Clarity in Times of Uncertainty

 

Experiencing “clarity” can be an incredibly liberating experience. The origin of the word clarity (latin: clarus) is so hopeful, it has ties to “glory”, “divine” and “splendor”.  Having clarity in uncertain times like these is not only beneficial but absolutely necessary to staying sane.

I very much value feeling free of extraneous worry and stress and have recently lost all need to ruminate about problems I can not solve. I take care of what I can, give everything my best shot, try not to hurt anyone and get a good night’s rest. I love this helpful mantra, something to tattoo on your brain –

Do you have a problem in life? No? Then why worry?

Do you have a problem in life? Yes? Can you do something about it? Yes? Then why worry?

Do you have a problem in life? Yes? Can you do something about it? No? Then why worry? 

It’s just too damn difficult to allow myself to become overwhelmed by life. Clarity feels way too good to ignore. It feels like the burden of confusion and fog is just lifted from the shoreline of the mind.

Softening a Hardened Heart

I feel light and carefree but at the same time grounded and confident. Clarity certainly has its rewards and I have personally found that it is not something that just came to me, it was something I had (and have) to work towards and struggle with daily. It took a lot of work to defrost my numb emotions  and restructure my brain, while also listening to my heart.

This “clearance” came with commitment. A commitment to searching my emotions for triggers and a commitment to trying new ways of doing everything.

I hope this post inspires you to be brave, bold and work hard towards finding clarity for yourself.

New Ways of Seeing Old Problems

It is difficult to find the time during the average day or night to reflect upon one’s life; to check in with your heart and to examine your feelings. But you must. I start early in the morning with a moment of gratitude and stream of consciousness writing.

Clarity from the Inside Out

It is also challenging to only look within for answers because we will inadvertently reinforce old ways of seeing the world and outdated views of ourselves. This is why it pays to open our minds to new mental models.

A detailed plan of action will also help organize messy areas of your life and help to eliminate worry and anxiety about what to do next. Sorting out a solution and writing out a solution plan truly does add clarity.

Stumbling Towards Clarity

To get clear, one must take action. Take one tiny step with enthusiasm, trust your gut and move on and try something else when something is not working.

Regular Mental & Emotional Check Ups

Tracking progress with status updates and wake up calls fuels progress and keeps you on course. One cannot get clearer without measuring efforts.

Eliminating old cognitive biases eliminates making the same mistake over and over. This simple essay per day book has helped me – The Art of Thinking Clearly

Daily meditation will help clear mental clutter and exercise clears the mind with dopamine bursts to the brain.

I have noticed that some recommend supplements, plants and other ways to maintain clarity. This is a pretty good list here from @shiftisnow on Twitter.

I am curious, what do you do to stay focused?  Has finding clarity helped you follow your true passions?