Every once in a while, life shakes us to our core. The ground we thought was solid suddenly shifts, and everything familiar feels uncertain. There’s actually a word for this kind of upheaval: Lifequake.
The word was originally coined by the American author Bruce Feiler in his book Life Is in the Transitions. He described a lifequake as a massive disruption—an event that changes the course of our lives forever. It could be the loss of someone we love, an unexpected illness, a broken relationship, or even a sudden change in career. Whatever the form, a lifequake is more than a crisis; it’s a turning point.
When I first came across this word, it resonated deeply with me. My own journey has been marked by such quakes—moments that shattered the life I once knew and forced me to rebuild. Over time, I began to see Lifequake not just as a disruption, but as a story of survival, renewal, and hope.
I often think of the Japanese art of kintsugi—the practice of repairing broken pottery with gold. Instead of hiding the cracks, kintsugi highlights them, making the object even more beautiful than before. That’s what Lifequake means to me. Our scars are not flaws to erase—they are marks of strength, proof of the battles we’ve survived.
Healing is not about hiding what broke. It is about embracing the cracks that shaped us and finding beauty in our transformation. So, if you are walking through a dark chapter of your own life right now, I want to remind you: don’t lose hope. Keep moving forward, even if the path feels heavy. One day, you will look back and see not just the pain, but the rebirth. You will emerge stronger, wiser, and whole again—reborn from your own story.
