When you’re 35,000 feet up in a plane, you’re suspended mid-way, which often shifts your brain into a reflective, in-between state too. It’s been proven that the lower oxygen levels, dehydration and altitudes make you feel things more intensely and reflect more.
“Liminal” comes from the Latin word “limen”, meaning threshold. A liminal space is the transitional period.
Liminal physical spaces could be airports, waiting rooms, and the moment before sunrise. Liminal life stages could be the moment after a breakup before you’ve moved on, when you’re between jobs, between moving cities, or the space between who you were and who you’re becoming.
It feels like a strange place to be in because you have no clear identity, you’re more vulnerable, normal rules feel suspended and your brain is processing the transition. It’s uncomfortable, but they’re also where change happens. Kinda like being between chapters.
The whole of 2025 felt like a liminal space for me. It was a year I felt I put everything on pause to focus on my startup and getting myself to a place in life where I felt independent enough to design the life I wanted. I moved to San Francisco knowing full well that at some point, I’d move back to New York. And so in the interim, I lost the excitement for most things outside of my company — dating, art, hobbies and life.
Taking 4 flights in the first week between 5 cities and timezones forced me to relive the life I once used to. The time on the plane inadvertently forced me to speedrun my reflections and made me realize that I no longer want to live on a plane. In the past, the only time I had normalcy was when I lived in New York, had my fixed routines and not much of desire to travel. The desire to have a calmer life so I can focus on the important things like building a family and career was always stronger there for an unexplainable reason.
I also realized that because I didn’t want to live in the bay long term, it felt like I was living a temporary life. Everything I did felt like it was just a filler. I have craved stability for the longest time, but didn’t want to tie myself down and build stability for myself in a city I couldn’t see myself settling in.
Over time, I convinced myself that the only way to build a successful startup was by being in the bay. So I told myself I’d move to New York after my seed round. And then I told myself I’d do it after Series A. But when you keep moving the goalpost, it never happens. And then you’re stuck in a liminal space feeling unhappy.
I started Gullie 4 years ago to help a million people move to their dream city. I realized, I was doing it for everyone but myself.
I don’t have regrets moving to SF because i’ve made so many wonderful friends that I’d keep close for a lifetime, and it has been incredible for my career. As I’ve continued growing the company, I’ve also given myself so much confidence that I can build a great company from anywhere.
If you’re in a place in life you don’t want to be, it’s up to you to make it better. To reframe it by focusing on the positive, and approaching it with enthusiasm. In the end, your positivity and enthusiasm will contribute to creating the outcome you’re after.
— tom brady
So I decided to make my life better and move back to New York earlier than planned, and just the thought of this has made me so much more excited for the year ahead. 2026 is the year I’m coming home :)
doing amazing rach!