Get Clarity on Anything With This Powerful Exercise

Marie Forleo:

Hey, it's Marie Forleo. And real quick, I'm going to show you how to get clarity on almost anything. So if you're anything like me, there are situations that come up in your business, in your career, in your life, that you're like, I don't know which to choose. I could go either which way. Ugh, why don't I have the clarity I need? And oftentimes, we're so used to looking to other people, calling our friends, calling experts, hiring coaches, looking to books, looking to all the external information, instead of remembering, that we have this incredible well of internal wisdom that is always available inside us. Yet, most of us don't know how to tap into it. We don't know how to listen. So, here are my two best practices for getting that clarity and finding it from the inside out.

Practice number one, is something I call tapping into your higher, wiser, future self. So, all of us have another self that is coexisting with this one. And I like to think of it as my kinder, more expansive, more experienced, wiser, future self. So whenever I find myself in a conundrum, here's what I do. Rather than going with my mind which thinks, I like to go with my heart, which always knows. And here's how I get there. So I put my hand over my heart, I close my eyes, and I really ask, I say, all right, higher, wiser, future self Marie, what do you really know to be true about this situation? Is it a yes? Is it a no? What does it feel like inside? What's the wisdom that you have to offer me right now? And then I wait, and I actually listen. Again, most of us have so much information coming to us at all different times, from our computers, our texts, our email, social media, you name it.

There's so much noise from the external world, that we've forgotten that this beautiful version of us exists, if we can actually hear it. So again, putting your hand on your heart, tapping into that higher, wiser, kinder, more experienced, beautiful, future self, that already exists in another dimension, and asking, what's the truth for me in this situation? What do I need to know? What do I need to understand? What's the best next move, that's going to support my growth and who I need to ultimately become? Now, the most uncomfortable part is usually hanging out in silence, and feeling what arises from within. And here's what I've learned about the messages that come from our higher, wiser, future self. They're never harsh. That voice doesn't speak in a critical tone. It usually whispers. And it communicates with simplicity and clarity. Sometimes it might, for me, come in words. Oftentimes, it comes in body sensations like, I can feel a sense of dread about moving in a particular direction versus another.

I can feel a sense of lightness, about moving in a certain direction rather than another. Or, one feels just more fun and more easy, rather than another. So, give that a try the next time that you might be feeling like you've lost your way. You're unclear about how to move forward. And that you're too busy listening to external voices rather than your own. And if you don't get the clarity that you need with that little practice, here's my next one.

So, this is something called automatic or guided writing. I got to tell you, this was something I used consistently when I was writing my book, Everything Is Figureoutable. Because I kept running into so many struggle points. Oh my gosh, it felt like I was beating my head against a wall. I didn't have clarity, God, which chapter first, or which information to put where. And it was so torturesome, because I was putting so much pressure on myself to get this book right. I wanted to do a really great job for everyone. Anyway, the practice of guided writing saved my butt, and here's what you do.

So, guided writing is this journaling practice where you tap into that higher, wiser, more conscious you, and you give it voice on the page. Here has been the practice that has helped me in terms of accessing that particular voice. So, step one. I meditate for at least 20 minutes. Giving myself that amount of space to let the chatter in my mind slow down, to actually slow down my brainwaves, to get coherent in my brain and in my heart, and to be able to access a different part of myself, that meditation for at least 20 minutes, that's everything.

Next, I go to my journal, I get a pen, and then I write, “Dear, higher self, what do I need to know about…” Fill in the blank. This next chapter, whether or not I should say yes to this particular opportunity, this particular real estate deal, doesn't matter whatever it is. Once you write that question, allow your hand to really start moving on the page. I know this sounds wild, but every single time I've done this, it's as though another energy is moving through me. You can't judge your writing, don't worry about spelling, don't worry about grammar, just let your hand start moving on the page. And I promise you, if you ask with intention, and you allow yourself to just start letting words come through, you will be shocked at the wisdom that shows up.

And here's the wild thing. When I've done guided writing or automatic writing. And I look back at those journal entries. I'm not kidding you, it does not sound like my voice. As someone who's been writing for over 20 years, who writes every day for my career, for my business, for my personal life, the language that comes through, the wisdom that comes through, the clarity, the humor, the simplicity, is amazing. I think I've even shown a few journal pages to very close friends, and they've said the same thing, like, this does not sound like normal Marie at all. I'm like, I know. But it's very, very clear. So, that's my simple practice around finding your clarity through guided writing.

Oh, a couple of tips here. So, when you're doing guided writing, just allow your pen to move, right? Don't edit it. The moment you get into your analytical mind, you are fubar. So, don't go there. Just allow it to keep flowing. And if you hit a stop point and you don't think you've actually gotten there yet, you can use this little sentence stem, “What else do I need to know about _______? Is there anything else I need to know about…” Fill in the blank of your topic du jour. You also don't want to worry about, I know I said this before, but don't worry about grammar or even complete or full sentences, or punctuation, or anything like that. Just get into the flow of writing, you'll be shocked.

And when it's done, you're going to feel it. Right? Sometimes I've done automatic or guided writing for like 10 minutes. Sometimes it's gone on for 25 minutes. Sometimes it's been five minutes. When you get in tune with yourself, you'll just feel like it kind of stops, and it's complete. And then you can go back and reread what you wrote. And once again, when your highest, wisest, future self is coming through, that voice is not harsh, it is not critical, it is so beautiful and loving and clear and simple. And mine is often very funny and very firm. So, give both of these practices a try. I hope they help you find clarity. And until next time, stay on your game, and keep going for your big dreams, because the world really does need that very special gift that only you have. See you next time.

Oh my goodness that was so fun. Now if you loved this episode, you’re going to love this next one even more because it goes even deeper. So enough talking, click, watch now, and I’ll see you there.

When I meditate, I’m a better listener, I have more patience, I am so much more creative, and I’m kinder to myself and other people.