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As the days grow shorter and the year winds down, the changing season invites us to consider how we experience transition, comfort and connection. There is something about autumn that makes change difficult to ignore. The trees gradually lose their leaves, daylight becomes less abundant and the routines that carried us through summer give way to a different rhythm. Nature's transitions are visible all around us, but the ways we experience those changes are far more personal.

For some, this is a favorite time of year. There are familiar traditions, fall decorations, pumpkin patches, apple picking and the comfort of returning to routines. For others, the season brings an entirely different experience. Shorter days, colder temperatures and the anticipation of a busy holiday season can leave us feeling tired, disconnected or overwhelmed.

Neither experience is unusual. Seasonal transitions can influence our routines, energy and emotional well-being, but they do not affect everyone in the same way.

The autumn equinox, which occurs in September, is often associated with balance because day and night are approximately equal in length. Across cultures and traditions, the season has also been connected to harvest, gratitude, reflection and letting go. These associations offer an interesting way to consider our own lives, particularly as we approach the final months of the year.

Balance, however, is not necessarily something we achieve and maintain. Our responsibilities shift, our circumstances change and the demands on our time rarely remain consistent. What feels manageable during one period of life may feel overwhelming during another.

For many women, autumn is not the slower season it is sometimes portrayed to be. School schedules, extracurricular activities, work commitments, caregiving responsibilities and holiday preparations can create a pace that feels anything but restful. The expectation that we should somehow enjoy every seasonal tradition can add another layer of pressure.

It is worth considering how much of that pressure comes from what we genuinely want to experience and how much comes from what we believe the season should look like.

We may imagine autumn as a time of quiet reflection while finding ourselves moving from one obligation to the next. We may look forward to gatherings and celebrations while also feeling anxious about the planning, expense or emotional demands they bring. We may appreciate the beauty of the season while struggling with the reduced daylight or changes in our usual routines.

These experiences can exist alongside one another. We do not have to feel one particular way about a season simply because it is commonly associated with comfort, gratitude or celebration.

This is where the Danish concept of hygge (pronounced HOO-guh) offers a useful perspective. Often described as a feeling of coziness, warmth and contentment, hygge is about more than candles, blankets or a beautifully decorated home. At its heart is the experience of being present, feeling comfortable and connecting with the people or moments that bring us a sense of ease.

For one person, that might mean curling up with a book and a warm drink after a demanding day. For another, it could be preparing a familiar meal, spending time with friends or enjoying a quiet evening without plans. The experience does not need to be elaborate or expensive, and it certainly does not need to resemble the images we see on social media.

What matters is the opportunity to experience a moment without immediately turning our attention to the next responsibility.

There is also value in recognizing the difference between comfort and avoidance. Taking a quiet evening to recharge can be restorative. But if we find ourselves consistently withdrawing from activities or relationships we normally enjoy, or if changes in mood, sleep or energy begin affecting daily life, those experiences deserve attention rather than being dismissed as a seasonal slump.

Shorter daylight hours can affect sleep patterns, mood and energy for some individuals. While occasional fluctuations are common, persistent or significant changes may warrant a conversation with a mental health professional or health care provider.

For others, the challenge of this season may be less about the weather and more about what the approaching holidays represent. Family relationships, financial concerns, grief and memories of previous experiences can make this time emotionally complicated. Traditions that once brought happiness may feel different after a loss or major life change.

Making space for those feelings does not require abandoning the season's joys. It means recognizing that gratitude and difficulty, connection and loneliness, or excitement and apprehension can coexist.

As we move toward the end of the year, it may be helpful to reflect on what the season is asking of us rather than what we believe we should accomplish before it ends. Perhaps we need more opportunities for connection. Perhaps we need quiet, consistency or additional support. Maybe a familiar tradition still brings us joy, or perhaps it is time to experience it differently.

The changing seasons remind us that transitions are inevitable, but they also show us that change does not happen all at once. There is a gradual adjustment as one rhythm gives way to another.

We can approach our own transitions with similar patience, recognizing that our needs may change from year to year and even from week to week.

With the final months of the year approaching, consider what brings you comfort, what helps you feel connected and what you may be ready to release. Not because autumn demands a personal transformation, but because the season offers an opportunity to notice how we are doing.

Sometimes, that awareness is enough to begin.

Jil Hus is a Northwest Indiana native who is passionate about supporting individuals and families in her community. She earned her master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Purdue University Northwest and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Indiana. Jil co-owns a private practice with her wife, Hillary Jones, also an LMHC, where they offer both in-person and telehealth services to individuals, couples, and families. In addition to her clinical work, Jil earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Walden University and currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Counselor Education Program at Grand View University, where she helps train future counselors.

Understanding trauma reminders, protecting your emotional well-being and finding support when stories of sexual violence resurface.

Content note: This article discusses sexual violence, trauma reminders and emotional distress.

We utilize the saying “leave the past in the past” all too often, without being mindful that the past can return to the present at any given moment. It can be triggered by a song, a smell, a picture, a landmark or a piece of clothing. The possibilities are endless.

But what happens when the past returns through a headline?

Her name is Jane Doe — and maybe yours is too.

You may be scrolling through your phone when a familiar phrase catches your attention. A news report about sexual assault may leave you feeling anxious, angry or unexpectedly tearful. You might notice your chest tightening, your thoughts racing or memories surfacing that you have not thought about in years.

For survivors of sexual violence, public conversations about assault can feel deeply personal. What appears to be a news story to one person may become an emotional reminder for another, bringing difficult memories, bodily sensations and unresolved feelings to the surface.

These reactions can be confusing, particularly when you have worked hard to heal. You may question whether your emotional response means you have lost the progress you made. But healing does not require you to become untouched by what happened to you. Sometimes, healing means learning how to care for yourself when something painful is stirred again.

When the Past Becomes Present

Sexual violence can affect your sense of safety, trust, autonomy and connection with yourself and others. Although the experience took place in the past, reminders associated with it can evoke emotional and physical responses long afterward. These reminders, also called trauma cues or triggers, may include words, images or situations that resemble aspects of a previous painful experience.

When a news story resembles something you have lived through, your mind and body may respond before you have consciously processed what you have consumed. You may experience a racing heartbeat, muscle tension, intrusive memories or difficulty concentrating. You may feel numb, irritable, disconnected or unusually alert to potential danger. You may even feel compelled to follow every update, hoping the details will help you make sense of what happened.

There is no single way to respond to trauma reminders, and these reactions do not automatically indicate a mental health disorder. You also do not have to identify as a survivor to experience distress. Loved ones of survivors and people affected by violence in their communities may find these stories emotionally difficult.

Rather than asking yourself, “Why am I still affected by this?” consider a gentler question: What might this moment be bringing up for me, and what do I need right now?

One of the more difficult aspects of trauma reminders is that emotional and physical reactions do not always correspond with what is happening in the present. You might be sitting safely at home watching a news report while your body becomes tense or your breathing changes. Although you understand that the incident is not happening to you, you may feel frightened, exposed or overwhelmed.

This happens because reminders can activate learned threat responses associated with previous experiences. Your body may mobilize for protection even when the present circumstances differ from the original event.

Instead of forcing yourself to calm down, try acknowledging what is happening: This story is affecting me. I can take a moment to care for myself. Notice where you are, who is around you and what choices are available to you now.

Grounding Yourself When Emotions Become Overwhelming

When distress intensifies, it can become difficult to think clearly. Gentle grounding practices can help redirect your attention toward the present moment and restore a sense of choice and agency. The goal is not to force yourself to feel calm but to reconnect with your surroundings.

Consider these practices:

• 5-4-3-2-1 method: Identify five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.

• Breathe gently. If comfortable, allow your exhale to be slightly longer than your inhale. If focusing on your breath increases discomfort, direct your attention elsewhere.

• Restore a sense of choice. Close the article, turn off the television, step outside or contact someone you trust.

• Choose a comforting activity. Listen to familiar music, take a warm shower, move your body, pray or return to a familiar routine.

Grounding does not erase painful experiences, but it can help you orient to the present when emotions feel overwhelming. Different strategies work for different people, so give yourself permission to discover what feels supportive.

Remember: You do not have to feel better immediately for your response to be worthwhile.

Setting Boundaries Is Self-Compassion

Living in a culture that rewards constant access to information can make stepping away feel uncomfortable. You may worry that taking a break means you are uninformed or failing to show solidarity with survivors. Yet staying informed does not require continuous exposure to distressing material.

When consuming the news increases your distress, consider creating intentional boundaries. Choose specific times to check reliable news sources, disable breaking-news notifications, mute distressing keywords or avoid graphic videos and explicit descriptions. You can also ask friends not to send upsetting content without checking first.

Before clicking on a story, ask yourself: Will reading this help me understand something I need to know, or am I continuing to consume information that is leaving me overwhelmed?

Your answer may change from day to day. You are allowed to adjust your boundaries according to your emotional capacity. Taking a break does not mean you are minimizing sexual violence or dismissing another person’s experience. It means recognizing that your well-being deserves attention, too.

News about sexual violence can evoke fear, anger, sadness, grief or frustration. Sometimes, what hurts most is not simply the reminder of the event but what it represents: not being believed, losing trust and personal agency, or hearing someone describe something you once struggled to explain.

You do not have to identify every emotion immediately. Start by noticing what is present without demanding an explanation. Ask yourself what feels most difficult, what would help you feel supported and what you need permission to stop doing.

You can care about another survivor while recognizing that you do not have the capacity to hear their story. You can feel grateful for your healing while grieving what happened to you. Both feelings can coexist.

Recovery is not always linear. A difficult day does not erase years of growth, and needing support again does not mean you have returned to the beginning. Perhaps your progress is reflected in recognizing your limits sooner, asking for help or responding to yourself with less criticism.

Try speaking to yourself with the compassion you would offer someone you love: I did not deserve what happened to me. I do not have to resolve every feeling today. I am allowed to receive care.

You Do Not Have to Navigate This Alone

When difficult emotions arise, connecting with someone who respects your boundaries can make a difference. This might be a trusted friend, partner, family member, therapist or faith leader. You do not have to disclose your personal history to explain what you need.

You might simply say, “The news has been affecting me more than I expected. I don’t want to discuss the details, but I could use some support.”

Support does not have to involve recounting what happened. It may mean having someone sit with you, help you return to your routine or offer reassurance without asking questions you are not ready to answer.

If reminders repeatedly disrupt your sleep, relationships, concentration, sense of safety or daily responsibilities, consider speaking with a licensed mental health professional experienced in trauma or sexual violence. A trauma-informed therapist can help you develop coping strategies at a pace that respects your needs.

You do not have to be in crisis to seek help, and you do not have to revisit painful memories before you are ready.

Permission to Return to Yourself

Sexual violence deserves public attention. Survivors deserve to be heard, and communities need meaningful conversations about accountability, prevention and safety. At the same time, these conversations can be emotionally demanding for people whose lives have been touched by sexual violence.

You can remain compassionate without being constantly exposed. You can advocate for survivors while honoring your own limits. You can acknowledge that a story has affected you without allowing it to define your entire day.

If the headlines bring something painful back, respond to yourself with curiosity rather than criticism. Give yourself permission to pause, reconnect with the present and seek support when needed.

Healing is not about never being reminded of the past. It is about developing greater compassion for yourself when reminders arise and building a life in which your identity, choices and possibilities extend beyond what happened to you.

The headlines may bring a painful memory close, but they do not define the whole of your story. You deserve tenderness, support and the freedom to heal at your own pace.

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Help Is Closer Than You Think

Whether an experience happened recently or years ago, support is available. These confidential crisis and support lines connect survivors and their loved ones with trained professionals and advocates.

Fair Haven Rape Crisis Center | Northwest Indiana
24/7 call or text: 219-218-2552

Raindrops Rising Foundation | Northwest Indiana
24/7 call or text: 219-312-1817

Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline | Chicagoland
24/7 call: 888-293-2080

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline | Nationwide
24/7 call: 800-656-HOPE (4673)
Text: HOPE to 64673

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From the Woman to Woman archives. Quotes were originally shared during Career Corner interviews. Contributor descriptions reflect their professional backgrounds at the time of their features.

If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines, thinking “TikTok isn’t for me” or “it’s just for teenagers and influencers dancing,” you’re missing out. The window is wide open for you, and it’s the best it’s ever been.

TikTok blew up in 2020, and we all saw the silly dances. But it’s so much more. It has become one of the most powerful tools a business owner can have. In 2022, I used it to bring more than 2,000 women into my Facebook group and sell out my program multiple times. Since then, I’ve helped coaches, financial planners, product brands and everyday women build income through the platform, from women in their 20s to women in their 60s.

Every single one of them who’s on TikTok started with the same question: Do I really need to be on TikTok? The answer is yes, and here’s why.

The Algorithm Doesn’t Care How Many Followers You Have

On many social media platforms, content initially reaches people who already follow you before expanding to a wider audience. TikTok takes a different approach, using recommendations to introduce videos to people based on their interests and viewing habits. That means even a newer account with a small following has the potential to reach a much larger audience with a strong video.

For a business owner, that means every post creates an opportunity to be introduced to new potential customers, at no cost except the 10 to 20 minutes it took to create and post the video.

It’s Not Just Dancing, and You Don’t Have to Scroll

TikTok learns from what you watch. If you watch business tips, you get business tips. If you watch home organizing, you get home organizing. Your feed, and your experience of the platform, are a result of what you train it to show you.

It’s also easier to maintain than most people expect. You can film, post and leave the app without spending time scrolling. It isn’t Instagram, where staying visible also means staying active in the feed.

What this means for you: You open the app, film, post and respond to your comments only. You don’t have to engage outside of your posts. People who have shown an interest in the topics you discuss may discover your videos through TikTok's recommendations.

Why People Stop Scrolling and What to Do About It

People on TikTok move fast. Increasingly, they’re also using TikTok as a search engine. They have a question, and they want an answer. They TRUST what someone on TikTok tells them is the solution to their problem.

When they come across your video and feel connected, they’ll visit your profile, binge more of your content and quickly figure out how to engage more in your world through the link in your bio. This tells them what to do next: how to buy from you, how to join your email list, etc.

How It Works for Different Businesses

Service providers, coaches and personal brands: Video builds familiarity and trust before a prospect ever reaches out. People feel like they already know you, which shortens the path to a booked call.

Product-based businesses: You can build a personal brand, or you can sell through TikTok Shop. TikTok Shop took off in 2024 and hasn’t slowed down. It now generates billions in sales for some of the largest brands. I’ve worked with brands and creators who have grown millions in sales through it.

Women who want extra income: This group surprises people most. I’ve helped women start from nothing: identify a digital product, create it and build a TikTok strategy around it. Others earn affiliate income through TikTok Shop. You don’t need a big following or a big budget to begin.

A Supplement to What You’re Already Doing

TikTok doesn’t have to replace what’s already working for you. Word of mouth, referrals, ads, Facebook and Instagram all still matter. TikTok adds another entry point to your business and can help you grow what you’re already doing so much faster because it brings in 10 times the number of people to the top of your funnel.

Heading into 2027, the platform has never offered more opportunities. More people are searching, watching and buying on TikTok than ever, and there’s still room for new voices.

Where to Start

You don’t need a studio or a perfect strategy. Ask yourself one question: What is my ideal customer curious about? Make a simple video that sparks curiosity and builds trust with you.

The goal is to find a handful of repeatable ideas that work for you because once you know what resonates, you can build on it again and again. That’s the focus of the one-on-one TikTok intensives and group workshops I host for communities that want to learn together.

So, should you really be on TikTok? Absolutely. Is it too late? Not at all. The women who start now are the ones who will look back in a year and be glad they didn’t wait.

Logan McCarty is a marketing strategist, TikTok coach and three-time founder with more than a decade of experience helping businesses grow through community building. After leading corporate initiatives in online communities, influencer partnerships and social media strategy, she launched her entrepreneurial journey in 2020.

In 2022, McCarty developed a repeatable approach to using TikTok to attract potential customers and grow businesses. Since then, she has helped coaches, financial planners, product brands and women across generations build income through the platform.

Today, McCarty uses TikTok across her businesses and is the creator of the Scroll-to-Sales on TikTok Framework. She offers one-on-one TikTok intensives, group workshops and a self-guided e-book designed to help business owners put her framework into practice.

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