You know that hazy time between December 25 and January 1 when time seems to work differently and it feels like your life exists in a weird bubble? That’s an in-between moment. It is a span of time that connects the end of one thing and the start of something new. In this case, it’s the gap between the end of one year and the start of the next
In-between moments are the most underappreciated magical times in life. And they are everywhere. It’s time to start giving these in-between moments the attention they deserve! Don’t be so quick to rush off and move on to whatever is new. Let yourself sit in the space between two things.
Check Out the Rest of the Series!
This is the fourth week of our 8-week series on getting ready for the new year. This week is all about deliberately choosing what you want to keep as part of your life.
You can check out the other posts here:
- How to Prepare for the New Year [an 8-Week Plan for Your Best Year Ever]
- How To Do a Year-End Reflection [Make peace with 2020]
- How to Let Go of the Past and Move Forward Into the New Year
- What You Allow is What Will Continue
- 7 Powerful Questions to Help You Create a Vision For Your Life
- A 5-Step System for Breaking Goals Down Into Manageable Steps
- How to Create a Morning Routine and Stick To It
- 17 Small Daily Habits to Instantly Improve Your Quality of Life
What are in-between moments?
An in-between moment is the period of time between the end of one thing and the start of something else. It is the transitional space that lets endings turn into beginnings.
Any time when you are waiting for something new to start in an in-between moment- no matter how long or short it actually is.
Examples of in-between moments
- The timeless stretch between Christmas and New Years
- The brief stillness between inhale and exhale
- The summer between high school and college
- Time spent traveling from one place to another
The uncomfortableness of sitting still
Waiting can be anxious. Having to sit still can make us feel like we are being blocked somehow because we’re so used to doing and going and pushing. We have been pushed to feel like stillness is wrong.
It’s normal to sit and rest. It’s natural to wait. Even though you may feel trapped or stuck, you aren’t. Relax and try to breathe.
It’s important to let yourself rest in in-between moments
When you let yourself relax into these moments, you are gifting yourself valuable time to rest. Give yourself permission to take time off. Gift yourself time when you are not trying to do anything, accomplish anything, be anything – you are just enjoying your damn life, living each moment by moment with no ulterior motive or agenda.
Maintain for yourself a bubble of space where you are not dwelling on the past or looking to the future.
Every Seed Needs to be Left Alone to Sprout
Just because you are not actively doing anything, doesn’t mean that nothing is being done.
You can think of in-between time as germination time. You’re giving things time and space to develop in their own time. You are honoring the natural ebb and flow cycle that everything on this planet follows.
When you let yourself linger in the in-between, let yourself relax into the moment, then you will be ready when it is time to start moving again.
Let Yourself Rest
Rest! Don’t do anything! What a strange concept.
The in-between is a transitional space, where things are shifting, changing, transforming from one thing into another. There is nothing for you to do. Let yourself just be!
Life is hard. You have been through a lot. It’s ok to just rest, to enjoy and appreciate your life! Let yourself settle into the in-between moments of your life. When the time comes, you can start the next thing.
“Life gives you plenty of time to do whatever you want to do if you stay in the present moment.” — Deepak Chopra
What to do when you are trying to do nothing
What can you even do in the in-between moments, when you are trying to do nothing?
Breathe. Give yourself space to breathe. Relax into this space between two things and just be.
Slow down, live in your life, and be present in as many single moments as possible. Try not to worry about anything else. Just be present in your body with yourself.
- Go on an aimless walk
- Take a long bath with a book
- Be alone with yourself
- Laugh as much as possible
- Enjoy time with the people you love
- Celebrate and spoil yourself
- Sit outside
- Meditate
Ahead of you lies open potential; behind you – an entire journey.
Throw your head back and laugh at the sun.
You May Also Enjoy…
7 Simple Ways to Enjoy the Small Things in Life
Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here?
5 Powerful Daily Affirmations to Transform Your Life
Please share and leave a comment!
Do you find it easy to relax into the in-between moments of your life? Or do you find yourself restlessly trying to distract yourself?
This was such a refreshing post to read, I also felt calm reading it as well for some reason. I think it’s because there are so many posts telling you this strategy and that strategy of creating the perfect schedule and giving you so many time management tips in order to organise your life perfectly. But by doing that, you miss the small ‘in-between’ moments and don’t stop to appreciate it. This post is a great reminder to take it slow sometimes, be mindful of one’s surroundings and enjoy life.