Clarity
In a world of questions (I ask a lot of them) have you asked what nourishes your soul? In other words, what feeds you? What energises you? What leaves you so deeply happy and satisfied that it makes those moments so worthwhile? If you haven’t, may I suggest you sit with yourself and ask this question? You don’t have to do anything and there isn’t a time limit, allow it to reveal itself. You may be surprised at the results.
In an era of endless options, the noise of “what’s trending” or what’s good for you can be deafening. It’s easy to get caught up in what works for others, but let’s get back to basics...let’s simplify things a little more.
By definition, “simplicity” refers to something that is easily understood and uncomplicated. Another beautiful synonym for it is “clarity.” To have clarity about something is to understand it and see it. So, let’s do it together, what do you “see clearly” that nourishes who you are.
Declutter Your Mind to Get Mental Clarity.
One of the first ways to get mental clarity is to practice being in the present moment. Stress will rob you of mindfulness as you fret about events that are beyond your control or haven’t happened. There are several ways to practice mindfulness. Find a meditation or prayer ritual that works for you. Focus on what’s around you. Use your senses to identify what you see, hear, smell, feel and taste right now. Focus on your breathing at various times during the day. These bring you into the moment of now that allows you to be in this single moment and move into the next without getting caught up in your thoughts. Practising John Kabat Zinn’s 9 attitudes of mindfulness (taught through Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Techniques) is a wonderful starting point to cultivating the art of mindfulness.
Turn those notifications off
I have officially turned off notification for apps and emails I considered to be important because they would interrupt the flow of my day. Rather, I control when I check my messages and when I respond, instead of my device prompting me to respond when I’m occupied with another task. Another practice I’ve discovered works for me is to cut down on time spent on technology and social media and television. These all simply take up space in your mind and take away from focussing on what you need in the present moment. Notice how you feel when you’re on social media for too long. Turn off your notifications if you need to. When you consciously explore that feeling, it makes you feel foggy and takes away from your mental clarity.
Multitasking is not it Sis
Let go of the need to multitask. I very loudly and proudly state that I do not multitask. There’s a difference between doing one activity that requires you to activate a couple of activities at once. For instance, cooking a meal may mean prepping your vegetables while your roast is in the oven or researching as you write. I’m referring to trying to work, while on a zoom call and trying to make lunch. No quality is produced while doing this and it takes away from your joy as you probably only accomplish part of the tasks at hand.
“Marie Kondo” your Emotions
I’ve just made “Marie Kondo” a verb and if you know what she does, you’ll understand. Using the principle of simplifying to tidy up, declutter and organise so that spaces are serene and inspire joy. The same MUST be done with your emotions.
Write down your most frequent negative thoughts, without judgement. Once you’ve identified this, notice the feeling in your body that comes with this thought and ask yourself what’s happening right now.
Consciously shift to a more positive thought. Here I like to write things down too. I keep it simple and replace the negative with the more positive. For instance: “I’m overwhelmed with too much to do!” Replace this with “I only have to do one thing at a time.”
Repeat the practice. This is a wonderful way of cultivating the habit of journaling - which also brings mental clarity- while practically re-directing your emotions into a more positive state of being to bring you the peace that you need.
Relationship check
I frequently investigate my relationships because relationships affect our emotions tremendously. What do you need to confront in love? Identify what you need to let go of. Not everything needs to be an argument. Own your part of the drama in a relationship. Often, just acknowledging the part you have played in creating the drama will help you identify the pattern, prompt you to stop and simplify your life. Identify your values and your boundaries and stick to them...relationships that are toxic that continually violate your values and boundaries need to be re-evaluated and you need to make decisions that help you stay focussed and bring you peace.
The Power of “No.”
You don’t need to attend 3 different functions in a day. If you’re exhausted or simply need time alone, unless there is a work obligation, you’re not forced to attend social gatherings weekend after weekend. If deadlines are unrealistic, bring the discussion to the table instead of seething and allowing the overwhelm and negativity to chip away at your peace. You’re not obliged to work till 22h00 or put in a 15 hour day just because you’re working from home. On this topic alone, I could write an entire article, but we’ll save that for another day. Say no to the things that will detract from your self-care and your self-worth.
These are merely a few ways that will help you bring clarity to your heart and mind that will extend into all other aspects of your life. As Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn (founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) shares: “Voluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so I can see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so I can have more.”
By Kim Jansen