Clarity Challenge Time Again!

There is no better moment for obtaining clarity then the moment you start preparing for a trip. That’s what I realized when I was about to write a blog post related to clarity and at the same time I was prepping for my time away. 

When I was going to write a post about the Clarity Challenge I thought about what actually provides us with clarity. Initially I will always start with clarity in the mind and clarity in life, which shows in how organized we are. To give you an idea. I can be very organized, but at the same time there is way too much chaos around me. Of course one would like to know why there is so much chaos and what can be done about it. In addition one can say that chaos in the mind is visible in life and vice versa. The chaos basically creates chaos. If there;s one thing I do not want, it is to return in chaos. I have experience twice now what it feels like to be living in an organized way in hotels and next return home to… yes, chaos. It has inspired me to start cleaning up rigorously, even though it is challenging at best.

Another way to look at clarity related to goals and dreams is by specifying them. We can talk about numbers, since they give us the most measurable and hence accurate data when it comes to change and hence progress. Living healthier can be measured in work out time, calories eaten, the scale, just to name a few things. This only applies for those who are capable of working out and dealing with food in a healthy way, which means it excludes a whole bunch of people out there. These people (including me) need to find a different way to cope if they cannot rely on things moving forward, despite all the effort put into improvement.

This takes us to the question what to do if the things we want to accomplish are not to be expressed in numbers. Then we get back to intention and doing the best we can on a day-to-day basis. It means accepting when things are going in a different direction than wished for and being okay when things don’t work out they way we want them to.

If I talk about things we don’t (always) have control over, it varies from health to outside influences, which or who have a direct impact on you. On one hand there might be unexpected and unavoidable situations which influence the direct outcome of our day or maybe even our entire livelihood. On the other hand we can consider situations where others influence and disrupt our schedule. And how about unexpected health issues of some sort which have a lasting impact on your life? How can we get clarity when there are only so many things we can control? You try and do your best and look at the things you can control.

This time I want to talk about clarity related to one specific topic. Clarity can beforehand be obtained by preparing as best as possible (including for the unexpected situations). Once in the process of what is going on, it is about documenting and thinking things through.

Let me give you an example by sharing what I am planning and doing right now for my upcoming trip, which will take place a week from now. In my case I am preparing for 4 weeks in the US going from Florida to Texas to Illinois and ending up in California.

Dealing with some health issues, this means first of all a medical passport and in addition I also need medical assistance when flying on the plane. Medications always need to be brought into the cabin next to the normal carry on baggage and customs always takes a good look at it. I can expect a discussion on their end and that’s okay, since there are fluids involved, which I need when flying because of the food allergies I have. I don’t know about you, but not eating is not really an option for me. Not having my contacts with me, since I have daily gel lenses falls into the same category.

I’m not really using a checklist, but at the same time I am, it’s just listed in my mind. To give you an idea:

• Glasses
• Contact lenses
• Medication (lots of it)
• Medication passport (!)
• International driver’s license (always convenient)
• Renewed passport
• Phone meant for use in the US with an American phone number
• Chords and plugs which fit into the American wall outlets.
• Maybe air-tags for in my luggage
• All sorts of insurance.

Of course there is way more to it, like clothing and electronics for instance, but for me these things are critical. 

Most of the other stuff is already in my backpack or attached to it, like for instance earplugs for flying. The back pack I’ll be taking with me will need to be checked and organized, which also makes it easy to take out one bag with electronics and another with the medication and fluids.

This, however is just one part of the equation when it comes to clarity. The other part is related to coming back and still wanting to experience that clarity. This means that I need to look beyond the trip. First of all I don’t want to come back in chaos, which means I need to sort things out whilst I’m still here. Then there’s the actual coming back in an old situation, without the motivational triggers, challenges and fun times you experienced when you were far away from all the day-to-day stuff.

What if we not only need to gain clarity about what lies ahead of us in our immediate future? What if clarity is also related to our long term plans, which are only partially under our control?

These are the things I’m going to talk about in my upcoming challenge and during my trip. The best part? You can be a part of this. You can join the Clarity Challenge and even meet up with me for a number of days of coaching in Chicago. I will promise you, you will look differently at life during this trip and especially when you return back home.

Want to know more? Please reach out by leaving a comment and/or sending a message on social media. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook when you look up “Lady Lexy Speaks Up”.