Suzi’s Secrets #24: The Power of the Unknown: Stepping into Uncertainty with Courage

The fog is a thick blanket in the crisp evening air, making the path ahead dim. And yet, in the deepest part of any story, whether a novel, a ritual, or real life; this moment of not seeing clearly is the exact moment where magic begins.

Today our society is living through its own threshold of uncertainty. The federal government shutdown has dragged on longer than any in history, creating ripple-effects that touch more than just politics. Economists estimate losses of $7 billion to $14 billion in GDP, depending on how long the impasse continues. Consumer sentiment has also plummeted and Americans are reporting record lows in confidence as they face rising costs with shrinking certainty.

In households across the nation, the rising cost of living is no longer theoretical, it’s palpable. Groceries, utilities, basics we once expected to keep steady, are rising. Here’s a truth from my own life: for the past two years, I’ve fed my family of five, including two teenage boys, and a toddler, for under $200 per week. This week however, the ease of that ritual broke. I bought only the essentials for meals and had laundry detergent and dish soap as my only two “extra” items, and my total rose above the $200 I’ve been able to budget for consistently. That number, the shift, sometimes those are the portals we don’t expect. The ones that open when our “known world” gives way.

If you follow my work, the rituals in Awaken the Rich Witch Within, the story of the McEllis cousins in my upcoming romantasy series, you’ll recognize a theme: crossing thresholds. Standing in the unknown. Trusting first steps. In the new novel, the cousins step into Dracara via a portal they don’t fully understand ahead of time. They don’t have all the answers. They only have each other and their faith in something greater than fear.

And right now, whether you’re balancing a budget, watching prices climb, wondering what next month will hold, you’re standing in your own portal. One where the unknown seems loud and the light seems distant.

Here’s how to meet it with grace:

• Breathe into the question. Instead of asking What if I succeed? ask What if this unknown is the opening of my story?

• Anchor with ritual. When the ground shifts, you don’t always gain new control, you reclaim your power. Use one practice from the guide: pick the Enchanted Anchor or Energy Flow Moment, something simple, something constant.

• Reframe the narrative. The rising cost isn’t just burden, it’s signal. It tells you what you value, what you cannot compromise, and where your heart truly is.

• Invite story into your moment. In my novels, the McEllis women face curses, dragons, and impossible odds. But what transforms them isn’t the ease, it’s the choice to step forward anyway. Your challenge may not be mythical in scale, but the theme is universal: will you move into the unknown with courage, or wait for perfect clarity?

  
  

Because here’s the secret of every threshold: clarity comes after the step. It isn’t given before. It reveals itself through motion, through story, through ritual.

If you’re ready to anchor into your own magic during this season of uncertainty, I invite you to download the updated Awaken the Rich Witch Within — a guide to rituals that hold you steady, even when everything else feels suspended. 

The unknown holds more than fear. It holds possibility. It holds your next chapter.

 With moonlight, stories unfolding, and every brave step forward,

 Suzette R. Berry