Well, hello there. My name is Morgan Harper-Nichols. I'm an artist and a writer, and this is a space where I share words that I hope can make a little room for you to slow down and take a few deep breaths as you prepare for whatever lies ahead. Thanks for being here today. And now on to today's episode.

For so many years, I had so much anxiety around starting a new year. It might be because my birthday is just a few days after January ends on February 4th, or it might be that I can sense that

all around me people are actively trying to overhaul their lives or actively resisting,

letting the new year be anything more than just another day. I've tried many different approaches

to starting a new year and have even asked myself,

why do I care so much? Why do I spend so much time thinking about how I'm going to make it

through this new year? In addition to the social pressure of the new year, there is also pressure

as both an artist and poet. Oftentimes,

there is this expectation to create and share content that feels timely and relates to whatever season we are in.

And maybe because of this pressure, I am seldom satisfied with what I end up making when I'm thinking about all of those things.

But over the past few years, especially considering how extra uncertain the world has seemed,

I have found that the best way for me to not only start the new year, but to start anything

new, is by pursuing clarity in daily life. Because this time of year, but to start anything new is by pursuing clarity in daily life. Because this time of year

can be tricky or challenging or just demanding so much of us, I wanted to take a moment to

share my process of finding clarity with you. Merriam-Webster defines clarity as the quality of being easily understood.

In one way or another, we all want to understand what's going on in our lives.

Introspection and reflection can help us learn more about ourselves and the world around us. And perhaps the reason

why so many of us end up thinking about all of this at the beginning of the new year is because

we've just ended an old one. So as we learn to embrace this new year, here are three ways that I

am finding clarity right here,

right now, and I hope that they can encourage you as well.

The first way I find clarity is by letting myself feel however I need to feel.

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