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Liminal times are the in-between seasons, when one way of being has ended, and the next steps in your journey are not clear. These times feel disorienting, but they’re also full of possibility. Anxiety, uncertainty, and shock can result in feeling frozen, not sure what to do next. Courage unfreezes you, gives you the energy to choose your own direction, do hard things and move forward in your life. Courage is not the absence of fear; it’s the willingness to move through it. It’s the energy that converts anxiety into action. You don’t have to feel brave to act courageously. You need determination to acknowledge your feelings and take action.
When the future is uncertain and the ground feels unsteady, courage is the energy that helps you move forward. You can’t know the future, but you can choose to move toward thriving for yourself.
Courage to Choose
During liminal times there is no clear path marked, “go this way.” Instead, there are barriers and options. Some barriers are old ways of being that are no longer possible. Other barriers could be cleared out of the way or climbed over, if you decide that you need to do so on your journey. Your options are unclear. There are choices that are recommended and others that you have ruled out in the past. Some seem promising but are in no way guaranteed. There is courage in considering your options, listening deeply to your own needs and desires, considering good advice, and making a decision about what to pursue next. Saying yes with intention is a resilient act; it means you are directing your energy in ways that make sense for you. Clarity about where you spend your time and energy is not selfish; it is essential to thriving in your life.
Courage to do Hard Things
To move forward, you will likely need to do things that are hard. There is a very long list of ways that life can be hard. It might be hard to tell other people the truths they don’t want to hear. It is hard to risk your money, time, and social standing to pursue an opportunity you really want to try. There is difficulty in saying no to many things to pursue the one path you feel is the best option for you or your family. Courage can give you the energy to move forward as you do hard things. Whether you speak up firmly or talk through tears, telling your truth matters. Progress includes taking decisive action or taking small steps, learning as you go. You may feel bold or timid as you take action to deal with barriers or pursue opportunities. Courage gives you the strength to take the next step.
Courage to Keep on Keeping on
Liminal times can last for weeks or months; it takes courage to keep pursuing goals when the end is not in sight. It requires doing what you can each day, then resting knowing that tomorrow you will start again. Particularly during times when you are clearing or climbing over obstacles, it takes courage to pull your resources together so that you can keep moving forward. This includes the courage to ask for help, to find out more information, and to take needed breaks. At times it is necessary to take a detour or pursue a changed goal. Courage allows you to look at your efforts and decide that a different direction or method is needed. Moving through liminal times is not a smooth, even path forward. It is a rambling, effortful journey that includes building knowledge and skills.
Courage Builds Resilience
There is satisfaction in having used your courage to journey during liminal times. You really don’t know what you can accomplish until after you accomplish it. Most journeys are more complicated than you expect. Your courage will support you as you find strengths, friends, and ideas that you didn’t know you needed or had access to before you started this journey. Exercising your courage allows it to grow. The end of your journey is not just a new way of being; it is also a new awareness of your own strengths and needs. Your ability to be resilient is made of skills and knowledge that you have learned throughout your life. This includes the awareness that you can do hard things, ask for help, and be courageous when you need to.
Courage is the energy that allows you to act when life is challenging. It is needed during liminal times due to the uncertainties and possibilities that are part of your journey. Choosing your own next steps involves saying yes to more of what you want in your life. You tackle hard things to deal with barriers or move into possibilities. You keep moving forward, learning as you go. Every act of courage builds your resilience as you learn what you are capable of doing. Courage does not mean moving forward without fear. Courage is moving forward with your full humanity acknowledged, coping with challenges, and exploring possibilities that will allow you to thrive.
Peace,
Laura
