Earlier this week, I found myself enjoying my dinner on the rug in my living room that was half rolled up. The furniture was piled up against the side of the wall, the plastic tarps were covering all except what I was utilizing to be able to relax and enjoy my meal for an hour or so. I have never before been so comfortable in chaos. 

The truth is, I wasn't actually surrounded by chaos as it all had its purpose, and I knew in my mind that such a state of my home was/is temporary. 

The invisible strength clarity provides us is the ability to remain calm even when events are unsettled, even when progress is occurring but has not reached its destination and desired outcome.

Last month I shared in this newsletter that progress rarely occurs without some sort of pain, and it is when we have clarity about our purpose - why we are pursuing what we are pursuing - that we are capable of finding the inner calm to not be thrown off track or be stopped in our tracks or be turned around abandoning the progress that has been made thus far. 

Once you know your Why, all you have to figure out is your How, and so long as the progress keeps edging forward, your mind can find a steady place to rest.

Currently in our world, the unrest permeates nearly everything that previously felt secure in large or small ways. Perhaps the best advice to follow is to find our purpose - how do we want to travel forward? how do we want to arrive? what do we want to have worked so hard for to bring to fruition? Find these answers for yourself and the traveling will become far less exhausting and stress-filled. 

Right now, to some, it may seem frivolous that I am focused on my home and renovations, but my sight-line extends beyond tomorrow, next year and even beyond ten years. The questions that began being asked years ago, and more pointedly the last couple of years were - How do I want to live? What do I want to be able to share, create, inspire, learn about? What is it that I can control and in what way would be best for my journey to invest? That is what is guiding me and holding my focus resolutely. In so doing, focusing on what we can do provides our lives with some cushion, some buffer from the stress of the world that is in most respects (but not all) out of our direct control. 

Each of us will focus on uniquely specific priorities and projects. Some will be physically visible when they materialize while others will be emotionally palpable creating more calm, peace, security and choice. Find your Why, and then the How will be easier to pinpoint. 

Part of the How in my case is finding moments and places to visit where I can ground myself and assess how my life and journey and focus are going. In my case, my How includes spending time at the Oregon coast. 

The boys and I had the opportunity to step away from Bend earlier this week for a couple of nights, and doing so help deepen my calm and solidify my clarity on a handful of things. 

Above is a garden that was in the small town I stay in when I visit the coast, and while my photo does not do it justice, the moment I drove past it and saw all of her dahlias, I did a triple-take - it was absolutely stunning. The dahlias continue far into the background of this photograph, and the brilliant colors were truly stop-in-your-tracks-and-be-present-because-you-can't-focus-on-anything-else. The clarity and focus and patience are on exhibition here and a reminder to stay the course because good things will eventually bloom!

If you too are wanting to slip away to the sandy shores of the Oregon coast and listen to the Pacific Ocean crest against the beach, I recorded a moment with the waves in this video as well as when you click on the top photo with Norman at the beginning of the newsletter, there is also a short video of him arriving at the beach on our first evening. You can also click on the image below to be redirected to YouTube to view and relax the full one minute with the Pacific Ocean.