I'm so honored to introduce you today's guest! Jonathan DeWaal is with us today to discuss the timing of improvisation, especially as it pertains to seasons of bravery and transition! Jon is the executive director of Liminal Space, a nonprofit organization based out of Seattle, WA which is dedicated to helping others find the courage and means to navigate major life transition. One nugget of a quote he laid down in today's conversation is this: "The gold we're often looking for is found in the place where you find the most discomfort." So true. We're not just talking about the discomfort of transition, but also two really powerful questions to ask when we find ourselves smack in the center of a liminal space or transition: - How did I get here? - Who do I want to become now? He also gave us a wealth of resources towards the end of our conversation, which I'll be sure to pop the links to all of it in the show notes for this episode. Thank you so much Jon for stepping into today's conversation with your whole presence. All of us going through transitions thank you immensely. Before we pop into the conversation, let me just say this. You probably know of someone going through a season of bravery and transition. If you do, share this episode with them. Another resource I'll just put out here because it's thematically resonant: The Seasons of Bravery Ritual Workshop is waiting for you on emilyannpeterson.com/workshops - it's a series of videos, guidebook, and 6 steps to help you make some plans and attain some goals. So if you find yourself in a season where you might need to take a step back and acknowledge the sacredness of discomfort and growth, go for it! Additional options for taking next steps are to go listen to Jon's new podcast called, "Life Through Transitions." (https://inaliminalspace.org) He and I took a deeper dive into my own stories of transition to unpack that liminal space for his audience. We got to talk about elements of my story that I don't often discuss, so if you're curious, that link is also in the show notes. With allll that, I am delighted to introduce Jon DeWaal... Brave Takeaway Beyond your free Bravery Bundle (which is always available at barenakedbravery.com) your Brave Take-Away from today's show is to ask those two questions to a friend going through transition. Bonus points go to those who actually sit down and listen to your friends answers. Having a witness for your own transitions is immensely healing and helpful, but being a witness to someone else's metamorphosis is equally so. We'd love to hear all about your favorite parts of today's Bare Naked Bravery. You can find Jonathan DeWaal and myself on facebook, twitter, instagram, and more. Go ahead and tag us so we can cheer you on and see what you're up to. More Resources Book: "Transitions" by William Bridges Book: "Crossing the Unknown Sea" by David Whyte Book: "To Be Told" by Dan Allender More About Jon DeWaal Jon came to Seattle in 2003 from Grand Rapids, MI, to attend The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology receiving his Masters of Divinity in 2007.  Since then, he taught at The Seattle School as an adjunct professor on calling and career. Jon served for two years as a fellow and teacher at The Allender Center for Trauma & Abuse.  Through his education, mentoring and the struggles and discoveries of his transitions, Jon found a more natural fit for his career – creating Liminal Space, an organization that combines the often segregated disciplines of counseling, life coaching, career counseling and spiritual direction.  Over the last 10 years his work and research has shown that major transitions are places where people can find their desired path and become stronger, or where they can get stuck – sometimes for years. Having a plan, helpful guidance, and a clear focus can make all the difference in the world. Keep in Touch with Jonathan DeWaal Inaliminalspace.orghttps://www.instagram.com/inaliminalspace/ https://www.facebook.com/inaliminalspace/ https://twitter.com/inaliminalspace Keep in Touch with Emily Ann Peterson http://emilyannpeterson.comhttp://instagram.com/emilyannpete http://facebook.com/emilyannpeterson http://twitter.com/emilyapeterson Credits If you're diggin' the music in today's episode, that's because it's brought to you by my friends at Music Box Licensing, a premier creative music agency dedicated to finding and crafting unique soundtracks. To find out more about all the artists, musicians, and other sponsors of the show, please visit barenakedbravery.com/sponsors 3 Ways You Can Support the Bravery! Leave a review on iTunes We would LOVE it if you’d leave a podcast rating or review on iTunes.   Simply click here to get started >>> http://bit.ly/bnbrr Share this episode with a friend If you have a friend who might really love/need to hear this episode, what are you waiting for?! Email, text, fb message, snail mail - all great options! Become a Patron of Bare Naked Bravery Every patron gets awesome goodies, super early advance links to Emily Ann's new songs & releases, and so much more! $1 Monthly$3 Monthly$5 Monthly$10 Monthly$15 Monthly$25 Monthly$100 Monthly I'm looking forward to being with you next week. We have some great things in store for you! Until then I have one message for you. It's this: Be yourself. Be vulnerable. Be brave. Because the world needs more of your Bare Naked Bravery.