Clarity over Chaos
By Dawn Sturmon
We are living in weird times.
There’s a point when abundance stops being a gift and starts becoming a trap. That point, I would argue, is right now.
There are more coffee orders, podcast episodes, denim fits, dating profiles, and career paths than anyone asked for. Your closet has 48 versions of the same black pants. Your Notes app is a graveyard of to-do lists and identity pivots. Your camera roll is overflowing with things you want to do someday — and it stresses you out every time you open it. And don't even get me started on the infinite scroll of “what to eat for dinner” or “what to watch on Netflix.”
We’re living in an era of too much, drowning in options—and the real flex? Choosing clarity over chaos.
Decision Fatigue Is Real (And It’s Making You Miserable)
Ever find yourself crying over dinner plans or spiraling about which toothpaste to buy? You’re not being dramatic. You’re overwhelmed.
Having endless choice sounds like freedom, but it often leads to paralysis. Why choose one thing when there might be something better five swipes away? (Looking at you, dating apps.) When everything is an option, nothing feels like a solid yes. And so we float. Swipe. Scroll. Spiral.
Simplifying Isn’t Boring. It’s Brave.
Creating rules for your life might sound restrictive, but hear me out: rules create rhythm. And rhythm creates relief.
When you decide in advance that you’re only keeping 10 black tops, or that you're deleting dating apps for a month, or that you won’t check your phone before 9 AM, you’re not being controlling. You’re reclaiming energy. You’re minimizing the daily drain of decision-making so your brain can do what it was built to do: think creatively, feel deeply, live fully.
Simplifying isn’t about deprivation. It’s about discernment.
Boundaries Are Hot. People-Pleasing Is Not.
Let’s talk about boundaries—which, for the record, are not the same as building walls. They’re more like filters. When you’re constantly saying yes to everyone and everything, you dilute your ability to say yes to yourself.
People-pleasing is a survival strategy dressed up as kindness. But here’s the hard truth: when you live to make others comfortable, you become a stranger to your own values. Boundaries are the antidote. They’re how you start living in alignment. They’re how you stay in your own lane without swerving into someone else’s chaos.
White Space Is Sacred
We’re so conditioned to fill every moment—with content, conversations, commentary. But solitude? Stillness? A blank page? That’s where the good stuff lives.
White space isn’t emptiness. It’s invitation. It’s where clarity shows up and whispers, "Hey, here’s what actually matters."
Try taking a walk without your phone. Sit at a coffee shop without opening your laptop. Get bored on purpose. Let the quiet become a mirror.
Small Habits, Big Energy
You don’t need a total life overhaul. You need tiny tweaks, done consistently.
Think: drinking water before coffee. Laying out your outfit the night before. Doing 10 minutes of journaling instead of 30 minutes of worrying. These micro-habits are like interest in a savings account—they compound. Over time, they create a life that feels manageable instead of manic.
In Times of Change, Bet on Yourself
When everything feels uncertain, the one thing you can rely on is your own resilience. Self-belief isn’t just confidence; it’s commitment. It’s saying: I don’t know what’s next, but I trust myself to figure it out.
This matters especially in seasons of transition—new jobs, breakups, moves, identity shifts. Don’t wait for external validation. Build your own inner receipts. Keep promises to yourself. That’s what builds trust, and trust is what builds peace.
Failure Isn’t the F-Word
We treat failure like it’s shameful when it’s actually the most clarifying force out there. When something flops, it reveals something: a misaligned goal, an outdated narrative, an unexpected strength.
And when you take responsibility? That’s power. Owning your choices gives you leverage. You’re no longer at the mercy of circumstance. You’re in motion. You’re becoming.
Too Many Pants, Too Many Dates, Too Many Tabs Open
Let’s ground this. If you have 500 matches on a dating app, it’s not romantic—it’s exhausting. If your closet is overflowing, getting dressed becomes a chore, not a joy.
More is not more. Better is better. And better comes from choosing with clarity. Choosing fewer, deeper, truer.
Choose to Choose
So what do you want your life to feel like?
A curated capsule wardrobe—or the sale bin at Target? A first date that feels like magic—or an endless buffet of maybes? A tidy mind—or a desktop full of open tabs and emotional clutter?
You get to choose.
But first, you have to choose to choose.
A freelance writer, Dawn has crisscrossed the country in a unique path — from holding cue cards on Saturday Night Live to working on Super Bowl commercials. A lover of truth, interior design, french fries, and fashion, you can find her dressed in a hoodie or for the Met Gala — there’s no in-between. She's on Instagram @the.mood.bar.