You’re on the train after work, heading to dinner with friends. Your workplace and the restaurant have very different atmospheres, and you’re moving between the stress of the day and the promise of a relaxing night. You’re in an in-between stage, shaking off one space and preparing to enter another.
This describes liminal space: physical and emotional states that aren’t quite one thing or another. Emotionally, liminal spaces can be disconcerting or disorienting, especially when they arise during major life events such as a career change or move.
But liminal spaces also give you the chance to reflect, offering hope and inspiration when you learn to navigate them. Channel your energy toward learning about yourself, healing, and setting future goals.
What are liminal spaces?
“Liminal” comes from the Latin word “limen,” meaning “threshold.” And liminal spaces are like thresholds: they represent an in-between, whether that’s a physical place of transition or one between emotions and feelings. Sometimes they’re part of your morning routine, like your bus ride to work, and sometimes they appear with big life changes, like pregnancy, graduation, or a geographic move.
This framework offers a clearer picture of where liminal spaces fall in your journey. Imagine you’re switching jobs. Quitting your current position is the rite of separation, and starting a new one is the rite of incorporation. In this case, the rite of transition — the liminal space — is the time in between, when you might be searching for a new job or taking time off to reflect.
How do liminal spaces work?
Liminal spaces are often difficult ones, especially when they appear in emotionally charged transitions. They might make you feel lost or displaced, even if you’re at the threshold of an exciting new phase.
Following the train analogy, you may be tired from work, but ultimately you’re looking forward to catching up with friends at dinner. In the liminal space, you’re feeling multiple things at the same time, which might disorient you — even though the situation is low-stakes.
This concept can also apply to a more impactful life event, like a divorce. You’re likely grieving the former relationship and figuring out what’s next at the same time. Perhaps you feel a twinge of excitement around having more time for yourself and connecting with someone new. But despite those positive feelings, you’re also sad, and that’s just as valid. You’re in a liminal space.
For some, the uncertainty around liminal spaces causes stress and anxiety. Humans need stability to make self-benefiting decisions, and liminal spaces are inherently destabilizing. You may find it challenging to protect your energy and channel it toward your next step, even if it’s beneficial. Learning how to navigate liminal spaces can help.
Types of liminal space: Physical and emotional
The concept of liminality is broad and applies to nearly any transition. But examples of liminal spaces help ground the idea in real-life situations. The following lists identify typical physical and emotional liminal spaces you might encounter.
Physical liminal spaces
Physical liminal spaces exist between two places. They’re often vehicles, like a train, or spaces in an in-between phase themselves, like an abandoned property. Even fluorescent lights can feel liminal. Other spaces include:
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Airports
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Trains
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Doorways
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Stairwells
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Elevators
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Airplanes
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Cars
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Bridges
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Buses
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Waiting rooms
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Shopping malls
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Tunnels
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Hallways
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Empty buildings
Emotional liminal spaces
Emotional liminal space bridges two eras or stages in life, whether you feel positively or negatively about the change. It’s the transition between a new phase upending you and making you feel settled. These are some typical examples:
The psychological implications of liminal spaces
Liminal spaces don’t necessarily threaten you physically or emotionally. They can be anxiety-inducing, but they don’t inherently imply danger, which is why they might sound confusing.
If you decide to leave a job because it wasn’t the right fit, losing the role was a good thing. There’s a better position for you out there. But that fact doesn’t tackle the acute stress of wondering how you’ll budget to make ends meet or if you’ll get a call back from that recruiter. It’s natural for this liminal space to cause anxiety and even job search depression.
Part of what makes liminal spaces — especially the emotional ones — so unnerving is that you’re in new territory without much information on navigating it. Even if this isn’t the first time you’ve transitioned out of a job, it’s still the first time you’ve done so in this period of your life. Finding a new position is stressful in your 20s because it’s a shake-up early in your career, and in your 50s because you have financial responsibilities like a mortgage or children.
Some people might react by looking to the future instead of dwelling on the uncertain present. In the liminal space, they’ll dive into the job search and focus on learning new skills, aiming to leave the space as soon as possible. For others, using this time for self-discovery and reflection comes naturally, and they might prefer to spend some time resting before moving on to the next chapter.
Both of these reactions are valid. But if a liminal space affects your life negatively, seek the support of a mental health professional. If you just want more guidance on how to navigate change, a coach can help you set new goals and cheer you on throughout the process.
6 ways to deal with emotional liminal spaces
If you’re in an emotional liminal space, the good news is that you’re on the verge of a new job, relationship, or mindset. But you might still need ways to refocus, stay in the moment, and enjoy life in this uncomfortable liminal space. Here are some healthy coping techniques:
1. Counseling
Counseling or therapy helps you voice feelings, make discoveries, and learn coping techniques specific to your situation. And these professionals know when to intervene and suggest different treatments when necessary, helping you reach a healthier emotional state.
2. Coaching
A life coach's work is to help clients discover inner motivations, set goals, and devise achievable action items to reach them. As such, they make excellent mentors for people in liminal spaces. A coach can provide the framework for questions and support for discovery and navigating uncertainty, all while charting a life path that excites you.
3. Meditating
Meditation and mindfulness help you stay in the present, which offers a reprieve from mourning the past and fretting about the future. These practices guide you toward observing the world around you and the feelings in your body without judgment. Mindfulness may not give you answers about what’s next, but that’s the point. It lets you reduce stress and return to your decision-making process with a clearer head.
4. Practicing creative arts
Like meditation, creative hobbies such as painting, writing, or cooking can relax and ground you. They also provide an outlet for discovery and expressing your feelings. Many experts also recommend journaling as a way of flushing out your thoughts and learning from your own words on the page.
5. Focusing on what you can control
Resisting a liminal state might be tempting, but it could make the feeling worse. Instead, accept your position and refrain from judging yourself and the circumstances. Then, direct your focus toward what you can control. You can’t make a recruiter call you for an interview, but you can continue applying for jobs. You may not be able to bring back a partner you’ve ended things with, but you can process the breakup with a good friend.
6. Recalling your strength
Liminal spaces are inevitable in some stages of your life, and that’s okay. Chances are, you’ve been through a similar situation before and come out of it stronger. Try to remember how you handled past transitions, if for no other reason than to reassure yourself that you’ve done this before and can do it again.
When it’s time to get help
Everyone’s liminal space experiences are different. For some, it’s a blip, but for others, it can be a life-changing experience. Take some time to reflect on how a liminal space is affecting you. If it’s negatively impacting your life in a way that feels out of control, try seeking professional help from a therapist or other mental health professional.
Even if you aren’t noting symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns, talking to someone about what you’re going through can help you transition. You might need help making better short-term and long-term decisions and opening your thinking to new avenues. And sometimes, you just need someone to cheer you on as you move between phases.
Liminal space can be a good thing
Everyone goes through transitions, whether a ride home from work or a career change at 40. The liminal spaces between states of being can be intimidating and even debilitating. But remember these in-between places are temporary, and they actually have much to teach you about your strengths, goals, and needs. Take advantage of this time to learn what you want next and start making moves toward it.
