Clarity is kindness. Or, as renowned researcher and bestselling author Brené Brown says, “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” I love simple reminders that can be transformative when we apply them to our lives. We can use clarity to foster kindness in all facets of our lives.

Parenting: Healthy parenting is clear, not confusing. This includes a consistent support system, limits, a nurturing environment and clear expectations.

Relationships: Clear conversations connect people, show respect and foster trust. Clear communication builds stronger ties.

Work: Clear work projects, objectives or directives make work easier and more productive.

Personal: Clarity on who you are, what you love and how you want to spend your time are powerful ways to be kind to yourself. Setting clear boundaries (limits and expectations) that prioritize your own needs and well-being are kind acts of self-care.

I think I’m in love with clarity. I find it synonymous with ease and honesty. 

Every once in awhile I’ll talk to my husband in one long run-on sentence. It’s usually around some “what if” topic when I’m already tired. After I run him through several what-if scenarios, he will look at me and calmly ask, “But has that happened?” Then we usually laugh. Clarity can be a soothing gift you give to someone.

You can apply clarity to your daily routine. Geek out with me for a minute. I devoured all of Gretchen Rubin’s books years ago about habits and happiness. I wanted to find a way to distill the flood of her information so I could clearly apply her expertise to my life. She emphasized that our habits form the architecture of our lives. That’s when I decided to make a list of the habits I want to have each day. I wanted my daily architecture constructed.

My daily habits list includes specific things like how much water I want to drink, tracking exercise, doing something with our daughters, reading, writing, listing out what I'm grateful for and planning the next day’s work priorities. Applying clarity to my habits makes my habits automatic because I have a clear list to tackle. I also can get the reward of keeping the promises I make to myself. Bonus: Our 12-year-old daughters see that I do this and have fun with it, now creating their own lists.

Procrastination can be solved with clarity. Say you have a big project and you don’t know where to start. You’ve never done this before and you’re starting to feel overwhelmed. All you have to do is take one clear action on one thing. Momentum starts when you start.

Clarity can be a guide to what is right for you and what isn’t. At one of my first publishing jobs, my boss wasn’t clear on what he wanted me to work on during my first week, so he had me read files from a file cabinet in my cubicle. No joke. This was my first clue that ambiguity was part of his management style. Dang, days are long with that kind of pointless directive. Suffice it to say, I set a goal to work my way to having a different boss at that publishing company.

Clarity acts as a guide to healthy relationships. The best relationships have transparent, authentic conversations. If a conversation feels confusing, facts don’t add up or words don’t match behavior, that relationship could be manipulative or dishonest. Either way, it’s unkind. Confusing communication often signals that something is off. 

Do you know how to tell when someone is lying? Oftentimes, a person who is lying will provide a lot of details and overcompensate for not telling the truth by adding to the story. Lies typically have to be created on the spot so the story sequence and details will sound and feel confusing. The truth is simple and clear. Only the truth needs to be recalled. 

Bestselling author Mel Robbins, in her new book Let Them, writes about how adults (often young adults) chase love, convincing themselves that a relationship is more serious than it is. (Haven’t we all been there?) She writes, “There’s that famous saying, ‘If someone likes you, you’ll know, and if they don’t, you’ll be confused.’”

Clear is kind. Clear is respectful. Clear is caring. 

Sometimes we make life more difficult than it needs to be. 

Applying clarity to your life is like a mental and emotional well-being makeover. We can seek clarity wherever we think we need more. Just like decluttering, gaining clarity can create space and energize your mind. There is no better way to be kinder to others and yourself.