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This Sunday's autumn equinox is a rare time during the year when the sun is directly above the equator, providing equal daylight and darkness. It's a moment of perfect balance in the universe.

Hot take: perfect balance is not a realistic thing to run after. I'd rather you actually ran. 

I remember feeling total relief after realizing work-life balance is a myth. In reality, life is a series of shifting priorities. Accountants don't have balance in April. Doctors and nurses didn't during the pandemic. New parents—God bless.

The key is understanding how, when, and where to allocate your energy—and when it's directed somewhere for too long.

Sure, Sunday is the official start of fall, but like I shared recently, most of us have been in go-mode heading into the end of the year. It's a whirlwind of activity at work and beyond, and if you start to feel the mental and emotional weight of it all as the season progresses, it may not be all in your head.

During stressful times, use the approach in One Simple Thing to recall your previous badassery, don't go it alone, and definitely get moving whenever you can during the day (it will help).

As a brilliant colleague mentioned last week, you’ve already survived 100% of the bad days. You’re absolutely going to nail this season and any other time that comes your way.

Here’s a practical approach to remember.

One Simple Thing: Create Resilience References

Building resilience is like building a muscle. Positive stress is part of the process that makes us stronger. Tapping into moments when we've overcome challenges unlocks emotional resilience—a superpower you can call on whenever you need it.

Here’s a strategy I created to help people reference their past wins to highlight their future success.

Put “Resilience Reference” in your calendar.

Think about any recent successes at work, tough moments you got through, or simply times you thought you wouldn’t make it. Give it a name, like “resilience reference,” and add it to your calendar (after all, that’s something you’re likely to check). 

Example: “Resilience Reference [Client] Presentation”

Any time you feel nervous or need a confidence boost, search for “Resilience Reference,” and see a flurry of times when you’ve already won.

Feel free to make the name your own. I prefer, “Crushed It.” 

Pro Tip: 60 seconds to go—wall sit, walk, or plank as you take in the last few words.

Dilagence on the Move 

Weekend Listen: Loved sharing my finance to fitness journey on the "What's Your Story?" podcast.

Dose of Dilan

What I’m Listening To:

This discussion about trad wives on Trevor Noah’s podcast What Now. I’ve got plenty of my own thoughts—which, judging by their conversation, might be a controversial claim on its own.

What I’m Laughing at on the Road: 

 “How to Die Alone” on Hulu. A plane passenger literally leaned over to see what I was laughing at.    

What I’m Sniffing: 

I don’t splurge on much, but I do on candles—especially this odor-removing one for cooking. Alternatively, these cooking odor hacks work great too (especially the vinegar).

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