On a Clear Day – you can see for miles. But what about the days that are foggy?
I live in an amazing place, I just love being somewhere so peaceful and calm, away from the crowds and immersed in nature. And I love winter.. being brought up in England it’s hardly surprising (our winter is a lot like an English summer mostly!)
One thing I love about winter - amongst MANY other things… is the clarity in the air. I have a walk which takes me around the property, up over the hills that overlook the mountain range and on a clear day you can see for miles! I get back home and EVERY TIME, I feel invigorated, inspired and ready to take on the day.
Some days are like that - clear and fresh and, well happy! Others are not so clear… foggy and misty and the view just disappears. The inspiration to walk is not there and I really just want to stay inside and put my feet up… well, I do have an open fire and a cat… So how do you stay clear minded with a sharp mind on a foggy day?
On a clear day, you can see your vision like a beacon driving you forward.
You can see the detail right in front of you and the horizon in the distance
On a clear day you take each step happily and calmly just enjoying the journey
On a clear day, your doubts and insecurities drift away and leave you feeling safe and secure
On a clear day, you know that everything is and will be OK
And on the other days…
When your vision seems to have disappeared over the edge of the horizon and you just don’t know which way to turn
When you doubt yourself so much that you want to give up
When you’re stuck and alone and feel like you’re not going anywhere
When you just don’t believe that what you’re doing is going to work and it’s all a waste of time
Some days are like the weather; you can see ahead with clarity. Everything is on track, your direction is set, your day is planned and it runs smoothly, calmly and productively. Your mind is sharp, your thoughts are clear and your direction is safe.
Others, well, things just don’t seem to be clear at all. Your mind is foggy, productivity and clear thinking just goes out of the window. Doubts start to creep in like the fog up the window and if you’re not careful, the mood sinks to a place that brings everything downward.
I’ve experienced many days of both clarity and cloudiness, but fortunately, now I have my days under control; whatever the weather, and pretty much, whatever is going on, I can maintain a degree of calm and clarity that is essential to me in my life now.
How to turn a cloudy day into a clear day
CAPTURE THE CLEAR MOMENTS, to see you through the cloudy ones. Photos, notes, driving, writing. This is the most important thing to remember. As a creative thinker, I’m constantly on the look-out for those aha moments, those wonderful snippets of clarity that take your breath away. Yes, they can be on top of a hill staring out at the amazing clear view, but they can equally be in a completely random place, where things just happen to all fall into place with beautiful synchronicity. All too soon those moments - often only seconds - are gone, replaced with the reality of the next second… so I’ve learned to relish every single second for what it is, what it offers and what I can learn and appreciate. Whether it be with a camera to snap the view, a pencil to write down a thought or a phone to send a message, I make sure I grab it - QUICKLY! It’s amazing how those grabs grow and build to become a bank of reference to carry you through the cloudy days. There’s nothing more heart-warming than looking back through photos of a clear day on a cloudy one!
HAVE SIMPLE WAYS TO GET YOU BACK ON TRACK - tea, walk, paint, read, switch off. If the clouds won’t part by themselves, sometimes you have to give them a little nudge. To do that I have a few simple but reliable ways to get me back on track. I’ll very often just have a cup of tea… a solution to all problems in England. A walk will always put me back in a good space. I’ll read and immerse myself in a book that lifts my spirits - I have a pile of my favourites by my bed ready for when I need them. One simple page can turn the corner completely! And of course I’ll retreat to my creative self and allow my artistic side to take over. That ALWAYS works….
ACCEPT - Some days are just better than others, it’s a fact and to be honest, it would be boring and un-natural for every day to be amazing and without its challenges. Personally I thrive on a bit of a challenge. So to remember that life is better with ups and downs, helps us to accept and manage our ‘cloudy’ days with gratitude and an open mind. Make the best of the sunny days - and accept that not every day will be like that - the suns still there, it’s just behind the clouds and it will come out again soon. Work with what is. Cultivate and attitude of gratitude.