This week, I found myself reading a post by a fellow coach and thought leader I truly respect—Rasha Shaheen. She shared a phrase that landed with such quiet power that I had to stop and re-read it several times:
“Clarity requires emotional capacity.”
That single sentence stirred something in me.
I immediately thought about the women I work with—visionary entrepreneurs who are juggling growing businesses, family life, community leadership, and a million moving parts. They’re doing it all because they care deeply. But so often, they come to me with a question that sounds like:
"Why can’t I figure this out?" or
"I just need clarity on what to do next."
Here’s the thing—we usually look for clarity in our calendars, in our strategies, in our systems. We assume it’s a matter of better planning or clearer goals. But more often than not, the real issue is this: we’re emotionally full to the brim.
And when you’re carrying that much—decision fatigue, invisible labour, self-expectation, cultural responsibility—there’s no room for clarity to show up.
Clarity needs breathing space.
And breathing space isn’t found in a spreadsheet.
It’s found in capacity. Emotional, mental, and energetic capacity.
🧠 THINK
So let’s shift the question from:
"How do I get clear?"
to:
"How do I make room for clarity to find me?"
That’s a radical shift in how we lead. It asks us to become more than effective. It asks us to become deeply aware—of our emotional load, our pace, and our patterns of distraction.
Because clarity isn’t born in urgency. It arises in presence.
💡 DO
Here’s the real talk: you can’t cultivate emotional capacity with a 15-minute journaling prompt squeezed between client calls.
What it actually takes is intentional space. I’m talking about a minimum of 60 minutes—but ideally a half-day or more, carved out not to catch up on tasks, but to simply be with yourself.
Here’s how to begin:
- Claim your space: Block half a day this week or next. Treat it as sacred—this is leadership work.
- Enter without an agenda: No task list. No goals. Just bring a journal, a walk, or a quiet space to reflect.
-
Ask deeper questions:
- What’s been taking up the most space in my mind?
- What emotion am I avoiding by staying busy?
- If I could give myself permission to pause, what would I hear?
This is more than a productivity hack. It’s a leadership discipline. One that honours not just your vision—but your humanity.
🌿 HAVE
When you begin building the muscle of emotional capacity, clarity stops being something you chase. It starts becoming a by-product of the space you’ve reclaimed.
You’ll find yourself making decisions with more calm, responding with more integrity, and reconnecting with what truly matters—in your business and in your life.
💬 Your Turn
I know from my own experience that clarity truly does require emotional capacity—but it took me a while to figure that out.
I’d love to hear how this landed for you. Just hit reply and share whatever surfaced.
💛 Sandra
