Clarity

Finding my own clarity has been a struggle, it’s taken me to the depth of depression and given me the smallest of gaps to squeeze through.

It’s so very easy to follow the well trodden path, but I don’t always think it leads to that point in your heart where true clarity comes from.

This picture was taken in the field at the back of the studio on the first sunny day in 2018 . It had been the most dull and drab beginning of the year with very little sunshine . My photographer friend and ex bride Chrissy was meeting me at the studio then we were going for lunch which we never made and ended up sharing a museli bar and taking a few photos instead.

The crops in the field were lush and green and not a cloud in the most intensely blue sky, which seemed even brighter after such a dull start to the year. This picture is of a mirror in the field of lush green and guess what, I’m behind the mirror holding it up.I make such random requests of my friends, but look how it turned out.

Clarity is wholehearted living. Clarity is discovering your authentic self. Not the one you’ve been told or programmed to be. Not the one that society would lead you to become, but a version of yourself that comes from the heart. From a deep understanding of who you are and your connection to everything around you. A life that leads to being calm, centred, transparent, joyful, fulfilled, balanced, Inspired to live as a fearless, free, joyful master of incredible clarity and integrity.

“Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness,” Brené Brown writes in Daring Greatly.

“It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.”

This image to me also represents our relationship with the earth and nature. If our external world is a mirror of the internal, then lush green and vibrant blue is what I want to see.

How to create Clarity in your life.

1. Create space.

Your mind has to process everything in your field of vision. If your home or work environment is cluttered and messy, you won't have a clear mind. You can’t work effectively or live thoughtfully in chaos. Clear the clutter and reset at least once a week.

2. Identify what matters.

Write down your passions for work and life. What really matters to you? Passions aren’t maybes, they are musts. Where do you want to be and how do you want to get there?

3. Do one thing at a time.

When you are writing, write. When you are doing the dishes, do the dishes. You don’t need TV, Twitter, Email, and lots of other things going on at the same time. Immerse yourself in the task at hand and focus.

4. Eliminate distractions.

You may be so used to the beeps and dings from your phone and flashing messages on your computer screen that you don’t know how distracting they are. It can take 15 minutes or more to recover from even a small distraction. Turn off notifications and if you can’t resist the pull of your devices, turn them off when you are doing other work. When you realize that most of your distractions are self-imposed, it’s easier to eliminate them.

5. Eat well.

Remove the stimulating substances you think you need, life caffeine and sugar, for one week. Then start adding more natural fuel like greens and fresh fruit. See what a difference less artificial stimulants makes to your life and your ability to focus.

6. Get quiet.

Set aside a few minutes to get quiet and/or meditate every day. Even just 5 minutes is enough to focus yor mind and gain clarity in your visions.

7. Write to get clear.

Write for a few minutes every morning. If you are experiencing great clarity, write it down. If you can’t get clear, write that down too. Sometimes you can write out the distraction and get to where you want to be.

8. Experiment.

You don’t know what you don’t know. If you want clarity about the foods that best fuel you, the habits that improve your life, or the work you want to do, experiment. Learn through experience and experiments.

9. Put yourself where your heart wants to be. If you want it, go get it. Be present, get in the moment, and get it done.