March 14, 2024

Finding Clarity: 7 Key Questions To Ask Yourself

Part of finding clarity is setting aside time each day for yourself without distractions. Asking yourself these seven key questions can bring you a sense of empowerment, confidence, and self-awareness.

Best of all, these questions will help you better understand who you are and what your core beliefs and values are. Only then will you be able to find true mental clarity necessary to live a fulfilling, contented life.

Before answering these questions, prepare a pen and a sheet of paper. Studies show that writing down your thoughts and feelings has a far more positive effect on your mental and emotional health than simply answering them in your head. Seeing your emotions on paper makes it easier to understand them more clearly and it helps you see things from a different perspective.

What Would Make Me Happy Right Now?

How often do you dwell on the past or lose sleep over the future? One of the first things you can do to find clarity is to stop worrying about tomorrow, next week, or next year.

Then, ask yourself: what can I do right now that will bring me joy? Take a walk outside? Eat a bowl of ice cream? Do some mindfulness meditation?

Filling your life with moments of happiness is a surefire way to lift your mood and clear your head. That will give you the ability to see things from a fresh perspective.

What Do I Want to Learn More About?

We’re usually so trapped in our fumble of tasks and responsibilities that we neglect our creative, intuitive side. Instead of consuming, why not set aside time to create?

Take a break from your normal routine and think about the things you want to learn more about. Make it a point to see this content as a source of inspiration, creativity, and expressiveness.

What’s Draining My Energy?

Exhaustion brought on by a demanding lifestyle can deplete your energy sources. Yet, there could also be minor things you're doing during your day that add to your sense of exhaustion.

Even simple things like overthinking, exercising too much, or having too many to-do lists can leave you feeling overwhelmed and worn out.

So, consider the things that drain you. Then, implement a plan to get rid of them or at least minimize their effects as much as possible.

What’s My Definition of Success?

Success means different things to different people. For one person, it can mean having a big house with a pool. For someone else, it can mean working for a non-profit and doing lots of volunteer work.

So, if you don’t know what your definition of success is, how will you know when you find it?

What Does Self-Care Look Like for Me?

Life is hectic. Running around juggling responsibilities at home and at work makes it nearly impossible to find a few quiet moments to indulge in self-care.

Yet, you have to force yourself to make time for “you” each and every week. Self-care isn’t an indulgence and it’s not selfish, it’s necessary.

It’s a vital part of taking care of your mental and emotional health. It helps you declutter your thoughts, clear your mind, and be more alert.

What Am I Avoiding Right Now?

This is a tough one.

You may have noticed that we’re creatures of habit who try and avoid discomfort. So, we tend to procrastinate and put things off rather than deal with something we’re not comfortable with.

However, when you’re conscious of what makes you feel uncomfortable and why you feel this way, it’s more likely you’ll know why you’re avoiding them. Once you know that, you can start implementing steps to overcome it.

What Kind of Experiences Do I Want to Have?

The way we think about life and the way we see ourselves changes every decade or so. That’s why it’s important that you check in with yourself every once in a while.

Think about the type of experiences you wanted to have when you were young before school and social expectations left their mark on you.

Say you’ve always wanted to visit Greece, but it’s not an option at the moment. Fortunately, there are things you can do to create the experience at home to get a partial sense of fulfillment.

One idea is to create a Pinterest board with all the places you'll visit in Greece and the foods you’ll eat. You can also visit a local Greek restaurant or indulge in nutritious Mediterranean-style cuisine at home.

Finding clarity is a journey with many twists and turns; it’s a journey worth taking.

dhf

If you like this content, check out my Subtack at:

https://theunreliablemind.substack.com