Listening In The Liminal Space

It’s easy to celebrate a gold medal winner.

But what about the messy middle?

The part of the journey we rarely talk about?

When Simone Biles stepped away from the Tokyo Olympics, she faced intense backlash. The world labeled her weak, selfish, and a quitter.

The pressure she faced was enormous:

• Expectations from coaches and teammates.
• The threat of losing sponsorships and financial stability.
• Years of sacrifice—training, strict diets—during a global pandemic.

Here’s the truth:

Making aligned decisions isn’t glamorous.

It often means being misunderstood, judged, and vilified. True courage lies in listening to your inner voice, finding stillness to discern what’s right, and staying true to your path.

After Tokyo, Simone did the crucial, unseen work:

• She sought therapy.
• Confronted her trauma.
• Contemplated leaving the sport she loved.
• Explored new interests beyond gymnastics.
• Found love, got married, and discovered new dimensions of herself.

For many of us, this might look like:

• Facing uncertainty after quitting a job with no backup plan.
• Prioritizing mental health when everyone expects you to push through.
• Leaving a toxic relationship and dealing with tough questions from loved ones.

These moments aren’t glamorous.

They’re messy and full of doubt. But it’s in these liminal spaces that true transformation occurs - when we shed the false self and connect with our true nature. As the masks fall away, our authentic self emerges, free from the need for external approval.

I won't lie, this process can be challenging.

It means confronting uncomfortable truths and letting go of who we thought we should be. Yet, through this surrender, we uncover our real strength.

That’s the real gold.

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If you want to attune to your True Self, the part of you that is wise and enduring.

Here are a few tips:

1/ Listen for the voice of your soul:

It is always loving, neutral, and never condemning.

2/ Feel the truth in your body:

Even if a truth is difficult to hear, the truth feels good and is deeply resonant in your body.

3/ Follow the path of expansion:

Trust decisions that make your heart feel expansive, rather than contractive.

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I'd love to hear from you:

What is the "messy middle" you’re navigating right now?

How are you learning to listen more closely to your inner voice?