The Sometimes Elusive Gift of Clarity
As I was watering my plants the other day, I noticed the white seashell on my bookcase with the word clarity written on it.
Clarity is my word for 2026.
During a New Year’s Eve ceremony at a friend’s house, we each allowed a word to drop in and wrote it on a seashell as a reminder of our intention for the year ahead. I’m grateful we did because I’ve needed that reminder more than once.
We’re only in June, but I have needed clarity in many different aspects of my life.
Most recently, I struggled with the decision to stay in my current apartment or move to a new space when my lease expires in August. As the decision deadline approached, I did a lot of reflecting on the subject. I discussed it with close friends and family, did a little research on other options, and asked Spirit to guide me on what was the highest and best choice.
But whenever I imagined myself moving, it simply didn’t feel peaceful.
I really have no major complaints about where I live. My little casita apartment is lovely, the community is well-maintained, and I only share one wall with a neighbor who has two cats and a lizard. As you might expect, they’re very quiet!
The only downside is how close my apartment is to the community pool. It gets very noisy when there are lots of kids playing, screaming, and jumping in the water, but usually only in the late afternoon and early evening. It’s quiet at night. Some days the pool area is empty or just has a few adults silently sunbathing.
When I considered moving, I remembered my previous apartment. The dog downstairs barked incessantly whenever its human left. The neighbor on the other side of my bedroom wall left her television on all night. The couple across the hall had explosive arguments that often spilled into the stairwell. Compared to that, my current home feels like a Zen retreat center.
Once it became clear that I wanted to stay, peace returned. That’s my sign that I’m making a decision from love rather than fear.
Then came some unexpected confirmation.
When I went to the leasing office to renew, I learned my rent would actually decrease because apartment prices in the area have dropped. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of an apartment community lowering rent for existing residents. It spoke volumes about the integrity of the management and reinforced that this community feels like the right place for me.
I wish I could say I had the same clarity with a new auto mechanic I tried this week.
The shop had excellent reviews, was only a mile from my apartment, and the owner was extremely friendly when I called. He estimated replacing my serpentine belt would cost around $225, which was on the high end of the research I had done, but still acceptable.
When I dropped off the car, everyone was pleasant, and the vibe felt good. The owner’s daughter worked the front desk, and she could not have been nicer. What wasn’t clear was how they handled estimates. I assumed she would call before doing any work if the price changed.
Instead, she called later that afternoon to tell me my car was finished…and the bill was $350. Whoa! I told her that was way more than I was expecting.
She put her father on the phone and after a cordial conversation, he agreed to honor his original estimate of $225. I appreciated that, but the experience still felt off. The issue wasn’t the repair. It was the lack of clear communication.
Driving home, I found myself wondering why I had felt guided to try this shop instead of taking the car to the Honda dealership, as I usually do. Despite having to fend off overzealous salespeople who want to buy my car and sell me a new one, at least I know how much the bill will be before any work is done. Honda sends me all kinds of coupons and loyalty rewards to keep me coming back, so perhaps the cost would have been similar had I taken it there.
Maybe there was a reason beyond getting my car repaired. During one of our conversations, I told the owner’s daughter about getting a complimentary birthday button at Disney Guest Relations for her little girl. They were planning to celebrate her upcoming birthday at Disney World. Maybe I was supposed to share that little tip to help make their day a little more magical.
Or perhaps that’s not the reason at all. There’s no way to know!
The truth is, we don’t always know why we’re guided to make certain choices. Sometimes clarity arrives immediately, as it did with my apartment. Sometimes it takes longer. And sometimes we never fully understand the role we played in a particular situation.
By setting the intention for clarity this year, I’ve been reminded that it isn’t about having all the answers. Sometimes it’s simply knowing the next step and trusting the rest will be revealed in time.
So I’ll continue checking in with Spirit and asking, “What would love do?” It doesn’t always make sense to my logical mind, but I’ve found that following that guidance feels most peaceful and eventually leads to the highest outcome for everyone involved.
If things feel foggy right now, I would be honored to help you find clarity during a series of Spiritual Coaching Sessions or a private Family Constellations Session. Both can reveal and heal what is standing in the way of your clear path forward. Please visit my website for more information and to schedule a session.
You also have an opportunity to experience the powerful healing of Family Constellations in a group setting during my upcoming online event called Summer Freedom. This 3-hour event is happening on Sunday, June 28. Visit the Events page on my website for all the details and to purchase a ticket.
Until next time, may the gift of clarity find you at the perfect moment.
Be certain any answer to a problem the Holy Spirit solves will always be one in which no one loses.
A Course in Miracles ~ T-25.IX.3:1