when life changes
Sometimes change happens when life events shift us in big ways. We are compelled to respond and make new choices because our circumstances have altered. Similarly, we may have outgrown old ways of being and familiar choices no longer meet our needs. Both situations require that we step into a new version of ourself and venture into uncharted territory. This part of transition can be overwhelming, confusing and often worrying for us.
No matter what age we are, transition and loss are a natural part of life. The liminal phase of change is when some part of your life has come to an end and the next has not yet opened up. During this phase we can feel grief, have difficulty adjusting, experience anxiety and have a sense of being stuck.
Our busy, doing-orientated culture does not teach us how to respect or embrace this natural part of life. The in-between phase is often met with limited understanding of its value. We are meant to “move on”. We are somehow expected to know what to do next without reasonable time for recovery or reflection.
Unlike Western culture, traditional indigenous cultures have celebrated the liminal phase as space for the greatest potential. Metaphorically, a time to carefully prepare the soil to sow the seeds of the next harvest. In other words, to do the important work beneath the surface. A necessary time of contemplation, of looking within ourself to garner greater self-understanding and self-leadership. An opportunity to meet ourself with kindness, curiosity and courage.
