Field Notes from Ep. 5 - Tuning in: intuition, creativity & the courage to be fully you with kelsey erickson

There are moments when the world feels too fast for our nervous systems, when our bodies whisper “pause” but everything around us screams “produce.” It’s in those moments—the in-between spaces—that something sacred begins to stir.

That’s where this conversation lives.

In this episode, I sat down with my friend Kelsey—a doula, a therapist, a grounded and intuitive guide—who lives and breathes in those liminal spaces. We talked about honoring the body’s cues, trusting our inner rhythms, and what it means to hold space when the culture we live in tells us to push through.

We talked about grief. About birth. About the tender act of allowing.

We talked about life before the transformation has fully happened… and how holy that space can be.

The Power of Slowness

One of the most profound things Kelsey said during our conversation was this: “We are so much more aware than we give ourselves credit for. But awareness doesn’t always feel good.”

Whew. Yes.

So often, we expect clarity to feel like peace. But sometimes clarity feels like grief. Sometimes it looks like shedding. Like softening. Like admitting something isn’t working anymore—even if it once did.

This is the practice. Not fixing. Not rushing. But learning how to sit in what is.

We explored the idea that urgency often masks avoidance. That when we slow down enough to actually feel, we often uncover what’s really asking for our attention. The ache. The unmet need. The fear we didn’t know was still living in our bodies.

The In-Between as Ceremony

Kelsey shared that most of the time, we aren’t in the beginning or the end—we’re in the middle. The in-between. The space of becoming. And the in-between is not something to rush through. It’s sacred.

She likened this to her work in birth and death—threshold moments that crack us open. And it made me think: How often do we treat the in-between like an inconvenience, when really, it’s the place where the most beautiful transformation happens?

This conversation reminded me that we don’t need to wait for the arrival to honor what’s unfolding. We can treat the unfolding itself like ceremony.

💭 Reflection Questions from the Episode

→ Where in your life are you rushing toward clarity instead of sitting with what’s true?
→ What would it look like to let the middle be enough?
→ Where can you honor your body’s wisdom instead of overriding it?

🖋️ My Own Reflections

Where in your life are you rushing toward clarity instead of sitting with what’s true?
—In my desire to be “ready,” I sometimes grasp for answers too quickly. I want resolution when what’s really needed is rest. I’m learning to let the unknown be a space I live in, not a problem I solve.

What would it look like to let the middle be enough?

—It would look like breathing deeper. Journaling without needing a breakthrough. Choosing presence over progress. Letting myself be held by what is, not just what’s coming.

🌱 Try This Prompt:

Today, slow down. Just for a moment.
Close your eyes and place a hand on your body. Ask:
“What do you need right now?”
Whatever the answer is—believe it.