There are seasons of life where everything feels… off. Not broken, necessarily, but misaligned. Like you’re out of sync with the world, walking just slightly out of rhythm. You can’t quite go back, but you’re not sure how to move forward either. Welcome to the in-between.

Liminal space is the name for that threshold time. The word comes from limen, the Latin for “threshold.” It’s the space between what was and what will be. And while it might feel like nothing is happening, liminal space is often where everything begins to shift.

The Chrysalis of Change (and the Goo Inside It)

“He says the best way out is always through.
And I agree to that, or insofar
As that I can see no way out but through
”

— A Servant to Servants by Robert Frost (1915)

Listen y’all, I love me a reframe, and when I think of Liminal space, the image that comes to mind most often for me is a butterfly’s chrysalis. We all know the caterpillar goes in and the butterfly comes out, sure, but what happens inside? Science tells us (and yes, this is still true) that the caterpillar essentially dissolves into goo. It completely breaks down before becoming something new. So, before you talk too much shit about your own break-down, consider that maybe you’re just in the “goo” stage.

And that’s what being in the in-between often feels like. Gooey. Unformed. Disorienting. But necessary for the next step.

In these moments, it’s tempting to rush. Or to distract. Or to settle into the ether and stay there forever. But if we can learn to be in the liminal space, to explore what it offers instead of resisting or avoiding it, we might come out the other side with more clarity, more direction, and more wholeness than we had before. The only way out is through

Why We Hate the In-Between

We hate liminal space because we’re wired for resolution. We want answers. Action. A neat story arc. And in a world that feeds us constant updates, scrollable feeds, and highlight reels, it can feel unbearable to sit in the undefined.

Sometimes the discomfort comes from:

Mourning what was
Anxiously anticipating what’s next
Feeling like we’ve lost our identity or purpose
The silence that surfaces when we unplug

In our desperation for forward motion, we might throw ourselves into busywork, binge content, overthink, or numb out. But these tactics often prolong the discomfort, not fix it.

If you're in a liminal season, a social media cleanse can be surprisingly helpful. When you stop hungry-caterpilling constant information, you make space to hear your own thoughts again and pupate (see what I did there? ). Sometimes, that’s where the next steps quietly begin to form.

Out of Sync: When You Feel Disconnected from the World

I’ve had so many clients say, “I just feel out of step with everything.” Like life is moving forward without them. That out-of-sync feeling is often the first signal that you’re standing in a threshold moment.

It’s worth asking yourself: Am I being asked to leap forward, or lean back for a moment? Sometimes the next step isn’t action, but alignment. Sometimes it’s a return to something you’ve forgotten, not a brand-new destination.

Tools for Self-Understanding

Liminal space doesn’t just slow you down, it hands you a mirror. When everything else is paused, it’s often the perfect moment to explore who you really are (and who you’re becoming).

There’s no one-size-fits-all way to do that. Maybe you journal. Maybe you pray. Maybe you consult your chart, your type, your cycle, or your therapist. You use the tools that speak your language, but openness can be make-or-break in this liminal stuff. Use your OG tools, and consider opening yourself up to new ones.

This isn’t about turning yourself into a self-help project, it’s about seeing what wants your attention, and what’s calling to you.

✨The Enneagram: Patterns, Coping, and Growth

You already know I’m going here.

The Enneagram is one of my favorite tools for personal reflection, especially during liminal times. It doesn’t just tell you who you are, it reveals why you do what you do, especially under stress, change, or uncertainty.

In the in-between, your default coping mechanisms are likely to show up strong. Are you numbing? Over-functioning? Ghosting your needs? The Enneagram doesn’t shame these tendencies, it gives you language for them, and offers a path toward growth.

Understanding your type can help you sit with discomfort more compassionately, and recognize what’s old pattern versus what’s actual need.

✨Meditation: Stillness That Sees

Meditation doesn’t have to mean perfect posture or total silence. It can be:

Sitting with your breath
Walking slowly and noticing things
Listening to ambient music with your eyes closed
Repeating a grounding phrase or prayer

Stillness isn’t about stopping your thoughts. It’s about witnessing them gently, without judgment. In a liminal space, where the impulse is to do something, meditation reminds you that being is also an action.

Meditation creates a little gap between you and the chaos. And sometimes, that’s all you need to begin hearing what comes next.

If you struggle to find the stillness and quiet on your own, a meditation that could really help is Septasync, described as “a unique Septanaural beat designed to help guide your mind through different states of awareness.” You don’t have to “raw dog” meditation, Septasync (and other guided meditations) can smooth the transition into meditating, so you can get more out of it than just sitting there.

✨Biorhythms & Hormonal Awareness: Data From the Body

Your body knows things before your brain catches up. Biorhythms are cyclical patterns that reflect your physical, emotional, and intellectual energy levels, often measured in waves that reset every few weeks.

You might notice that certain times of the month (or year, or life season) you have more clarity, or more emotional fragility, or a stronger creative pull. That’s not random, it’s rhythm.

Tracking your sleep, energy, menstrual cycle, moods, or even digestion patterns can help you interpret the signals your body is sending. Liminal space often coincides with hormonal shifts, stress fatigue, or burnout cycles. Paying attention can help you move through this space with more self-trust and less self-judgment.

Here’s an Android option and an Apple option.

✨Resolve What’s Been Avoided: Clearing the Static

Sometimes, being in a liminal space isn’t just about waiting for what’s next, it’s about making peace with what’s unfinished.

Ask yourself:

What’s been quietly bugging you?
What have you been avoiding?
Is there something in your orbit—your business, your degree, your relationship, your body—that’s been quietly neglected?

These spaces can feel uninvited, but maybe they’ve been carved out for you. Maybe “The Great Mystery” (God, the universe, the divine, whatever name you use) is nudging you to pause because you wouldn’t have paused otherwise. Sometimes the path forward is blocked not because you're failing, but because something needs attention before you move on.

What if the stuckness isn’t punishment, but invitation?

This could be a powerful time to press into the task, the repair, or the change you’ve been circling for a while. You don’t have to finish it all, but even opening the door can shift something in you. You may find that once you stop avoiding the thing, everything else starts syncing up again.

✨Astrology: Cosmic Context

Personally, I don’t live by my star chart, but I still deeply respect those who do, because let’s be honest, a lot of the astrology girlies are just emotionally intelligent humans who want language for their experiences.

Astrology can offer symbolic insight during liminal space. Think of it as a framework to help you reflect on what’s shifting. Retrogrades, transits, lunar cycles, all of that can feel like a helpful cosmic breadcrumb trail. If it helps you feel seen or grounded, that’s what matters. You do you, boo.

✨Spirituality: Turning Toward the Great Mystery

Liminal space is inherently spiritual. It humbles you. It stirs your longing. It quiets the outside noise just enough to let you wonder what else might be out there.

This is the perfect time to return to your spiritual practice, whatever that looks like for you. Maybe it’s a favorite scripture. Maybe it’s a sunrise walk with your coffee. Maybe it’s pulling an oracle card, lighting a candle, or whispering a prayer you’re not even sure you believe.

The point isn’t to find all the answers, it’s to remember that seeking is sacred.
And, as the poet Rumi said, “What you seek is seeking you.”

So open your good book. Ask your question to the stars. Sit in silence with your heart cracked open.
This space is not empty, it’s holy.

Whatever Your Framework, Let It Help You Turn Inward

This is the real takeaway: liminal space asks us to learn ourselves more deeply. And you get to do that in your own voice. Whether it’s science-based, spiritually rooted, intuitive, or somewhere in between, your way of knowing is valid.

This is a time to ask:

What is my body saying?
What are my patterns telling me?
What part of me wants to be witnessed, not fixed?

Don’t be afraid to use your “brand” of self-inquiry here. There’s no gold star for doing it the most intellectually or spiritually rigorous way. This is just you, looking inward, making the best use you can of the space and time.

The Meaning We Make

As a neurodivergent person, pattern recognition is a superpower of mine. I used to wonder if I was just choosing to see patterns, if I was manifesting the same things over and over again. But over time, I’ve realized that seeing connections between things isn’t a flaw or a blind spot, it’s quite the opposite: a gift. It’s part of how I understand the world. It serves me. It guides me. It helps me know what’s ready to grow.

That said, we do have to be mindful of confirmation bias. You might’ve heard of the “Lucky Girl” effect, telling yourself things like, I’m so lucky, everything works out for me. Or my favorite lately: Universe*, show me how good it can be.

*And look, whether you say Universe, God, Spirit, Fate, or your Higher Self, is immaterial to me. It’s about what resonates and aligns with you best. It’s about what opens up in you when you say it.

I have grappled with the idea that “everything happens for a reason,” but I do believe that we can create meaning once we have more information. The reason might not come prepackaged, but we can build it with intention. That’s a kind of magic too.

This Liminal Space Is Yours

Liminal space belongs to you. A therapist can walk beside you, ask good questions, help you hold your shape while everything else is shapeless, but ultimately, it’s your journey. This is your chrysalis.

If you’re in this space now, I invite you to ask:

What do I long to do when I’m too busy?
What do I need that I’ve been avoiding?
What might emerge if I just gave it time?

You don’t need to rush. You don’t need to prove anything. You’re not behind. You’re in the middle of something. You’re becoming. And in that, I want to encourage you with all of my heart to take this time that’s been carved out for you, regardless of whether you carved it or something else did, to make of it what you want or need. It’s yours.

Living in the In-Between: Why Liminal Space Deserves More Credit