In his book The Book of Awakening, Mark Nepo opens with a line from Kierkegaard:
“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.”
At first, I resisted this idea.
How could anxiety possibly be linked to freedom?
Then I read Mark’s reflection on that quote:
“Perhaps the first time we experience such disorientation is when we learn to walk — when we move away from the wall or chair, away from the guiding arms of Mommy or Daddy. Certainly, the ability to walk is worth that discomfort in transition.
It happens again when we first fall in love, when we first move our care beyond the walls we are so accustomed to. Likewise, the ability to love beyond our walls is well worth the dizziness of taking new steps.
The truth is that every fresh experience has this dizziness of freedom we must move through. Every time we reach beyond what is familiar, there is a necessary acclamation to what is new. It is the doorway to all learning. We needn’t fear it or give it too much power — we simply keep leaning into what we are learning.”
Suddenly, I understood.
That “dizziness” can arrive in so many forms: losing a loved one, welcoming a new pet, starting a business, ending a relationship, moving to a new home, even changing the way you see yourself.
Whenever one chapter ends and another begins, the in-between can feel unsteady — as if the ground beneath you has shifted.
Grace and compassion are the lifelines that steady your footing.
Because that dizziness isn’t just about change — it’s the dizziness of freedom.
And yes, it can show up as confusion, doubt, or fear.
But it also means you’re moving into new territory.
We have to let go of what’s familiar — of what we’ve known for so long.
That’s the disorientation.
And with grace and compassion, we grow beyond what we thought possible.
We heal when we believed healing was out of reach.
We transform when we thought we were falling apart.
That’s freedom.
You already have this in you.
Don’t forget your heart.
Don’t forget your power.
Don’t forget your resilience.
And above all, don’t forget to be kind to yourself.
P.S. On Monday, I’ll be sending out a short survey to help guide me in my own season of transition. I’d be so grateful if you took a moment to share your thoughts.
Breathe and believe,
Shawna Emerick