What to do with the In-Between

When moving through a season of change or a time of transition, there is invariably a point at which you are not where you were but you are also not where you want to be; you are somewhere in-between.

In-betweens are hard because they are the times when it either feels like nothing is happening or worse like everything is going wrong. They can feel mundane and ordinary or they can feel overwhelming and exhausting. You long for some semblance of normalcy but you struggle to find a new normal while in the in-between.

I have been in my own in-between season recently (still in it truth be told) and what I am learning is that there is no way to predict how long the in-between lasts. All you can do is find a way to embrace it for what it is and learn how to work with it instead of resisting it.

Trust the process

It will always take longer than you think for things to happen and sometimes things won’t go exactly as you had hoped or planned. These are the moments when you have to learn to trust the process.

Believe that the journey is unfolding exactly as it should. Instead of wishing you were already on the other side, embrace the moments as they happen or don’t happen.

Sometimes it’s when things don’t go as expected that the greatest treasures are revealed in your journey. As such, allow the in-between to teach you how to detach from a specific outcome so you can find the gems hidden in the process.

Find ways to be grateful

Gratitude is a game changer during these moments in life. Gratitude shifts your focus away from all that is not going right and forces you to see where things are going well in life. It encourage you to find the good in now instead of falling into the trap of thinking things will only be good at some distant point in the future when such and such happens. Gratitude keeps you grounded in the present moment and if you are intentional, it will help you to find the beauty hidden there too.

The easiest way to do this is by starting a gratitude journal. You can use pen and paper or a note-taking app but the goal is to record at least 5 things every day for which you are grateful.

On the hard days this simple practice has helped me tremendously. Surprisingly, I have found that it is on those days that my list often exceeds 5 things and on the ordinary days when it seems as if nothing note-worthy has happened, my list has often been 10 or more items. The intentional practice of being grateful can anchor you during the unsettledness of the in-between.

Be patient with yourself

If you’re anything like me, the lack of movement forward is frustrating and you may feel compelled to try to make something happen. Resist that temptation and know that it’s okay that you’re not doing anything.

It’s even okay that you don’t know what to do. Sometimes, the next step in the journey is slow in revealing itself. Be patient and give it time, you’ll know when the right moment comes for you to move. Until then remember that the in-between can serve as a reset.

Your sense of self and your ability to cope with things can be reset during this time. You can discover the more in you that you never knew was in there. You may also discover some things about yourself that unknowingly tripped you up in the past. Whatever is revealed, be patient and kind to yourself. You will come out better and stronger for your time in the in-between.

There is beauty in the in-between. There is joy and wonder to be found in the simplicity of being present in the now moments of your life which the in-between can teach you.

Don’t despise your time there instead listen for the lessons. I believe those lessons will serve to help you rise into your greatness.

From my heart to yours,

If you’re feeling overwhelmed about your in-between and would like some help to be in this space, let’s talk about how I might be able to support you. Click here to schedule a complimentary Discovery Session.