The next time we meet, fall will officially be here. There’s a specific feeling that arrives with the first crisp August air, and while the rhythm of fall was once set by decades of academic calendars, that rhythm is shifting again, and I have been thinking about all the autumns of my life.

Then: In School for What Seemed Like Forever
For most of my life, Fall had a capital F. It meant a tangible fresh start: going to the 99-cent store to buy notebooks, purchasing uniforms from Cookies, the smell of new school supplies, and the optimistic promise of a new syllabus. It was a season defined by external structure.

Later, I started a few new jobs during the fall, a professional "back to school," so to speak, that carried the same anxiety and excitement. The return of TV shows was a weekly ritual and a comforting constant to anchor all the change happening.

Now: The In-Between Autumn
These past few years, the season has felt... quieter. The structure is gone, but the feeling remains. My autumns are now measured by different metrics: switching to warmer clothing, donating whatever doesn’t serve us, daydreaming about eating soups, and mentally preparing for a hint of seasonal depression.

The return of shows is less of an event and more of a background comfort, something to half-watch while folding laundry or working on creative projects. It’s a quieter, more internal season, but if I’m real, that back-to-school energy still hums under the surface, almost like herpes, waiting for its moment to pop back out and shine.

Next: The Full Circle
And then there’s next fall. Next fall, the rhythm will return with a vengeance, but I won't be the student. My little one will fasten that backpack and step into a world of her own. I’ll be on the other side, experiencing that familiar fall feeling from a completely new angle. The season that once launched me into my own future will now launch her into hers. It’s the most profound full-circle moment I have yet to anticipate.

It strikes me that adulthood is often about finding these old rhythms in new contexts and new manifestations. The energy of a season doesn't disappear; it just finds a new expression.

A Question for You:

What does your "back to school" energy look like now, even if you're decades (yikes…not to age you!) out of a classroom? Tell me what this season stirs in you.

Wishing you a season that matches your rhythm, whatever it may be.

Lately, I’ve been really enjoying Roy Wood Jr. on Have You Got News For You. His clever and thoughtful humor always feels fresh and smart…a perfect blend of funny and thought-provoking content. If you're looking for something witty and done well, definitely check it out!

Sidenote, how dirty does your bathroom have to get before you clean it? In my recent YouTube video, I cleaned my bathroom and talked about five things to keep in mind should the company that laid you off ask you to come back.

Check it out here: 5 Steps to Decide: Should You Go Back to a Company That Laid You Off?

I’ve never been an affirmations girlie. The idea of standing in front of a mirror telling myself I am a "powerful manifesting goddess" feels a little...cringe. But honestly, that has everything to do with me - not knocking it for anyone else!

This week, however, I came across an image that stopped my scroll. It wasn't anything revolutionary…simple reminders to keep in mind.

One question for you: What's a truth you need to be reminded of in your current season? No pressure to call it an "affirmation" if that word doesn't fit. Maybe it's just a note you leave for yourself on the fridge, in the fridge lol

Thank you as always for reading this week’s post! 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend.

- Tahara