Clarity

Clarity.

Yes, please. I’d like just a bit of that.

I mean, is there anyone out there who prefers the fog of indecision? Or worse, the cloudiness of not even knowing what the question is? We all want clarity.

The yearning for clarity requires awareness and it’s that awareness that places you in the gap that is your Creative Play Zone.

In a recent blog post I wrote about your Creative Play Zone, that space between what you want and what you have; where you are vs where you want to be, between knowing and not knowing. A foggy spot, that gap.

How does your gap feel for you? Is it like the feeling of hunger and not knowing what will satisfy it? That persistent aching thought saying things are not as you’d like?  Not knowing where or how to start? Nobody wants to stay there in the foggy breath of not knowing. You want the veil to part and the other side become visible. You want clarity.

The way out is to step right in. 
                                   
Even if things are unclear, just start.

Even if you don’t know the whole picture, just start.

Even if you don’t know what the end result should be, just start.

Start, as Carl Jung suggests, by looking within and waking up.

It’s in the starting that clarity arrives.
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What might “start” look like?

• You can ask a small Kaizen-like question. Ask it in an open, curious way. “What would make this job search fun?” “What would I do if I could do anything?” "Who might know a way to ______?” "How can I get started on this project?" After asking yourself the question, you go about your business. Ask it over the course of a few days. Attach the asking to a ritual so you remember to ask. Start to notice the ideas, news stories, emails, people that start showing up. Approach the answers that emerge with curiosity and a sense of possibility. That’s a good start.

"Trust that still, small voice that says, ‘This might work and I'll try it’. - Diane Mariechild

• ​Do one small thing toward what you think might fill that gap. Just one small step and see how it feels. See if the next step shows up. Even if you make detours you are actively clarifying. Sit in front of an easel, a writing table, a resume template; walk around a garden center or supermarket. Pick up a book about second careers, poke around the internet to find out more about something you want to learn. This is also about listening to your inner wisdom and experimenting. Make it fun. (How might you make a game out of it?)
• Write/journal. Writing is a magical tool for clarity. It's also a journey into the heart. Get started by putting this at the top of your page: Everyone tells me to __________ but I … (Note: grammar, spelling, penmanship, quality of pen or paper – none of this matters because it’s just for you. So write your heart out)
• Sit. Just stop and sit with an idea and let it come into focus. Another journey within. This is more of a daydreaming exercise. You could add in a little doodling for fun. It’s intentionally exploratory and could lead to a writing exercise. Go big and bold. Wild and crazy. Shoot for the sun.

“Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to "jump at the Sun." We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground.”
- Zora Neale Hurston,American Writer

If you’re ever going to get clarity about what you want and what is best for you, you need to wakefully and intentionally start. You need to look within and trust that you have the answers. If the answers bring up a little fear or resistance you’re probably on the right track. (Read this blog for a discussion about resistance.)

P.S. As your coach I can be quite helpful in lifting your fog. Schedule a free 45 minute Discovery session to chat about how working together can make a difference.

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