Standing at the Threshold: When the Old No Longer Fits and the New Isn’t Clear Yet

To listen to this month’s blog, click here.

In December 2023, I wrote about liminal space as a season of waiting and not knowing; the in‑between moment when old structures fall away and new ones have not yet taken shape. The invitation then was to recognize these moments, resist rushing through them, and trust that something meaningful was unfolding beneath the surface. That framing still matters.

As I stand at the beginning of 2026, I want to deepen the conversation, especially for leaders, professionals, and women in their wisdom years who sense that what once defined them no longer fully fits. Because once you’ve learned how to name liminal space, and even how to navigate it, a different invitation appears:

What if liminality isn’t just a phase to move through, but a way of being you are asked to inhabit as part of your personal growth and leadership evolution?

From Understanding Liminal Space to Embodying the Threshold

Anthropologists describe liminality as the middle stage of a rite of passage—the space between what has been released and what has not yet been claimed. Victor Turner, an influential British cultural anthropologist, observed that this phase is inherently ambiguous: old identities loosen before new ones take form, allowing deeper transformation to occur.

In executive coaching and leadership development, this same dynamic shows up as transition rather than change. William Bridges, who was a leading organizational change consultant, made a crucial distinction: change is external and often swift, while transition is internal, psychological, and slower. The most uncomfortable phase—the neutral zone—is also the most creative, even when it feels disorienting. This is where many people try to hurry things along.

We rush to answers. We fill the space. We reach for the next title, plan, or structure—not because it’s aligned, but because not knowing feels intolerable. Yet liminal space was never meant to be efficient. It was meant to be formative.

When Identity Shifts Before Strategy

In my work as an executive coach, liminal space often appears not as crisis, but as quiet dissonance:

  • A role still fits on paper but no longer fits internally.
  • Accomplishments no longer provide the same sense of meaning.
  • Legacy and purpose questions surface before answers are available.

Adult development research helps explain why this happens. Robert Kegan’s work shows that as we grow, we outgrow one way of making meaning before the next one stabilizes. That in‑between stage can feel like loss, but it is evidence of growth.

Seen this way, liminal space is not a breakdown to be fixed, it is an initiation into a more authentic way of leading and living.

Discernment Over Decision-Making: Creative Reflection as Alchemy

Earlier approaches for engaging with liminal space productively focused on mindfulness, journaling, creative expression, and support. These remain essential creative reflection practices, particularly when the nervous system is seeking certainty.

What I’m emphasizing now is something more aligned with my emerging work as a Courage Alchemist. These practices are not about fixing uncertainty. They are about cultivating discernment, the capacity to listen deeply and allow clarity to emerge rather than forcing premature decisions.

When practiced intentionally, reflection helps us:

  • Sense what is trying to emerge rather than decide too quickly
  • Integrate lived experience instead of rushing toward insight
  • Stay present long enough for meaning and direction to take shape

This is where personal growth becomes embodied, and leadership becomes aligned rather than reactive.

Questions That Support Discernment at the Threshold

Rather than asking What should I do next, liminal space invites questions that slow us down enough to hear what is forming.

Consider these questions as reflective companions rather than problems to solve:

  • Where in your life or leadership does something no longer fit, even if you can’t yet name what comes next?
  • What are you tempted to rush, resolve, or decide prematurely?
  • What might become possible if you treated this pause as purposeful rather than problematic?

These are not productivity questions. They are discernment questions, essential for conscious leadership and meaningful personal growth.

Liminal space was never meant to be efficient. It was meant to be formative.

Liminal Space, Courage, and the Practice of Staying

If you are beginning this year without a fully formed map, consider this:

What if clarity is not missing, but incubating?
What if this pause is not emptiness, but preparation?

Liminal space is not asking you to act faster or perform with certainty. It is asking you to stay present. And staying, especially in a culture that rewards speed and certainty, is an act of courage.

An Invitation to Work Together

If you find yourself standing at a professional, creative, or life threshold, you don’t have to navigate it alone. If you feel called to explore what this threshold is asking of you, I invite you to connect with me. Sometimes the most powerful transformation begins not with answers, but with the courage to stay present long enough for them to arrive.

Living Your Masterpiece: Embodying Courage, Creativity, and Purpose

To listen to this month’s blog, click here.

At the start of the year, we talked about what it means to level up, that brave moment when you decide that the next version of yourself is calling, even if you don’t know exactly what it requires. As I wrote back in January, growth asks us to face the unknown with courage and curiosity. Then, in February, we explored resilience as a form of creative expression, a reminder that setbacks and challenges can become raw material for transformation.

Now here we are in December, standing at the edge of a new year, carrying everything we’ve lived, learned, released, and created. This time of year invites us to pause, to step back from the canvas of our lives like an artist evaluating the work in progress. Not to judge. Not to perfect. But to see. And seeing is where transformation begins.

The Art of Personal Growth: Your Life as a Living Masterpiece

Personal growth isn’t a straight line; it’s more like a layered painting. A wash of courage here. A stroke of resilience there. A season of uncertainty that unexpectedly becomes the underpainting for clarity. The year’s themes—letting go, embracing the unknown, reflecting intentionally, cultivating gratitude—have all contributed to this layered, textured, deeply human evolution.

In the world of executive coaching and change management, we know that people rarely transform because of one big moment. Transformation happens through consistent micro-choices: the decision to show up differently in a meeting, the courage to set a boundary, the willingness to release an outdated story about who you “should” be.

Research supports this. Carol Dweck’s work on mindset reminds us that growth unfolds through practice and belief in the possibility of change. William Bridges’ transition framework emphasizes that new beginnings arise only after the ending phase and the murky, uncomfortable “neutral zone.” Creative processes, from studio art to design thinking, reinforce that experimenting, pausing, and iterating are essential to meaningful change.

In other words: masterpieces aren’t born. They are shaped, layer by layer, with courage, creativity, and patience.

Creative Reflection Practices for Closing the Year with Intention

The end of the year is ripe for reflection, not the cold analytical kind, but the soulful, creative kind that lets insight rise from the places we typically rush past.

Here are a few reflection practices that blend artistry with executive coaching principles:

  1. The Three-Brushstroke Review

Instead of a long, overwhelming recap, identify three defining “brushstrokes” of your year:

    • One moment of courage
    • One moment of learning
    • One moment of beauty

These three alone reveal more about your inner journey than any exhaustive list.

  1. The Reframe Ritual

Choose one challenge or setback from the year. Then ask:

    • What did this experience make possible?
    • What strengths emerged because of it?
    • How did it shape who I am becoming?

Research in positive psychology (Seligman, 2011) shows that reframing isn’t denial, it’s empowerment.

  1. Creative Body Mapping for the New Year

Think of this as designing your future in color and form. On a blank page, sketch a simple outline of your body. Then fill it with symbols, colors, or words that represent what you want to embody next year: purpose, joy, courage, boundaries, vitality, rest, expansion.

This practice is especially powerful for seasoned professionals and women reinventing their next chapter.

Stepping into the New Year with Courage, Creativity, and Purpose

A better question to ask is: “Who are you becoming?”

Not: What are your goals?
Not: What’s your plan?
Not: How will you be more productive?

Because the true artistry of life is identity work. The masterpiece is you—your choices, your presence, your wisdom, your brave leaps, your creative solutions.

As we enter a new year, consider these guiding invitations:

Lead with Courage

Courage isn’t loud. Sometimes it looks like choosing rest, saying no, or initiating a difficult but necessary conversation. Executive coaching research consistently shows that courageous leaders cultivate psychological safety, authenticity, and clarity of values.

Create with Intention

You are the artist of your life. What are you ready to design, reshape, or reimagine? Creative thinking, visioning, and experimentation aren’t luxuries, they’re essential tools for meaningful personal and professional growth.

The masterpiece is you—your choices, your presence, your wisdom, your brave leaps, your creative solutions.

Live with Purpose

Purpose isn’t a singular destination. It is a direction, an inner compass that keeps pointing you toward what matters most. As Viktor Frankl wrote, “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.”

A Final Reflection: Your Life Deserves to Be a Masterpiece

This year has been a long, surprising, courageous arc of becoming. You’ve navigated uncertainty, released what no longer served you, strengthened your resilience, reimagined possibilities, and deepened your capacity to lead yourself and others with compassion and clarity.

The truth is you are already living your masterpiece. And next year? You’re simply adding the next layer. So as the year closes, step into the new one with your brushes clean, your courage intact, and your purpose shining through. The canvas is ready. And so are you.

If you’re ready to shape your next season with more clarity, courage, and creative intention, let’s talk. I’m here to help you turn this moment into your next masterpiece.

Contact Doris

The Power of Reflection: Learning from Your Own Creative Process

To listen to this month’s blog, click here.

Artists know this truth: progress doesn’t happen only when the brush is moving nonstop across the canvas. It happens in the pause, when you step back, tilt your head, and ask: Is this working? Where does it need more light? What is ready to be left alone?

That same practice is essential for leaders, professionals, and anyone seeking personal growth. In executive coaching, reflection is what transforms experience into wisdom. Without it, we risk moving forward without clarity. With it, we align our actions with our deeper values, and that alignment is the foundation of authentic leadership and a meaningful life.

As Peter Drucker wrote in Managing Oneself, “Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” Reflection isn’t a luxury; it’s a leadership tool, a mindfulness practice, and a creative act all rolled into one.

Why Reflection is Essential for Personal Growth and Leadership Development

This year, we’ve explored courage, resilience, and vision as the pillars of meaningful growth. In Level Up: How Courage Fuels Your Growth, I wrote about the bravery required to step into a bigger version of yourself. But courage alone isn’t enough. Without reflection, that “bigger self” can become louder or busier without being wiser. Reflection is the compass that ensures your actions are aligned with your values, helping you make intentional choices rather than reacting on autopilot.

In Reframe Failure: Turning Setbacks into Creative Fuel, we explored how mistakes can be raw material for growth. Reflection acts like a kiln, shaping that raw clay into form. It’s the process that transforms challenges, missteps and uncertainties into insight, learning, and creative solutions that can propel your next chapter.

Reflection is also a key driver of resilience. Twyla Tharp, in The Creative Habit, notes that artists who pause to evaluate their work consistently sustain creative momentum and uncover new possibilities. This principle applies beyond art: leaders who take time to reflect regularly gain clarity on what’s working, where adjustment is needed, and how to leverage their strengths.

Leadership research mirrors these findings. Kouzes and Posner, in The Leadership Challenge, emphasize that reflective leaders are more effective at aligning their values with behavior. They build credibility, trust, and influence; not by doing more but by doing with greater awareness and intention. In other words, reflection doesn’t slow you down, it accelerates meaningful growth and creates the foundation for long-term success.

Creative Reflection Practices You Can Try

Here are five practical ways to make reflection a regular part of your life and leadership:

  1. Schedule Reflection Time.
    Treat reflection like an important meeting. Even 10 minutes at the end of each day can help you integrate lessons and reset for tomorrow.
  2. Use Mindfulness as a Starting Point.
    Begin with a few breaths or a body scan to quiet mental noise. Mindfulness helps you listen more deeply to your inner wisdom before diving into self-assessment.
  3. Ask Better Questions.
    Replace self-criticism with curiosity. Instead of “What did I get wrong?” ask, “What did I learn today?”
  4. Experiment with Creative Tools.
    Journaling, sketching, or mind mapping can reveal patterns that words alone may miss. Creative reflection practices bypass the inner critic and spark new insights.
  5. Move from Insight to Action.
    Don’t stop at observation. Ask, what will I carry forward? Integration is where growth becomes transformation.

Journaling Prompts for Reflection and Growth

Use these prompts to spark deeper insight in your personal or professional journey:

  1. When I step back and look at my “canvas” right now—my life, work, or leadership—what stands out as most alive?
  2. What patterns keep repeating, and what wisdom are they offering me?
  3. Where am I holding onto perfection instead of embracing progress?
  4. What in my life or work needs more light, and what is ready to be released?
  5. If I were to honor one key lesson from this season, what would it be?

Harnessing the Power of Reflection

When we take the time to pause, observe and ask meaningful questions, we transform what we’ve lived into what we are capable of becoming. The courage to step back, the curiosity to explore your patterns, and the discipline to integrate your discoveries are the practices that turn both life and work into a true masterpiece.

Reflection is the bridge between experience and insight.

If you’re ready to cultivate greater clarity, mindfulness, and purposeful growth, I invite you to connect with me. Through executive coaching, workshops and retreats, I help professionals and leaders harness the power of reflection to align their actions with their deepest values.

Master Your Locus of Control: Find Stability Amid Change

Life has a way of shaking us up. A job unexpectedly ends. A health diagnosis catches us off guard. A relationship changes course. These moments remind us just how little we truly control—and that can feel disorienting, even paralyzing. But here’s the good news: while we may not always have power over what happens, we do have power over how we respond. That’s where the idea of the locus of control comes into play—a concept that’s been helping people reclaim their sense of agency since psychologist Julian Rotter introduced it in the 1950s.

To listen to this month’s blog, click here.

Rotter described two key orientations:

  • Internal locus of control—when you believe your actions, choices, and efforts influence the outcomes in your life.
  • External locus of control—when you believe your life is shaped primarily by outside forces like fate, luck, or other people’s decisions.

Over the years, research has illuminated Rotter’s work in some fascinating ways. For example, experts have long observed that people who lean toward an internal locus of control tend to feel more empowered and bounce back more easily from setbacks. They’re more likely to take initiative, stay focused on what they can influence, and are less likely to spiral into hopelessness. Psychology educator Kendra Cherry, writing for Verywell Mind, notes that individuals with an internal locus of control often enjoy better mental health and greater life satisfaction because they believe their choices truly matter.

Best-selling author and psychologist Dr. Martin Seligman, often called the father of positive psychology, has also emphasized how this mindset fuels optimism and resilience. In his book Learned Optimism, Seligman explains that people who see themselves as having agency are more likely to thrive—especially during challenges—because they don’t view problems as permanent or personal failures.

In other words, believing that you have a hand in shaping your experience—even when things feel messy—can be empowering. It’s not about pretending everything is fine; it’s about realizing that you still have creative authority over your next step.

In this post, we’ll explore how focusing on your locus of control can anchor you during life’s biggest transitions. You’ll discover steps you can take to reconnect with your personal power, deepen your resilience, and begin rewriting your story—even if the world around you is swirling with uncertainty.

Why Your Locus of Control Matters in Times of Change

When the ground beneath us starts to shift, it’s easy to slip into survival mode. The stress response is real—our brains are wired to protect us from threats, and uncertainty can light up that internal alarm system like a firework. As neuroscientist Bruce McEwen and psychologist Peter Gianaros explained in their 2011 study, chronic stress impacts our brain’s ability to regulate emotion and decision-making, which can make it hard to respond thoughtfully when we’re under pressure.

But here’s where the shift happens: cultivating a more internal locus of control actually calms the nervous system. It reminds us that while we can’t control the storm, we can learn how to sail the ship. That mindset fosters what researchers call a sense of agency—the deep, internal belief that you can influence the direction of your life, no matter what challenges come your way.

This empowered mindset helps you:

  • Feel more confident and capable in the face of adversity
  • Strengthen your problem-solving muscles
  • Take intentional, proactive steps
  • Build emotional resilience
  • Reduce anxiety and increase overall satisfaction with life

Perhaps most importantly, it helps you reconnect with your creative power—the part of you that can imagine a new path forward, even in the midst of uncertainty.

The Creative Power of Locus of Control

Much like the creative process, reclaiming your sense of control requires both structure and surrender. When an artist faces a blank canvas, they don’t control every detail of how the piece will unfold—but they can control the colors they choose, the tools they use, and the creative choices they make along the way.

Similarly, you can’t control the storms of life, but you can decide how to navigate them. You can choose to focus on what’s within your control: your mindset, your actions, and your perspective. The art of thriving is about shifting your attention away from what you can’t control and toward what you can.

5 Steps to Strengthen Your Internal Locus of Control

  1. Reframe Your Perspective

When you face a challenge, ask yourself: Is this happening to me or for me?

  • Shifting from victim to creator allows you to reclaim agency over the situation.
  • Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, ask: What is this experience teaching me?

Instead of thinking, “I lost my job because the market is terrible,” try, “This might be an opportunity to realign with work that fulfills me.”

  1. Focus on What You Can Control

When you feel overwhelmed, make a list of what’s within your control and what isn’t.

  • Let go of outcomes you can’t influence.
  • Take small, consistent actions toward what you can

You can’t control company layoffs, but you can update your resume, reach out to your network, and explore new career paths.

  1. Build Healthy Habits and Rituals

Consistency creates stability.

  • Develop daily routines that help you feel grounded.
  • Prioritize self-care, movement, and mindfulness.

Start your morning with 10 minutes of journaling or an afternoon walk to reset your mind and body.

  1. Strengthen Your Decision-Making Power

The more decisions you make, the more confident you become in your ability to shape outcomes.

  • Start with small, low-stakes decisions to build momentum.
  • Trust your instincts and reflect on what works.

If you’re unsure whether to take a new job, weigh the pros and cons—and trust that you have the wisdom to make the right choice.

  1. Seek Support and Accountability

Strengthening your locus of control doesn’t mean going it alone.

  • Connect with people who reinforce your sense of agency.
  • Work with a coach or mentor to build confidence and direction.

A supportive community can help you see new possibilities and stay focused on your goals.

Journal Prompts to Deepen Your Reflection

  1. What’s one situation in your life where you feel powerless? What aspects of it are within your control?
  2. How have you successfully navigated change in the past? What internal resources did you rely on?
  3. What daily habits or rituals would help you feel more grounded and in control?
  4. What’s one small decision you can make this week to reinforce your sense of agency?
  5. If you fully trusted yourself to handle life’s challenges, how would you approach the next change you face?

You have the power to shape your response to life’s challenges.

Embrace the Art of Control

Much like creating a work of art, reclaiming your locus of control is about making intentional choices and trusting the unfolding process. You may not be able to control the storms, but you can learn how to sail through them with courage and creativity.

As William Ernest Henley wrote in Invictus:
“I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.”

You have the power to shape your response to life’s challenges. Start small. Focus on what you can control. Trust that you have the inner strength to navigate whatever comes your way.

If you’re ready to strengthen your sense of control and thrive through change, let’s connect. Schedule a consultation today to explore how coaching can help you reclaim your power and create a life aligned with your deepest values.

The Art of Transformation: Turn Change into Opportunity

Change is inevitable. Whether we welcome it or resist it, change will find us. It shows up in many forms — a job loss, new career path, an unexpected health diagnosis, a shift in personal relationships, or even the natural progression of aging. But while change is often viewed as disruptive or even threatening, it also holds profound creative potential. What if, instead of resisting change, we learned to see it as raw material for transformation — like a blank canvas waiting for the first brushstroke?

To listen to this month’s blog, click here.

Navigating change requires both structure and creativity. It’s not just about adjusting to new circumstances — it’s about embracing the creative tension between what was and what could be. Like any artist standing before a canvas, the process begins with a willingness to engage with uncertainty and trust the unfolding process. In this blog, we’ll explore how you can turn change into opportunity, engage the creative process of transformation, and emerge stronger and more aligned with your true self.

The Creative Nature of Change

Change is inherently creative. It disrupts familiar patterns and opens the door to new possibilities. According to William Bridges’ work on transition, every change involves three stages:

  1. The Ending – Letting go of the old way of being or working.
  2. The Neutral Zone – A period of uncertainty where the old is gone, but the new hasn’t fully emerged.
  3. The New Beginning – Stepping into a new way of being, often accompanied by renewed energy and purpose.

The neutral zone — that uncomfortable space between the old and the new — is where creativity thrives. It’s messy, ambiguous, and unpredictable, much like the early stages of creating a work of art. The key is not to rush through it but to engage with it as a creative process.

Think of the neutral zone as a studio filled with raw materials. There’s uncertainty, yes — but also infinite potential. When you give yourself permission to explore without immediately seeking answers, you create space for new insights and solutions to emerge.

Turn Change into Opportunity: 5 Creative Strategies

To harness the creative power of change, you need both a strategic framework and a creative mindset. Here are five practical steps to help you navigate change with courage and creativity:

1. Accept the Discomfort

Transformation begins with acceptance. Fighting change only increases resistance and prolongs discomfort. Acknowledge that change is hard — and that’s okay. In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown reminds us that vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity and courage.

Instead of seeking quick solutions, sit with the discomfort. Journal about what you’re feeling. Naming your emotions gives them less power.

2. Reframe the Narrative

How you frame change matters. Instead of seeing it as a loss, try to see it as an opening. Psychologist Carol Dweck’s work on mindset shows that people with a growth mindset — those who believe they can learn and adapt — are more resilient and creative in the face of change. Ask yourself: What is this change teaching me? How can I grow through this?

3. Engage Your Creative Side

Creativity helps you make sense of change. Studies have shown that engaging in creative activities — like writing, painting, or problem-solving can boost resilience and emotional regulation (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). Sketch, paint, or collage your way through change. If you prefer words, try expressive writing. Creativity unlocks insight and helps you make meaning of new experiences.

4. Build a Structure to Hold the Chaos

Creativity needs a container. Just like an artist uses a frame or canvas to focus their work, creating structure during change provides stability. This could mean setting new routines, seeking professional support, or defining short-term goals. Identify three small, achievable goals to create stability as you navigate change.

5. Connect with a Trusted Guide

Artists rarely work alone — they seek feedback, guidance, and encouragement. The same applies to navigating change. Research by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey shows that people are more successful in adapting to change when they have support and accountability. Find a coach, mentor, or trusted friend who can help you see the possibilities within the challenge.

Reflection: Journal Prompts to Deepen Your Transformation

Reflection is where the deeper work of transformation happens. These journal prompts will help you process and apply what you’ve learned:

  • What changes am I currently facing, and how do I feel about them?
  • Where do I feel most resistant to change? What might that resistance be teaching me?
  • How can I apply a growth mindset to this situation?
  • What creative outlet could help me process and make sense of this change?
  • Who can I lean on for support and encouragement during this transition?

Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.

—Brené Brown

The Canvas of Your Life

Turning change into opportunity is both an art and a practice. Like any creative process, it requires courage, patience, and a willingness to engage with the unknown. The messy middle — that uncomfortable but fertile space — is where transformation happens. The art of transformation lies in your ability to see change not as a threat, but as a blank canvas. You hold the brush. You get to decide how to shape this next chapter.

Are you ready to turn change into your next masterpiece? If you’d like support in navigating life’s transitions with greater creativity and courage, I’m here to help. Let’s explore the possibilities together.
 

 

References:
  • Bridges, W. (2009). Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. Da Capo Lifelong Books.
  • Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead.
  • Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Ballantine Books.
  • Stuckey, H. L., & Nobel, J. (2010). The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), 254–263.
  • Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2009). Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock Potential in Yourself and Your Organization. Harvard Business Review Press.