Liminality: The Magic of Moments In-Between

Hellos & Hellos,

Happy 2026! There are so many reasons why I love this year already. The play of numbers on my birthday: 26/6/26. BTS comeback. &Team possible world tour (a girl can dream), and hopefully a year I want to fill with as many wonderful experiences as possible.

While many of us set new goals and create visions boards to theme our new year, I like writing blog posts too. This serves as a written reminder of what I want to inculcate more into this year and also saves as a nice bookmark for when I need inspiration next year.

This year, however, I struggled to stick to one theme because I was or am in a state of constant flux. I am not where I want to be in life, but I am also not where I was before. I am in-between things. Work, creative projects, self-improvement, books, media, to-do lists.

But not just about life happenings, I feel in between versions of myself too. I am not who I once was, and that’s great I some ways, but I also have a long way to go in becoming my own ideal. Sometimes I feel lost, sometimes I feel like I am headed somewhere, sometimes I feel like I am exactly where I need to be.

I am in a current state of what I discovered, is called liminality.

Are You Living In Liminality Too?

Liminality is a term that’s used to describe transitionary phases, things and experiences. Liminal spaces in architecture acts as a passage that takes you from one space to another (like a doorway), liminal experiences can be phases in life where you are not where you want to be, but you are also not who you once were. Teenage life is a good example, where you are not a child, but neither an adult.

Liminality holds a lot of spiritual meaning as well. But we are going to stick to the beauty of what it simply means; the in-betweenness in life.

Which, if you pay close attention, is a state a lot of us are in, most of the time. The unsureness of where we are heading in life, the vague direction where we question everything we are doing, often coupled with this feeling of uncertainty.

But if majority of our life is spent exploring the journey of where we want to go, then how do we learn to make the most of these transitionary moments in between?

How do we learn to sit with these feeling of ambiguity?

How do we learn to enjoy it?

The Art Of Noticing

So the more I grew interested in this concept, the more I started noticing how this could show up in everyday life. Commute/travel is an obvious one. When you finish a book/show and let the feelings of what you just read/watched linger. Waiting for food to cook, cake to bake, waiting for a text or call from that someone.

Basically a lot of waiting. Where the easiest thing to do is to pick up your phone and check you messages or scroll social media. Unmemorable, uneventful, and easily forgotten in less than a few seconds.

If majority of life is spent in this ‘waiting limbo’ what can we do to ensure that its time invested wisely?

First, we learn to pay attention.

Something that was considered so natural is now slowly becoming a very underrated skill.

When was the last time you ate a meal without distractions? Or listened to a conversation without scrolling your phone on the side? When was the last time where you were acutely aware of the color of the things in your environment? Or how satisfying the taste of the first sip of your morning coffee is? Or the birds that chirp when you go for a walk without music? Or the silence when cleaning your closet without a podcast playing in the background?

When was the last time you were aware of your surroundings? Without a background track of thoughts, problems and past regretful events narrating in your mind?

When was the last time you gave something or someone your complete attention not because it was demanded from you?

When was the last time you were bored?

And you allowed yourself to be bored without feeling the need to optimize, over productize, move the next thing, do something, anything instead of just being?

 Pay attention. Be aware.

And you’ll find what most people miss.

Glittering sunlight falling through the trees with the wind. A child’s embarrassing public tantrum overshadowed by their parents’ exhaustion. A fluffy, happy dog’s head sticking out of a car window in traffic. Old people holding hands while they walk for support, symbolizing love that grows across decades. A pressure cooker whistle heard in the early hours of the morning, signifying a mother selflessly preparing food for her kids who will most probably forget to eat it over football matches during lunch. A temple flower vendor who has dried up flowers in her own hair, but a fresh array in front of her. That coincidental heart shape mushroom you are about to turn into dinner.

The vividness of life hidden between fleeting everyday stories, like they are happening just for you to notice.

A secret you share with the universe. Waiting for someone to validate its existence.

For you to say, yes, I saw that.

How cute, sad, funny, adorable, reflective, ironic. And yet, oh so wonderful.

Liminal moments are a treasure trove of these stories. You discover interesting coincidences, funny anecdotes, heartfelt instances, all of which make everyday life a little bit more colorful.

When you pay attention, you open a doorway to the small luxuries of life very few can see. You suddenly find yourself amidst new people, fun experiences, a deeper layer of self that you never know existed. You live everyday with a small but significant purpose.

All because you learned how to be present and be aware. And truly see.

Can You Be Left Alone With Your Thoughts?

When was the last time you were left alone with your thoughts? Not menial recounting of things to do, what to make for lunch, that thing you said yesterday, where you want to be tomorrow. No. When was the last time you sat by yourself and paid attention to where your mind goes.

Does it start remembering all the people who have wronged you? All the events where you could have acted differently? All the conversations where you could have said something smarter?

Does it go recalling all your biggest failures, all the missed opportunities, all the embarrassing moments that make you feel like you are not as capable as much as you think you are?

Where do your thoughts take you? Do you like the destination?

And if you don’t, are you self-aware enough to tell yourself what needs to change?

Learning to sit with ourselves comes with the quiet acceptance that what has happened in life, has happened, and no amount of ruminating is going to change that. Learning to be on our own tells us our hidden co-dependencies on things that distract us, from us.

If you can’t be left alone with your thoughts, if you don’t know how to be alone, and you don’t like your thoughts when you are alone, then you may not be able to enjoy the process of living your current reality.

To really see what’s in front of you and learn to find purpose to it. Or simply learning to be present where your feet are and not where your headspace takes you.

I always thought this meant learning to quiet the mind, as they say, but in fact, its learning to be grounded enough to see what’s before you, and pay attention to opportunities that come in that secret window of noticing. Because you are not always diverted with the unwanted clutter of where your thoughts take you.

You don’t feel uncomfortable and suffocated when you are forced to sit with your thoughts and confront things that are usually conveniently hidden under layers of distractions.

Between these liminal spaces, in the newly formed space of your mind, you start acknowledging things that you never saw before. The gratefulness of having a busy, but productive day, instead of complaining about the physical exhaustion.

You start being aware of the effort it takes to eat a meal prepared by someone else, and the joy of having someone to care for you.

You start recognizing that richness and wealth can also be the childhood friends you can reach out to, extended family that looks forward to your stay in their city, a sleepy Sunday afternoon after a big meal.

All because you have learned to sit with your thoughts and clear what cannot be helped. Your mind now has the space to process, to take things as they are without a filter of your biases, clouded by unwanted thoughts.

You are able to take in your life as it is. Clearly. Earnestly.

And truly see how much more there is to the life you are already living.

Embracing Slow Change

In a world that normalizes instant gratification and overnight results, learn to appreciate the value of slow, meaningful change.

Nature doesn’t turn its leaves overnight to signal autumn, the moon goes through its own cycle, human life is made in 9 months, slow change is the essence of universal order.

Why are we in such a rush to consume all the media, lose the weight, gain new followers, change our life, overnight?

Because we feel like we are running out of time and this one life is not enough to do all the things we want to. Or we’re just damn lazy and we want the easy way out.

Or, we are not spending our time in ways that make the most of our lives, or makes us feel like we are living to our fullest potential. Something is always missing.

If I am at work, I want more time at home, when I am at home, I feel like I should do more work. When I eat too much, I think I should work out, when I work out, I want to eat yummy food instead. When I take a vacation I feel guilty, when I dont, I feel like I’m going to burn out.

This state of constantly wanting to be else where but here is exhausting.

That’s why embracing the art of slow change comes with the acceptance that I will get to where I want to go, and I am willing to enjoy the process of that change instead of constantly fighting with myself to be any where else but the present.

I will learn to enjoy reading the entire book instead of asking Ai to summarize it.

I will learn to love working out and making healthier choices than frustrating myself with the notion of deprivation.

I will learn to make the most of traffic signals and pick up a new language.

I will learn to plan my time and work when I need to work, and take a break because I deserved it.

I will learn to appreciate what’s in front of me and what I am doing in the moment and make the most of it by being mentally present to notice things.

I will learn to patiently wait for my turn, and trust that what’s meant for me will not miss me.

I will learn to enjoy being in a constant state of change. And not be afraid by the unpredictability of life.

I will learn to love living in-between moments, goals, to-dos, destinations, relationships, experiences, milestones, days, years and decades.

Because life is not about waiting for something extraordinary to happen for you to start living it.

Life is happening right now. At this very moment, at this very second.

And you’re missing it by always wanting to be anywhere but here.

2026, I hope you make me a better person. I hope you (gently) teach me lessons that make my life better. I hope I discover my new favorite KDrama, Song, Book and Movie this year. No more groups, two (BTS and &Team) are enough for my wallet. Thank you very much.

And in turn, I will learn to whole heartedly appreciate what I have for as long as I have it.

(Listen, while you’re at it, can you also add BTS world tour tickets to the list? Thanks!)

So while I try to become who I think I should be, between these liminal moments, I hope 2026 shows me who I am meant to be.

New year but old me, and that’s okay too,

Niki :)

P.s. I also post about finding creative inspiration in the ordinary and sharing it with you through liminal moments, delicious discoveries, introspective thoughts, and the little things in life- on my Substack here! Yay!