Get my best tips and insights on productivity, confidence, balance, and connection ... learned from 15 years of successfully working from home. Long-term WFH is a CHOICE, a lifestyle, a CULTURE. And I believe that if you're going to do something, you should do it right. But you don't have to do it alone. Activate your free subscription to The Tenacious WFH Entrepreneur newsletter so that you get your weekly dose of grit and grace to keep you going by entering your email address below.
✏️ The best thing about a September fresh start
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Don’t Let the Season Decide for You Hey Reader, September does something funny to me. Maybe it’s all those years of back-to-school conditioning, but put me near fresh notebooks and a good package of pens this time of year, and apparently my inner 12-year-old still has purchasing authority. There’s something irresistible about that fresh-start feeling. But as entrepreneurs, fresh-start energy can quickly turn into fresh-goal energy. Launch this. Finish that. Fix the website. Post more. Start the thing we meant to start in March. Before we know it, our shiny new season has become a heavier backpack. So this September, I’m trying something different. Instead of asking what else I want to accomplish, I’m asking what direction I want to go. That distinction matters. A goal tells you something you want to achieve. A direction helps you decide whether all the other things asking for your attention belong in the season you’re trying to create. And fall has a way of bringing plenty of those things. October becomes November. November becomes December. Client deadlines, family plans, holiday obligations, opportunities, and good ideas start appearing on the calendar. So before all of that happens, ask yourself: What deserves my leadership in the season ahead? Try choosing just three things:
Not 17 priorities. Three. Because one of my favorite reminders from this week’s article is: Capacity asks whether there is an empty square on the calendar. Leadership asks whether the thing deserves the square. That’s the shift I explore more deeply in this week’s article, September Is the Real New Year for WFH Entrepreneurs — including why September gives us something January simply can’t: eight months of information about the year we’re actually living. If you’d like to explore the idea further, read the full article here. And in the meantime, you can start right where you are. Your Action Step this WeekGive yourself 10 quiet minutes before making another fall to-do list. At the top of a blank page, write: By the end of this season, I want... Keep writing until something meaningful emerges — for your business, your life, or yourself as a leader. Then ask: Are my current choices taking me in that direction? If they are, keep going. If they aren't, choose one small adjustment this week that points you toward the season you actually want. You don’t need to map the entire route. You just need to choose your direction. 🧭 💛 Insider & VIP CornerThis month's CEO Vision Brief Mini Power Tool is available exclusively for Tenacious WFH Entrepreneur Insiders and VIPs. It walks you through your CEO North Star, Leadership Compass, Next-Season Vision, CEO Investment, Strategic Focus, and CEO Declarations — giving you a practical place to work out your direction on paper before the season gets busy. Upgrade anytime to unlock this month's Mini Power Tool, along with the growing archive of practical worksheets, templates, and resources created to help you build your business with greater clarity, confidence, and sustainability. Premium subscriptions start at $7/month. 💎 Upgrade your experience here. Here’s to choosing the season before it chooses us.
As always, I'd love to know what you think of this week's newsletter. Post your thoughts on social and tag me (@coachmichelepeterson), or simply reply to this email! Thank you. I appreciate you! xoxo, Now for more good stuff ... Upgrade Your Experience ...Tenacious WFH Insiders get access to monthly Mini Power Tool downloadables like this month's CEO Vision Brief, an exclusive audio version of the weekly newsletter and blog via the private podcast Insiders Only Tenacious WFH Entrepreneur Audio Experience that you can listen to on your favorite podcast platform ... and more! Get all the details here. UPGRADE TO INSIDER or VIP STATUS TODAY! Interesting Reads ...
Win WFH Tip of the WeekWFH Tip: To WIN working from home, be intentional about staying connected with others. You may be home alone while you work, but you don't have to be — you shouldn't be — lonely. Grit & Grace Affirmation of the WeekI am successful. I am worthy. I respect myself. Say it. Believe it. Be it. From the book Badass Affirmations by Becca Anderson I hope you enjoyed this week's newsletter. Thank you for linking arms and being part of my working from home tribe! I'll be back next week with more tips, inspiration, and other fun stuff to empower your WFH success. Until then, have a beautiful week! xoxo, P.S. It's my goal to inspire you and remind you of your greatness as we navigate WFH life together. If you loved this week's newsletter, please feel free to forward it to your friends! And just one more thing ...
September 3, 2026 | Coach Michele Peterson
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Coach Michele Peterson
Get my best tips and insights on productivity, confidence, balance, and connection ... learned from 15 years of successfully working from home. Long-term WFH is a CHOICE, a lifestyle, a CULTURE. And I believe that if you're going to do something, you should do it right. But you don't have to do it alone. Activate your free subscription to The Tenacious WFH Entrepreneur newsletter so that you get your weekly dose of grit and grace to keep you going by entering your email address below.
Have Something Ready for the Woman Doing the Work Hey Reader, It’s just the two of us at home now. But when I make pork chops, I’ll often make four. Two for dinner. Two extras for lunches. Leftover soup goes into individual sealed soup mugs, ready to pop into the microwave. I occasionally manage weekend meal prep. But planned leftovers like these examples are something I do frequently. I’m already cooking dinner or putting food away, so a little preparation fits into what’s happening. Later,...
Make Room for the Whole Commitment Hey Reader, A friend invited me to a networking lunch recently. She was one of the sponsors, and I wanted to support her. Making connections was a good reason to attend, too. The event was 90 minutes long. But there was also a 30-minute drive each way. Arriving early to mingle. Staying afterward to continue conversations. Following up with people by text or email. The extra time easily added up to two or more hours. The invitation was for 90 minutes. My yes...
Give One Meaningful Priority a Place to Grow Hey Reader, For about 10 years, I’ve had a small boysenberry patch tucked beside our backyard garden. These berries came from starts brought over from my grandparents’ vines. Grandma and Grandpa had three or four long rows, and I have VERY fond memories of Grandma’s berry pies and boysenberry jam. My little patch has kept that connection growing. We’ve enjoyed a modest crop each year. Recently, though, we removed a diseased loquat tree, and our...