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The Space Between

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29.06.2026

Major life transitions often leave us in a psychologically challenging "in-between."

We tend to mistake uncertainty for evidence that something is wrong with us.

Our sense of identity can become unsettled when familiar roles and reference points fall away.

Learning to feel at home within ourselves may be one of the deepest tasks of any transition.

One wintry afternoon, I found myself standing on a beach in Scotland, wondering whether I had somehow wandered off my own path.

It wasn't a dramatic moment. The sea was doing what the sea always does, rolling steadily towards the shore before changing its mind and retreating again. A dog was chasing a ball with an enthusiasm I found difficult to relate to. A middle-aged couple shouldered past, wrapped in conversation.

It was an ordinary afternoon, yet beneath the ordinariness was a persistent feeling that life ought to be moving faster than it was.

Over the past year, a great deal had changed. I had moved countries, left a meaningful job, started building a new business, and said goodbye to a version of myself that had made sense for a long time. And yet, if I'm honest, much of life felt strangely quiet. There were long walks, cups of tea, conversations with friends, and hours spent writing. The occasional burst of inspiration, followed by days that looked remarkably similar to the day before.

I kept finding myself waiting for something. Clarity,........

© Psychology Today