016 Quiet Nothings and In-Betweens

We name the in-between season where life gets quiet but your mind gets loud, then we unpack why it can feel so restless even when you finally have time. We reframe waiting as a place for clarity and growth, then share four ways to move through boredom, productivity pressure, and uncertainty with more peace. 
• defining natural and situational in-betweens like holidays, weekends, moves, job changes, and waiting for replies 
• naming the feelings that show up most often: boredom, pressure to be productive, and uncertainty 
• validating the emotions and choosing to sit with them before forcing a solution 
• shifting perspective with the idea that when something is taken away, something else can be gained 
• examining our life and strengths without judgment, including creative identity and worldview 
• holding on to what is certain and controllable as an anchor during unstable days 
• building a personal rhythm that redefines productivity while honoring flexibility and limits 
• recalibrating our North Star and making space for what comes next, including letting go of what we don’t need 

Transcript

Quiet Outside Loud Inside

Richmond 0:02

It's quiet, yet the voices in your head is so loud. You found the stillness you've always been longing for. And yet you can't be still. The urge to move is so real. It's making you restless. Friends, welcome to the in-between.

Welcome To Pocket

Richmond 0:27

Hi, you're listening to Pocket, a podcast about finding joy, meaning, and purpose in life's simplest moments. I'm Richmond Camero. Let's dive into today's journey.

Defining The In Between Season

Richmond 0:46

There's always a period in our lives when we feel we have all the time in the world. And yet the same period also brings us anxiety. I like to call it the quiet nothings and in-betweens. And for us to have the same picture, let's try to define it first. There are natural in-betweens, depending on the period of the year or the season. We feel this the most during holiday season and the start of the year. Maybe when we were still studying, it's the summer or the semestral break. And you could even say that our weekends are small in-betweens, the small space of pause that we are granted and forced to maximize. Then there are situational ones, the in-betweens that hit harder. Some of those are planned, but most are unexpected circumstances. Experiences that make us question why and ask, what are we supposed to do? We feel this when we decided to move to a different place and we're getting accustomed to a new neighborhood. This happens when we leave our job and we start looking for a new work. It is this feeling when we submit our art or we apply to be a part of an art market and now we're waiting for a response. It's the situational in-betweens that are difficult to tackle, but it's something that every one of us experiences. I have been in a lot of situations like this one, and today let's create some space for that.

Boredom Productivity And Uncertainty

Richmond 2:29

We can start with naming what feelings are usually associated with the in-betweens. First, I'd say is boredom. We came from having a set routine on a day-to-day basis, and suddenly we have all the time in the world. Even if we're doing some things, it's hard to fill in the quiet days because we were so used to having a fixed routine. Connected with this is the next one. The pressure to feel productive. It's a weird feeling, I tell you. I think we get so used to be always on that suddenly free time means that we're not doing something productive. So our heads bounce between should I spend this time resting? Or should I fill it with something to do? And even though we did something, by the end of the day, we still ask whether what we did was enough. Finally, there is the feeling of uncertainty. We did the work, we submitted our application, sent our query letter, our art portfolio has been reviewed, and now we wait. It's a difficult feeling to know that we don't control the totality of our lives. Yes. Some of what we do will depend on others. That period of waiting and uncertainty is a difficult one to feel. Now

Turning Loss Into New Options

Richmond 3:58

let's breathe. We identified what we feel and acknowledged that these feelings are valid. We see them and gave them space. The next question that pops up is What are we going to do with them? We sit with them, give them time to flow and ebb. Then when we're ready, we shift our perspective. During these times it's hard to grasp why we are experiencing this. So I start with one tenet. That when something is taken away from us, we are also gaining another thing. Maybe we don't have a job right now, but we have time to spend with the most important passions. Perhaps we don't have a clear routine, which encourages us to explore other things and be curious. The plans that we made before, the goals we set now crumble. So maybe it's time to forge a path that's something different. When something is taken away, another opportunity arises. With that as our foundation, we get to see the potential of the in-betweens we're experiencing. Yes, it's still difficult, but something difficult can also be nourishing. So we start to turn the page, recognize the opportunities as they come, and make the most out of them.

Four Ways To Use The Wait

Richmond 5:33

Now I'll share four things that we can do during this time. One good use of the in-between is to examine our life. Not in a judgmental kind of way. It's taking stock of what we currently have, the assets we possess both internally and externally. The strengths we can capitalize in our current standing. Think of this as an opportunity to get to know yourself more. If previously we're tied to our daily routines and we're squeezing out precious me time, now we have the time to get to know ourselves better. For me, I tried understanding what type of art I want to create and what identity I want to show through them. What kind of message do I want to say? Another thing, and this is a deeper level. I took the opportunity to evaluate my worldview. How do I see the world now? What beliefs and perspectives have changed and what have stayed true? I couldn't ask that and sit with it when I was busy in my day-to-day. Examining that in this period helped me appreciate the things I have and the things I'm good at. Which brings us to the next point. Acknowledging the uncertainty, but holding on to what is certain. Examining our life brought the spotlight to what we currently possess, meaning to the things that we can control. We can control our worldview, we can control our process, therefore, we can control how we respond to the uncertainty happening to us. The in-between varies in length and intensity. So it is important to have an anchor. By holding on to what we can control, to our strengths, we can start to give light to our gloomy days. We can start to make plans, get back to creating despite of what is happening. As we build the momentum, we go to our third point, creating our own rhythm, but not feeling the pressure to be productive. This is one of the hardest things for me to do, frankly. Even though I know I've done something, by the end of the day, I sometimes question myself whether I have been productive. I think productivity has been greatly tied to our day-to-day work and routines. That when we're doing something else, even something that truly matters, we don't label them as productive. That's why creating a rhythm is important. Something different with our previous routines, but the rhythm just the same. It redefines how we think about productivity and it gives us a sense of accomplishments. It also reinforces the strengths that we examine in the beginning. We know what we're good at and we see the opportunities. So we slowly build on top of that. It is important that I should say that we should allow for flexibility too. During the period of in-between, our will and moods will vary. So we also have to honor our limitation. Finally, as we start to create our own rhythm and be comfortable with uncertainty, we go to our last point. We give space for what comes next. We don't need to fully reinvent ourselves and create a new version, but we can recalibrate. We can redefine our North Star. Despite the uncertainty, what we get the most from this period is the opportunity to begin something new. It's the campfire where the stories we tell others and ourselves will define the path that we'll take on next. It's also a time to unburden ourselves of what we don't need. In the period of in-between, since we have evaluated what's important to us, we can let go of what's not, so that when we cross the limbo and into our next journey, we will be ready. Epictillus

Surrender Curiosity And Next Steps

Richmond 10:02

once said, Make the best use of what is in your power and take the rest as it happens. This epitomizes what we can do in this period to understand what we could control. But I'd also like to emphasize the second part. Take the rest as it happens. That means also understanding the need to surrender. We did what we can, we gave the best, but not all decisions are ours to make. When we understand that distinction, my hope is that we will all be at peace, that we see things as they are, and this will allow us to move forward. In the end, the in-between is just one season in our life. It will come and it will go. And as I always say and abide with, lead with curiosity. The questions we ask change the world we see. And in this period, if we start with questions, with entertaining the possibility, who knows? What we're searching for, this might be on the other side. You've been with pockets. Thank you so much for sharing this space with me. Now go embrace the moments, build your pockets of meaning, and keep curiosity a s your guide.