if you could tell the future, would you?
I asked myself this question recently as I recognized I was lost in fear and overwhelm around my move. My mind resisting releasing these emotions, because if I did, I knew I’d have to face uncertainty head on.
But from my wise, metacognitive self, the answer was clear: I wouldn’t.
Despite my very real struggles with uncertainty, and my old compulsive craving for a kind of clarity only a clairvoyant could achieve (though sometimes I think I might be one, hehe…), I still wouldn’t choose to know the future.
I still wouldn’t take away the surprise of life. I now let life surprise me. I now embrace change, I reminded myself, with a gentle and encouraging nudge.
the clarity journey
So how did I transform, metamorphose, into someone who is connected to my inner knowing, self-trust, and body, even in the face of uncertainty?
I get asked this question regularly. And with the introduction of Clarity Sessions in my last post, it felt like the perfect time to answer for you all.
i allow silence
Nothing is louder than my brain. Not even the cacophony of riding the subway, which pushes me to the limits of my sensory sensitivity (yet I’m enjoying every minute, feeling part of the fabric of New York City).
What they don’t tell you is that you don’t need quiet to allow silence. Silence is space. Silence is pause. Silence is doing something different: not rehearsing, rehashing, telling the future, or ruminating. Silence is self-compassion. Silence is taking a breath. Silence is stepping out of the hustle, even for just a minute. Silence is what allows you, you as a unique individual, to see yourself clearly.
Answers emerge when they have space to make themselves known. Without silence—meditation, prayer, a walk with no phone—there is no room for clarity to come out from hiding.
Don’t confuse a busy mind with an inability to find silence. Allow silence. Allow space. Even while your mind races.
Silence connects you to your body, and clarity emerges.
i talk to my body
Yes, it’s exactly how it sounds. I create a dialogue with my body, the one divine vessel that carries me through this life.
I think back to how frequently I ignored this body, even as it called for my attention over and over again, until I was too sick and in pain that I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
I now reassure my body, as often as it needs, that I am listening. That I am paying attention to its cues, its desires, its preferences. That I know the answers and clarity I seek are in its posture, its aches, its palpitations.
I listen, I ask, I talk. Hi body. What do you need right now? Does this person feel safe? Does this decision work for us?
I communicate creatively, and my body answers. We work in congress toward clarity. We are one.
i get creative
I’m creative. You’re creative. We’re all creative.
For a long time, I confused creativity with talent. I exchanged the safety of avoiding tasks I might be bad at for a lack of access to the thrill of making art.
No matter your talent, creativity grants admission to the stories that need to be heard from within: the pains you need validated, the joys you haven’t fully felt, the stress that needs release.
Clarity emerges in these portals into the true nature of your being, in the deeper layers of your consciousness that creativity is a conduit for—layers where your inner knowing lives.
Use creativity as the powerful tool that it is. There is no pedestal for creativity; it’s already within you, if you allow it.
i focus on joy
I ignored joy until my mid-twenties. My joy was stuck behind caution tape, treated like a crime scene I should never enter. Because joy can feel like an affront to a system stuck in survival mode, physically or emotionally, a waste of space and energy.
At some point, I grew tired of watching others embrace authentic joy, tired of always being a witness, an alien from the planet of numbness.
So I took action. I started introducing joyful sprinkles little-by-little. An ounce of basking in the sun. An inch of embodied dancing. A pinch of an art project for no “productive” reason.
Joy is now part of my daily life. It’s the medicine I never forget to take. It’s the treatment plan I never question. Joy returns me to my authentic energy when I stray, an energy that illuminates the path forward with clarity.
now let’s talk about you
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I want this kind of clarity, and I want guidance from someone who understands me so I can finally trust my choices,” I extend an invitation for a Clarity Session.
If one thing gets in the way of clarity, it’s overwhelm. I know personally, I’ve been there many times in my chronic health journey.
For those of you navigating the chaos of balancing daily life, medical care, and joy with a chronic condition, this session can offer a pause, a mirror, and a guide. A chance to feel less isolated, to uncover what’s true for you, and to take a step forward with intention.
You can book a session for $215 ($275 starting next week) until Friday, September 19th at midnight EDT.
Whether or not you choose to book a Clarity Session, I hope that my sharing these reflections and practices gives you a head start toward clarity in your own life.
Sending lots of love for joy and healing always <3,
Dr. Talia
Reflection for you: How do you find clarity? Do you relate to my list? Is there another strategy you can share with the community in the comments? Could you use a little support— and will you allow yourself to receive it?
p.s. here’s the link to book a Clarity Session before midnight EDT on Friday, September 19th for $50 off. My email is open for any and all questions: drtaliaphd@gmail.com
More ways to connect with me:
🌻 1:1 coaching — supporting the overthinkers, recovering perfectionists, and type-A overachievers to access daily joy, connect safely with their bodies, cultivate deep self-trust, and accept themselves and their lives, illness included.
🌻 Consulting — with mission-driven startups, companies, and nonprofits that promote physical and mental wellbeing
🌻 Training and webinars — for therapists and medical professionals working with chronically ill clients
send questions to drtaliaphd@gmail.com.
Want to find me other places?
on instagram; meditate with me on aura health; my website