Spontaneous Clarity

It seems to me that sometimes after months and months of meandering aimlessly in one's own thoughts, suddenly clarity comes as if spontaneously out of nowhere. And one might think, "Whoa, where did that come from?" But upon further reflection, it had obviously been building up very carefully through obsessive, relentless self-inquiry.

Tonight, speaking with a dear friend, I had an epiphany.

I have decided to become a consultant - working creatively to inspire and motivate other artists and business owners who are blocked, stuck, or otherwise need a brainstorm boost. If you are a screenwriter, and a friend of mine, you have probably worked with me in this capacity before. Or, if you run a business, and I've ever sat down with you to talk about it, you might have noticed it is natural for me to throw out ideas, and to want to help people bridge the gap between their desires and their accomplishments. I have been doing so for years, almost by accident. Now I can see with absolute certainty that it is time to take this gift more seriously.

I know that when I launched my photography business full-time in 2005, I was undertaking a wide array of challenges that would make me a better photographer. I am completely enamored with image-making and recording. It helps me make sense of the world, and focusing on it as a business enabled me to take it further than ever before - it helped me focus on making my work more articulate, more honest, more engaging.

Now, as I fully embrace the love I have for helping others to step into their dreams, complete unfinished projects, and polish blossoming works, I know that building a business around it will naturally enhance my focus and my ability to inspire and encourage people. In the process, I am owning the latter part of my tagline, "Sarah Sloboda: Photographer, Optimist." I didn't know all that I would learn about imagery by running a photography business, just as I now don't know all there is to know about helping others. But, if my experience in photography is any indication, I feel certain that following my deepest desire - to help people discover and relish their happiness - will lead me to insights that take my work in this arena to a new level as well.

This news was so big, I just had to share it. As of now, there is no business structure, website, or point-of-reference. Just an unmistakable feeling of clarity that this is my path. I would love to field any questions or thoughts, as I know doing so will help me to formulate this new endeavor even more rapidly, so feel free to email me at sarah[at]sarahsloboda.com.

The revelation came as the kind of clarity that whispers to you, at first, as if to let you in on a secret. And you can ignore it if you want, but you know it will keep tickling your ear. And soon you'll have to scratch it or you'll inadvertently start twitching and freaking people out on the subway.

Or, you can just say, "Yes, little whisper. I hear you. I don't know where we're going, but I hear you."