Clarity on Fire

Ever felt like you’re a ghost wandering the halls of your workplace? Sure, you’re physically there, but the REAL YOU is nowhere to be found. You’re mentally checked out, emotionally drained, and showing up as a watered-down, hollow version of yourself.

In this month’s interview with a normal person, Kristen is chatting with Lana Jackson, who was all too familiar with that feeling. After years of feeling like a ghost of her real self, trapped by a boring, soul-sucking job, she decided it was time to get clear on what she *really* wanted out of her life and career. Now she’s a budding entrepreneur and personal stylist helping women express themselves from the inside out. She shares the whole journey with us, in this interview.

On this episode we talk about:

• The heartache of feeling lost, directionless, and inauthentic
• The 3 questions Lana asked herself to figure out exactly what she wanted to do career-wise
• Lana’s advice for staying sane while balancing a full-time job and a side hustle
• Why making time for silence is the most productive thing you can do
• Style tips for women who want to feel more empowered and confident (and just generally in life)

MORE ABOUT LANA

Lana Jackson is a wardrobe stylist and founder of Narrative Styling, an image consulting firm that helps women build versatile and effective wardrobes that work from day to night and every occasion in between. Lana believes that style can be used by women to take back their power, because the way you style yourself can give you power over the story you present to the world, and change the narrative of how you feel and how you want others to feel about you too.

Lana is passionate about teaching women how to simplify their dress routines, make the most of the clothing they have, and find clarity with a beautifully refined wardrobe – one that fits their lifestyle needs – allowing women to focus on the things that really matter, like their family, career, and other passions.

Use code NARRATIVE to get $100 off any service with Lana: https://www.narrativestyling.com

Or, for 20% off any service, follow Lana on Instagram and DM her with the code STYLEME: https://www.instagram.com/narrativestyle

Lana will be speaking at the Women Empower Expo in DC on Saturday, May 26, 2018. Buy tickets here: https://www.universe.com/events/women-empower-expo-washington-d-c-tickets-washington-81JYMF?ref=LANA

Links:

• The Blue Book, by Jim Branch
• Cleo Wade
• Lana’s blog post about women and the future of the work economy
• Take the Passion Profile Quiz: www.clarityonfire.com/quiz
• Interested in 1-on-1 coaching? Find out more here: http://clarityonfire.com/work-with-us/1-on-1-coaching

OK, so you know that part in Back to the Future when Marty McFly gets on stage during the Enchantment Under the Sea dance? He straps on a guitar and starts playing so that his teenaged parents will dance, kiss, fall in love, and ensure that he eventually gets born.

Well, one of my favorite moments of that scene is when he loses himself for a few minutes in a crazy electric guitar riff of Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode. All the 1950s teens stop dancing and just stare at him, mouths slightly agape, before he comes to his senses and realizes they have never heard anyone play a guitar like that.

Marty awkwardly gets up and mumbles, "I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna love it." The joke lands because we, the audience, know how popular rock n' roll will become. But to a 1950s teenager, Marty just looks sort of insane.

I love this vignette because it's EXACTLY what happens to anybody who lives in a world that, in some way or another, isn't ready for them—they're misunderstood, labeled "crazy," ostracized, and made to feel "wrong."

In this week's blog I'm talking about what to do when you feel alone in the crowd— maybe you're the only one questioning the status quo, or wanting to live your life differently than the people around you, or you have ideas and desires that are misunderstood—and why that might make you the most sane one of all.

CHECK OUT OUR FREE E-BOOK

At the end of the episode you'll hear us mention one of our free e-books: WHAT IS THE POINT? A jolt of hope and practical advice for anyone going through an existential crisis. Find that, and the other 3 e-books here: http://clarityonfire.com/ebook-collections/

LINKS

Take the Passion Profile Quiz: www.clarityonfire.com/quiz

Read the written version of this blog and leave comments here: http://clarityonfire.com/not-broken/

Submit a question for the next episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly podcast advice column: http://clarityonfire.com/podcast-questions/

OK, so you know that part in Back to the Future when Marty McFly gets on stage during the Enchantment Under the Sea dance? He straps on a guitar and starts playing so that his teenaged parents will dance, kiss, fall in love, and ensure that he eventually gets born.

Well, one of my favorite moments of that scene is when he loses himself for a few minutes in a crazy electric guitar riff of Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode. All the 1950s teens stop dancing and just stare at him, mouths slightly agape, before he comes to his senses and realizes they have never heard anyone play a guitar like that.

Marty awkwardly gets up and mumbles, “I guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna love it.” The joke lands because we, the audience, know how popular rock n’ roll will become. But to a 1950s teenager, Marty just looks sort of insane. 

I love this vignette because it’s EXACTLY what happens to anybody who lives in a world that, in some way or another, isn’t ready for them—they’re misunderstood, labeled “crazy,” ostracized, and made to feel “wrong.”

In this week’s blog I’m talking about what to do when you feel alone in the crowd— maybe you’re the only one questioning the status quo, or wanting to live your life differently than the people around you, or you have ideas and desires that are misunderstood—and why that might make you the most sane one of all.

CHECK OUT OUR FREE E-BOOK

At the end of the episode you’ll hear us mention one of our free e-books: WHAT IS THE POINT? A jolt of hope and practical advice for anyone going through an existential crisis. Find that, and the other 3 e-books here: http://clarityonfire.com/ebook-collections/

LINKS

Take the Passion Profile Quiz: www.clarityonfire.com/quiz

Read the written version of this blog and leave comments here: http://clarityonfire.com/not-broken/

Submit a question for the next episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly podcast advice column: http://clarityonfire.com/podcast-questions/

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, a monthly advice segment where we answer audience questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.

On this episode we're answering questions from:

• Ashley, who's realized that her childhood "dream" career isn't for her, and wants to know if doing something unpaid (while continuing to work at a job she hates) will get her the experience she needs to change her direction for good.
• Frank, who wants to quit his job to pursue his passion in voiceover work, but has a family to support and isn't sure if the risk is worth it.
• Sarah, who's wondering how to be kind to herself after realizing she spent way too much of her life pretending to be someone she wasn't (and ending up with a life that didn't reflect who she really was).
• Jo, who's curious about how to navigate her relationship with her spouse given that they have different Passion Profiles.

Want to submit a question for our June episode of Dear Krachel? Fill out this form and you might hear us tackle your Q: http://clarityonfire.com/podcast-questions/

At the end of the episode you'll hear us mention the Passion Profile Short Course. The PPSC is like a recipe for your career path. It's the "secret sauce" that takes the thought out of trying to plot your career direction and prevents you from wasting years of your life hopping from job to job, hoping that you eventually stumble across something you love.

If your career has you feeling stuck, confused, and overwhelmed, and if you're starting to wonder if you might be "broken," then the PPSC is the perfect place for you to start your new career journey. The best part? You can finish the course in as little as one day!

LINKS

Take the Passion Profile Quiz: www.clarityonfire.com/quiz

Submit your question for a future episode of Dear Krachel: http://clarityonfire.com/podcast-questions/

The Passion Profile Short Course: http://clarityonfire.com/work-with-us/passion-profile-short-course/

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, a monthly advice segment where we answer audience questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.

On this episode we’re answering questions from: 

• Ashley, who’s realized that her childhood “dream” career isn’t for her, and wants to know if doing something unpaid (while continuing to work at a job she hates) will get her the experience she needs to change her direction for good.
• Frank, who wants to quit his job to pursue his passion in voiceover work, but has a family to support and isn’t sure if the risk is worth it.
• Sarah, who’s wondering how to be kind to herself after realizing she spent way too much of her life pretending to be someone she wasn’t (and ending up with a life that didn’t reflect who she really was).
• Jo, who’s curious about how to navigate her relationship with her spouse given that they have different Passion Profiles.

Want to submit a question for our June episode of Dear Krachel? Fill out this form and you might hear us tackle your Q: http://clarityonfire.com/podcast-questions/

At the end of the episode you’ll hear us mention the Passion Profile Short Course. The PPSC is like a recipe for your career path. It’s the “secret sauce” that takes the thought out of trying to plot your career direction and prevents you from wasting years of your life hopping from job to job, hoping that you eventually stumble across something you love.

If your career has you feeling stuck, confused, and overwhelmed, and if you’re starting to wonder if you might be “broken,” then the PPSC is the perfect place for you to start your new career journey. The best part? You can finish the course in as little as one day! 

LINKS

Take the Passion Profile Quiz: www.clarityonfire.com/quiz

Submit your question for a future episode of Dear Krachel: http://clarityonfire.com/podcast-questions/

The Passion Profile Short Course: http://clarityonfire.com/work-with-us/passion-profile-short-course/

I was taking a walk the other day, mentally replaying a couple of coaching calls I'd had that morning and thinking through everything I had to do the rest of the day. I turned the corner, and suddenly right in front of me was the most beautiful cherry blossom tree in perfect bloom. It was stunning.

I reflexively stopped to admire it, and my mind went completely blank for a moment. It was just me and the tree and nothing else. I felt warm, content, and totally at peace. After a few moments, I snapped out of my trance and continued on my walk, but I couldn't stop thinking about that tree. It felt like a little spark of beauty and joy in the midst of the hustle and bustle of my day.

I started to wonder how many of those little moments of joy I was missing on a daily basis. I'd been so up in my head that I'd almost missed that moment of pure contentment that I'd felt admiring the cherry blossoms.

How many other moments just like that was I blind to every single day? How many opportunities for beauty and joy and love and peace was I letting go to waste? I decided I'd try an experiment to answer that very question.

In this week's blog I (Kristen) am sharing the results of my experiment, along with some simple ways you can bring more joy into your everyday life.

CHECK OUT OUR FREE E-BOOK

If you've been comparing yourself to all of the seemingly happy people around you, and you feel like you don't match up … this is definitely the book for you:

Are happy people for real? What it takes to live a happy, contented life in a world where that sometimes feels impossible: http://clarityonfire.com/happy-people-real

LINKS

Read the written version of this blog and leave comments here: http://clarityonfire.com/joy-go-to-waste

Take the Passion Profile Quiz: www.clarityonfire.com/quiz

Submit a question for the next episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly podcast advice column: http://clarityonfire.com/podcast-questions

I was taking a walk the other day, mentally replaying a couple of coaching calls I’d had that morning and thinking through everything I had to do the rest of the day. I turned the corner, and suddenly right in front of me was the most beautiful cherry blossom tree in perfect bloom. It was stunning.

I reflexively stopped to admire it, and my mind went completely blank for a moment. It was just me and the tree and nothing else. I felt warm, content, and totally at peace. After a few moments, I snapped out of my trance and continued on my walk, but I couldn’t stop thinking about that tree. It felt like a little spark of beauty and joy in the midst of the hustle and bustle of my day.

I started to wonder how many of those little moments of joy I was missing on a daily basis. I’d been so up in my head that I’d almost missed that moment of pure contentment that I’d felt admiring the cherry blossoms. 

How many other moments just like that was I blind to every single day? How many opportunities for beauty and joy and love and peace was I letting go to waste? I decided I’d try an experiment to answer that very question.

In this week’s blog I (Kristen) am sharing the results of my experiment, along with some simple ways you can bring more joy into your everyday life.

CHECK OUT OUR FREE E-BOOK

If you’ve been comparing yourself to all of the seemingly happy people around you, and you feel like you don’t match up … this is definitely the book for you: 

Are happy people for real? What it takes to live a happy, contented life in a world where that sometimes feels impossible: http://clarityonfire.com/happy-people-real

LINKS

Read the written version of this blog and leave comments here: http://clarityonfire.com/joy-go-to-waste

Take the Passion Profile Quiz: www.clarityonfire.com/quiz

Submit a question for the next episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly podcast advice column: http://clarityonfire.com/podcast-questions

People, let's get real. We are BACKED UP, emotionally speaking. We live in a culture that, by and large, is not super comfortable with feelings and self-expression. A lot of us have gotten REALLY good at numbing out, suppressing, and generally doing whatever we can to avoid having to feel anything difficult or uncomfortable.

Except you can't bottle it up forever. Eventually, something's gotta give. And whether or not we realize it, a lot of us are paying a high price for all that suppressed emotion. To help us literally start flowing again, we brought on our fellow coach Joanna Platt, who is The Queen of Feeling All the Things.

On this episode we talk about:

• How parents inadvertently make kids uncomfortable with emotions from a VERY early age
• Why people are so pathologically uncomfortable with feelings
• Signs and symptoms that indicate how emotionally constipated you are
• The case for why you need to feel your feelings (Hint: You can't feel the good stuff if you aren't willing to feel the gnarly stuff, too)
• Joanna's advice for how to turn your feelings back on in a way that won't overwhelm you or freak you out

MORE ABOUT JOANNA

Joanna Platt is a life and relationship coach for high achievers who need space to feel their feelings, permission to put themselves first, and guidance on how to do it. Through intuitive, deep coaching conversations that feel like heart-to-hearts, she's here to help you quiet your inner critic and bring your best self to the surface so you can connect and contribute in both your work and home life. When she's not coaching, you can find her loving her husband Mike, reading multiple books at one time, and working in coffee shops in DC. Meet Jo and get ready to go deep, feel your feelings, and get your sparkle back at joanna-platt.com.

• Take the Passion Profile Quiz
• Heidi Dupree
• Breathwork with Kristen Kalp
• Love Always, Jo Podcast
• Engaged (pre-marital coaching course)

People, let’s get real. We are BACKED UP, emotionally speaking. We live in a culture that, by and large, is not super comfortable with feelings and self-expression. A lot of us have gotten REALLY good at numbing out, suppressing, and generally doing whatever we can to avoid having to feel anything difficult or uncomfortable.

Except you can’t bottle it up forever. Eventually, something’s gotta give. And whether or not we realize it, a lot of us are paying a high price for all that suppressed emotion. To help us literally start flowing again, we brought on our fellow coach Joanna Platt, who is The Queen of Feeling All the Things.

On this episode we talk about:

• How parents inadvertently make kids uncomfortable with emotions from a VERY early age
• Why people are so pathologically uncomfortable with feelings
• Signs and symptoms that indicate how emotionally constipated you are
• The case for why you need to feel your feelings (Hint: You can’t feel the good stuff if you aren’t willing to feel the gnarly stuff, too)
• Joanna’s advice for how to turn your feelings back on in a way that won’t overwhelm you or freak you out

MORE ABOUT JOANNA

Joanna Platt is a life and relationship coach for high achievers who need space to feel their feelings, permission to put themselves first, and guidance on how to do it.

Through intuitive, deep coaching conversations that feel like heart-to-hearts, she’s here to help you quiet your inner critic and bring your best self to the surface so you can connect and contribute in both your work and home life.

When she’s not coaching, you can find her loving her husband Mike, reading multiple books at one time, and working in coffee shops in DC.

Meet Jo and get ready to go deep, feel your feelings, and get your sparkle back at joanna-platt.com.

• Take the Passion Profile Quiz
• Heidi Dupree
• Breathwork with Kristen Kalp
• Love Always, Jo Podcast
• Engaged (pre-marital coaching course)

Sometimes I feel like I've lived most of my life with only one foot in this realm. The other foot has been exploring Hogwarts, or on a stroll with Lizzie at Longbourn, or running away from white walkers (and TOWARD Jon Snow, if you know what I mean).

I've spent nearly three decades being mildly annoyed that real life gets in the way of fantasy. To me, fiction and art and music often feel more REAL and TRUE than the monotony of everyday life, with its bills and laundry and mountains of responsibilities.

Could you make a case that maybe this is a PROBLEM? That I'm trying to escape reality and live in a perpetual state of denial? You probably could. But hey, I'm still paying my bills, and my laundry gets done, and I'm not shirking my responsibilities. So cut me SOME slack.

Thankfully, I've found a way to weave creativity into my daily life. I'm not just absorbing other people's creativity—in the form of books, movies, TV, music, and art—I've also built a business that's fueled by my own creative inspiration (in the form of blogs and podcasts, mostly).

But I get that a lot of people don't have that kind of seamless integration.

I was talking to one of my clients, Gwen, about this recently. She was feeling guilty about wanting to pursue writing—something she finds really fun and inspiring—because it's not "practical."

It got me thinking about how warped our definition of "creativity" is, and how many weird "rules" we silently follow about what we're "allowed" to pursue, creatively.

In this week's blog I'm (Rachel) talking about why you should never feel guilty about doing what you love (be it writing, Netflix, or anything else), and what the REAL definition of creativity is.

FREE WORKSHOP ON 4/27/18

If you enjoy any of our current episodes and decide to subscribe, rate, and review by TODAY, Tuesday, April 24, then we'd love to invite you to a FREE online workshop and Q&A session we're doing about Passion Profiles this Friday, April 27 at 1pm Eastern.

To get access, take a screenshot of your review and email it to us at [email protected]. We'll send you a link to register for the workshop! There WILL be a replay for those of you who register but can't make it live.

LINKS

Take the Passion Profile Quiz: www.clarityonfire.com/quiz

Send us screenshots of your review at: [email protected]

Read the written version of this blog and leave comments here: http://clarityonfire.com/secret-life-purpose/

Submit a question for the next episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly podcast advice column: http://clarityonfire.com/podcast-questions/