Clarity Comes With Some Assembly Required
Christmas with my family has always been completely chaotic. Yes, it's July, and I'm talking about Christmas. Stay with me here.
I will never forget my niece's daughter excitedly opening a toy she had wanted SO badly and wanted to play with immediately. It was, however, a toy that had "some assembly required." Her father worked hard removing the pieces from the ridiculous packaging, while her giddy enthusiasm wore at his nerves. We all found it absolutely hilarious when he got it all put together only to find she had moved on and forgotten all about it.
That kind of sounds like life in general, right? We get an idea in our head - our dream job, partner, or health goal - and set ambitious expectations thanks to the motivation and inspiration at the time. The desire is strong, and we compensate for the missing tools or skills. We push forward, determined. Then, when our plan takes too long or doesn’t look the way we imagined it, we quit or move on to the next shiny object.
We learn the hard way that clarity rarely arrives fully assembled.
Clarity grows through attention, honesty, and small experiments—not pressure, overthinking, or trying to map the next ten years before breakfast.
Clarity does not mean knowing exactly how the idea will unfold. Clarity may simply mean knowing:
What no longer fits
What you want more or less of
What matters now
What you’re no longer willing to tolerate
What you’re curious enough to explore
What the next honest step might be
During the first session of the Now What Intensive, my clients work through three stages to define what needs to change during their reinvention process and why it matters.
Think about a gift you want to give yourself or an idea you are trying to bring to fruition.
Notice
What makes you feel energized, resentful, relieved, restless, curious, or drained as you work on the plan or work the plan? These reactions are information.
Name
Now, try putting honest language around what you notice without immediately trying to fix it. Ask yourself something like:
What do I know is true, even if I don’t know what to do about it yet?
What am I pretending is still fine?
What do I want that I’ve been reluctant to admit?
Test
Finally, choose one small, safe action that gives you more information. It could be having a conversation, researching one possibility, trying a new routine or boundary for a week, or spending time with someone already doing what interests you.
Noticing your reactions, naming them without judgment, and testing for the sake of more information can be the pieces you assemble for clarity.
Sometimes clarity follows action instead of preceding it.
If you are ready, my low-risk coaching program, which I lovingly call The Now What? Intensive, will help you stop circling the change you want and start making it happen. Together, we’ll clarify what matters, make the decision you’ve been avoiding, and create a practical 90-day plan—so you leave with a clear direction and your first move already underway. Learn more on my Services page.
Today is your day, my friend, so make it a good one!
