Clarity Course
1. Integrating
Often times it’s not a person or situation by itself that causes confusion and overwhelm – it’s our resistance to it. »It shouldn’t be that way! It should be different!« Sounds familiar? When we are resistant and go into fight-or-flight mode, our body releases a cocktail of stress-hormones. This is useful running from a tiger but it also reduces our capacity to think. Reversing the process of resistance, conflict and separation is the first step to regaining clarity: Opening up, understanding and integrating other perspectives.
Exercise
Take a person with a very different opinion to yours. Instead of arguing with this person, try to look in the same direction. Try to see life from their point of view and identify why it makes perfect sense for them to have this perspective. Drop potential judgements and preconceived ideas and really try to understand why their perspective is true as well.
Tipp: The more resistance you have to this exercise, the more potential clarity is waiting for you to be unlocked.
2. Zooming out
Our rational mind is naturally attracted to problem-solving. Sometimes it turns a problem upside down just to discover yet another problem. Sometimes it cuts into a problem to understand it and accidentally creates two problems in the process. Sometimes it zooms in on a problem so much, that we loose touch with where we came from. Reversing this process is the second step to regaining clarity: Zooming out of tunnel-vision and relaxing back into bird’s-eye-view to see the bigger picture.
Exercise
Find a quiet and comfortable place where you can sit and relax for ten minutes. Fully focus your attention inwards and watch your thoughts. Think of your attention as a bright light bulb instead of a laser pointer. Instead of following the thoughts that come up, keep your attention broad and wide. Sit back and watch all the thoughts pop up, float by and eventually disappear.
Tipp: Judging the thoughts that come up is engaging. Rating your success with this exercise is engaging. For the duration of this exercise, don’t engage and simply watch!
3. Deciding
A common block to clarity is what we call paralysis by analysis or simply: overthinking. When we overthink, we don’t move. When we don’t move, we are unable to experience. When we don’t experience, how can we gather new information and progress? For a small child there is neither fear of failure nor overthinking – it explores the world with lightness and curiosity. Taking this as an inspiration for our decision-making-process is the third step to regaining clarity.
Exercise
Find out what you are truly excited about in this moment and take a first small step towards this goal. Take this step to the best of your abilities without attachment to the outcome. Rest, evaluate again and repeat. Having a coffee with an acquaintance might lead to your dream-job. Stopping over in a remote village might lead to your new home. Selling your favorite piece of art might create space for a new hobby. Sometimes people and events are connected in invisible and unimaginable ways.
Tipp: We cannot not decide. Not deciding is also a decision – a decision to stick with the status quo.
What’s next?
You enjoyed the illustrated videos? Here are more Clarity Clips for you to watch. You enjoyed doing the exercises? Explore 21 more in my book on Applied Spirituality.
You are done exploring on your own and want to take big leaps instead of small steps? I offer free initial consultations both in person and online via video-call. This 1-2 hour long session provides you with all the information you need and the direct experience of coaching with me. The goal of this session is to check the chemistry between us and find out how I can support you best. I’m looking forward to getting to know you!