The In-Between: When the Old Has Ended and the New Isn’t Ready Yet
There is a space we don’t talk about very often.
Not because it’s rare, but because it’s uncomfortable, undefinable, and deeply human.
It’s the space after something has ended
and before anything new has taken shape.
The in-between.
I find myself here now.
Not broken.
Not lost.
Not in crisis.
Just… unfixed.
The structures that once held me...work rhythms, roles, identities, expectations...have loosened. Some by choice. Some by necessity. Some quietly, without a dramatic ending.
And what’s next hasn’t arrived yet.
What Is the In-Between Season of Life?
An in-between season of life is the space between chapters, when an old identity, role, or way of living no longer fits, but clarity about what comes next hasn’t arrived yet.
It isn’t a void.
It isn’t failure.
And it isn’t something to rush through.
This season is often misunderstood because it doesn’t come with clear milestones or labels. There’s no immediate “next step” to announce, no tidy narrative arc to share.
Which makes it tempting to call it the void.
But that word doesn’t feel right.
Because a void implies emptiness.
And this space isn’t empty at all.
It’s full, just not organized.
It’s full of questions that don’t want answers yet.
Full of sensations without language.
Full of subtle rearranging happening beneath the surface.
This is not a problem to solve.
It’s a phase to inhabit.
Why Does Uncertainty Feel So Uncomfortable?
Our culture doesn’t know what to do with the in-between.
We’re conditioned to optimize, rebrand, pivot, and hustle our way into the next chapter as quickly as possible. To turn uncertainty into strategy. To explain ourselves before we’ve even landed.
But there are seasons where clarity doesn’t come from effort.
It comes from stillness.
From allowing the old identity to finish dissolving before assigning a new one. From resisting the urge to declare meaning too soon.
The danger isn’t being here.
The danger is leaving before the work of this space is done.
What Happens When Identity Starts to Reorganize?
This season may look quiet from the outside, but it’s not passive.
It’s composting.
Old ambitions are breaking down.
Old definitions of success are losing their charge.
Old ways of proving, pleasing, and pushing are softening.
During an in-between season of life, you may notice:
Motivation feels different, less performative, more discerning
The things that once lit you up don’t quite reach anymore
Rest feels necessary, not indulgent
You’re less interested in convincing and more interested in truth
None of this means you’re regressing.
It means you’re re-calibrating.
This is the space where life asks a deeper question than “What do you want to do next?”
It asks:
“Who are you when you’re not trying to arrive?”
The Courage of Not Naming What’s Next Yet
There is a quiet bravery required to stay here.
To say:
“I don’t know yet and I trust that.”
To let identity be fluid.
To let timing be organic.
To let meaning reveal itself instead of being manufactured.
This season doesn’t ask for answers.
It asks for presence.
For honesty without performance.
For patience without passivity.
For faith that isn’t attached to outcome.
And perhaps most importantly for self-compassion.
Because this isn’t a gap in your life.
It is your life, right now.
If You’re Living in the In-Between Too
If you’re in a season where things feel suspended,
where the old no longer fits and the new hasn’t spoken yet,
you’re not behind.
You’re not failing.
You’re not wasting time.
You’re standing at a threshold.
And thresholds are meant to be felt, not rushed.
Something is reorganizing itself around a truer center.
You don’t need to force it into form.
You only need to stay.
A Gentle Invitation
If you’re standing in a similar threshold, where success no longer fits but clarity hasn’t arrived, this is the kind of space I hold in my work.
Not to rush answers.
Not to fix what isn’t broken.
But to listen for what’s ready to emerge when the noise settles.
FAQ: Navigating the In-Between Season of Life
What does it mean to be in an in-between season of life?
An in-between season is a transitional phase where old roles or identities no longer fit, but the next chapter hasn’t revealed itself yet. It’s a natural part of growth and realignment.
Is the in-between the same as being stuck?
No. Being stuck often involves resistance or avoidance. The in-between is a period of internal reorganization, integration, and recalibration.
Is it normal to feel unmotivated during a life transition?
Yes. Motivation often shifts during transitions as old drivers fall away and new ones haven’t fully formed yet.
How do you move through the in-between without rushing clarity?
By allowing space, practicing presence, and trusting that insight often arrives through patience rather than pressure.
