The Inbetween

Have you ever found that when you’re in the middle of a transition, that there’s a certain feeling that is associated with it? Maybe you’re starting a new job and leaving an old job, moving to a new house having already packed up your prior home, getting ready to expand your family, or maybe having had reached a goal and are in the “inbetween” before setting off for the next big thing.

There’s a sense of uncertainty, for sure (and excitement depending on the scenario). But also almost a sense of loss for the past. Knowing that the whatever comes next will somehow be different than what life was like before. Losing the familiar, the routine, and heading into a new unknown.

I find myself feeling that way a lot lately. I’m in a space where I’ve finished the big, long-term projects I have had going on this year – both in art with the 100 Day Project and the Kaleidoscope project and with the blog with the 50 New York Waterfalls series. I have a bigger show coming up this fall that it is almost time to start preparing new works for, but I’m in this limbo before I need to start the next big thing.

I’m always glad for projects that come up along the way. Deadlines and a general theme help me to stay focused and moving in a forward direction when I have so many creative ideas flying around. I have a project that came up recently that I’ve been thrilled to participate in and have been preparing works for the last couple of weeks. (I’m excited to share more details about it soon!)

I have other transitions happening in my life that have been contributing to my feeling of being in a sense of limbo right now. Or rather, transitions that are still a possibility but aren’t quite a reality yet. Which makes the feeling of uncertainty and lack of direction even more strong in many ways. I feel like I’m in a holding pattern as I wait to see what will end up happening and how things will shift as a result.

In the meantime, here are some of the things that I find helpful during times where I feel uncertain or unmotivated:

Music – I generally gravitate towards variations of alternative rock, though sometimes more on the soulful side. Right now I’m obsessed with Deep Water by Charlotte Leigh.

Podcasts – I’m loving one called Overdue that talks about books that you’ve been meaning to read.

Reading – I typically am reading two different books at any given time – one personal development book and one just for fun generally in the fantasty/scifi genre.

Visiting Nature – Whether it’s going for a walk, sitting on a porch, or visiting a waterfall – disconnecting and getting fresh air are helpful.

Reconnecting – This one is often the most difficult one for me to prioritize – taking time to reach out to others (in a non-work context), via technology from a distance or preferably in person.

Quotes – I’m a big fan of quotes (which you’ve probably noticed if you follow me on social media). I feel like they help to keep me focused on staying positive, which doesn’t always come easy.