit revamping a fitness routine or making more strides with quarterly work plans.
And while one should probably always take trendy TikTok theories with a grain of salt, psychology does tend to indicate that autumn contains some extra potency in our collective consciousness.
When asked to speak on the subject by Bustle, Brianna Paruolo, LCMHC , a psychotherapist and founder of On Par Therapy , said, “The autumn season often sparks a natural inclination for transformation. As the leaves change color and fall, we're reminded of the beauty in letting go and embracing new beginnings.”
“This combination of environmental changes and societal rhythms creates a perfect storm for personal transformation,” she added, saying it “allow[s] us to shed old habits — just like trees shedding leaves — and cultivate new aspects of ourselves.”
Plus, any astrology enthusiast will tell you that October begins in Libra season, associated with balance and weighing out every option, and then ushers in Scorpio season, seen as a time of major transformation and renewal. All this to say—there’s plenty of symbolism infused into this time of year, which we can tap into to get an extra boost.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that, at least generally speaking, it takes around 66 days to create a new routine, as productivity expert and author James Clear notes on his website. That means starting a new habit by October could give you plenty of time to actually make it stick.
Honestly, giving yourself time to reflect and and reset your intentions is good any time of the year, but any hack to really get your mind and spirit on board can't hurt trying. As a bonus—you can do celebrate new Year’s in a Halloween costume, which has gotta be more fun.
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