What is the liminal space?
Simply put, the liminal space is the in-between—
The space between what was and what’s next.
You might land there after a personal event: a move, a divorce, a graduation, a new stage of life.
Or after a professional shift: a reorganization, a promotion, a layoff, a leadership transition—or simply the growing sense that what once worked… doesn’t anymore.
Maybe you’re leading others through it: your company is evolving its strategy, and your team is stuck between the old model and the new one. And you’re navigating your own uncertainty while supporting everyone else through theirs.
These moments can feel unsteady. But they’re also rich with possibility.
I love the word liminal because of its origins. In architecture, it refers to spaces between functional spaces: hallways, courtyards, arcades (the European kind, not the 12-year-old birthday party kind).
These aren't filler spaces. They're where things happen—encounters, choices, clarity.
Because they’re unstructured, they allow a kind of movement and creativity that rigid rooms can’t.
But if you look more closely, these spaces aren’t devoid of function, but the exact opposite.
They’re where so many things can happen.
Because they’re unstructured, they provide a freedom of movement that buildings and rooms can’t.
Life’s liminal spaces work the same way—professionally and personally.
They might feel foggy or uncomfortable, but they hold a wild kind of freedom—
If you know how to navigate them.