Welcome to Issue 104 of Clearly YOU. Not a subscriber? Let's fix that: https://kimscaravelli.com/newsletter/
We talk a lot about building strong foundations, clear brands, and solid careers, as if life unfolds in a neat, upward line.
Start with a plan. Stay consistent. Keep building.
But real life rarely cooperates.
Sometimes the foundation shifts. The circumstances around you change. YOU change.
And suddenly, the path isn’t linear anymore.
That’s often the moment you think you’ve lost clarity.
But clarity isn’t the problem.
You had clarity about your identity and your plans. The issue is that the plans changed, with or without your input.
Stressful? Definitely.
Disruptive? Absolutely.
But what comes next might be better. You may end up stronger.
When things shake and shuffle, it’s easy to feel like you’ve lost your voice.
Most of the time, you haven’t.
You just need to reconnect with what’s still true for you, and move forward from there.
Cool Quote
“The act of playing the game changes the rules of the game.”
Bruce Feiler, Author of Life is in the Transitions
When the Plan Leaves the Building
When the plan goes to hell in a handbasket, as my grandmother would say, the instinct is to either cling to it or scrap it completely.
But neither approach really works.
It’s wiser to take a breath and think smaller.
- What still feels true for me right now?
- What no longer fits, even if it used to?
- What do I want more of in this next version of my life or work?
You don’t need a full strategy or a complete makeover. You need a few solid anchors.
Here are my current answers to these questions:
What still feels true for me, professionally? I love communicating with words. I like learning new things and teaching people new things. And I must maintain a stable income, which means focusing on revenue streams that are actually working right now and building from there.
What no longer fits? Vanity metrics. Spending time and energy building an audience on social media platforms. Fun? Yes. Lucrative? No. So I’ve stopped making Instagram reels and trying to figure out how Threads converts people into customers. Now I’m just being me and sharing the occasional post about books I’ve read or meals I’ve enjoyed. Focusing my creative energy on more tangible parts of my work.
And what do I want more of? Time with my daughters, my friends, my pets, and myself. Simple joys. Meaningful work.
It took less than half an hour to answer those three questions. And once I did, I realized something important.
I am still me. My voice is still authentic and valuable. I just need to adjust my goals and how I spend my time and mental bandwidth.
Stuff Worth Sharing
If you’re in a moment where things feel a bit unsettled, welcome to 2026.
I just finished Life Is in the Transitions by Bruce Feiler, and I'm recommending it to everyone. Feiler explores what actually happens when life doesn’t follow a neat plan, and why that’s not a problem to solve. It's just a natural part of how modern lives unfold.
What I appreciated most is how he positions those moments when everything feels off. Not as disasters or losses, but as transitions. The plan changed. That’s all.
I listened to it as an audiobook on chilly walks with my dog, which felt oddly perfect. Easy, smart, and worth your time.
Audible link: https://www.amazon.ca/Life-Transitions-Mastering-Change-Any/dp/B085VVFB5B/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0
For the Word Nerds
Picked up a few cool new words and ideas from Bruce Feiler’s book. My favourite is definitely lifequake. It’s his word for a massive disruption that forces you to rethink your life. It can be something personal, like a job loss, illness, or divorce, but it can also be something cultural, like a pandemic, or the arrival of AI.
I also loved his idea of the Neutral Zone. That’s the in-between space where the old version of your life is gone, but the new one isn’t fully formed yet. Uncomfortable, but necessary.
And then there are transition superpowers. These are the skills we build by going through lifequakes and navigating the neutral zone. Things like resilience, adaptability, and clarity about what we want and don’t want.
🩷 Remember: Lifequakes happen. The Neutral Zone isn't your forever home. And your newfound superpowers are going to be spectacular. Your voice will be stronger than ever!
Enjoying Clearly YOU? Share it with a friend!
Want fast tips to help you communicate with more clarity? My book, Making Words Work, keeps is simple and doable.
Thanks for reading. If something resonated, I’d love to hear from you.
|
|
|