Pausing to Celebrate
October 15, 2025
Experimenting with Courage
October 29, 2025
Liminal times, those in-between seasons when life is shifting but not yet settled, may cause you to see things differently. It takes courage to see things from a new perspective. This shows up in several different ways. One is to look directly at something you have been avoiding, to open your eyes to a difficult truth. A second is to keep looking, even when your emotions are running high. A third kind of sight is to begin to see a broader range of options, to look at possibilities you have never considered for yourself. It isn’t easy to examine things you would rather turn away from, but it can be very liberating in the long run.
It takes energy and insight to pause and notice what’s actually in front of you. It is work to name what you now see. That pause is a crucial step toward resilience.
Some ways of seeing that take courage:
Look Clearly at What is True
Courage is needed to see reality clearly. Sometimes life changes by choice, other times, by chance. The first instinct is often to look away. It is a huge step to look directly at what has changed. It may be opening every bill and bank statement to see the truth about your financial position. It could be re-reading messages from someone you miss to see what they are actually saying, rather than imagining what you wish for from them. It is literally, or figuratively, walking through the landscape of your life to see what is good, what is damaged beyond repair, and what is worth preserving. Seeing is part of healing; it provides a starting point for what comes next.
See Through Emotion
Sometimes you can’t see through the turmoil of your emotions. Tears may blur everything, or rage may blind you. Grief and depression can leave you with no energy beyond the immediate. Anxiety will urge you to shield your eyes. Courage doesn’t erase those emotions; it holds them gently and encourages you to keep breathing.
As you care for yourself or let others provide you support, you can begin to look up to see your surroundings more clearly. You can observe how bad it is, who is left standing beside you, and your possible next steps. As anger fades, you may be able to see your part in a conflict. As grief diminishes, you can see where beauty remains. Anxiety shrinks when you size up the risk and consider your strengths. Looking up from your emotions occurs in glances as there are breaks in your strong emotions. Over time you will have a clearer picture of your current reality.
Observe Your Options
As you look at what is going on in your life, and see past the swell of emotions, the next step is to see your possible options. In liminal times your expected future has collapsed. The roads labeled “I could never” and “that’s not right for me” need a second look. Use your imagination, alone or in conversation with another, to look at what paths you can explore. Look at how others have faced similar challenges and consider ways that might work for you. See yourself thriving in the future, notice the details that come to mind when you imagine that for yourself. There is courage in imagining different outcomes, even when you don’t yet know how to get there.
When life is shifting, your perceptions shift too. You may be seeing the truth in an area of your life, perhaps for the first time. You may be tending to your emotions so that you can see past their turmoil. You may be looking at options that you have never considered before. These are all acts of courage. Liminal times thrust you into a reality that you didn’t prepare for because you didn’t see it coming. Resilience in liminal times includes seeing what is and imagining what could be. It takes courage to really see where you are now, and to look forward to new possibilities.
Peace,
Laura
