Find Your Footing When Life Drops You Off The Cliff
Life has a funny way of ignoring our plans. Trust me, I’ve checked.
There have been times when I thought I had everything figured out. The business was moving in the right direction. My relationship seemed solid. The future looked expansive. Then life did what life does best. It changed the script without asking for my approval.
For many years, I viewed those moments as interruptions. I thought something had gone wrong. I thought I had missed a sign, made a mistake, or taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way. What I’ve come to understand is that some of the experiences I resisted most were shaping the person I would eventually become.
At the time, I couldn’t see that. Most of us can’t. When you’re standing in the middle of uncertainty, you’re usually too busy trying to put the pieces back together to notice you’re creating an entirely new picture.
The Story After the Story
One of the things I’ve observed throughout my life and career is that people often spend more time recounting what happened than on the event itself. A relationship ends, a business struggles, or a dream doesn’t unfold the way you imagined. Those situations are painful enough on their own. Then we add another layer to cement it in place because we designated it “important.” We decide it means we’re too old, too late, too damaged, or too inexperienced. Not to mention, we’re not good enough, smart enough, or educated enough to become successful.
The original event may last a couple of months, but the story we create afterward can last decades. That realization became one of the building blocks for Confidence Thru Clarity™. Clarity allows us to see what is true rather than what fear shouts from the back row.
Where Did That Belief Come From?
Many of the limitations people carry aren’t theirs. They inherited them. Sometimes, from a parent who was doing the best they could; sometimes, from a teacher who spoke carelessly; or sometimes, from an experience that hurt so deeply that it became part of their identity.
I’ve worked with people who have spent thirty or forty years living according to a conclusion they reached when they were twelve. Think about that for a moment. A child decides who they are, and an adult continues living as though that decision is still accurate, real, right, and relevant.
That’s why I encourage people to become curious about their beliefs. A simple question can be incredibly powerful: “Is this true, or have I simply repeated it so often that it feels true?”
What Clarity Really Feels Like
In my experience, clarity doesn’t arrive with bells and whistles. It shows up in moments of quiet knowing. This ah-ha awareness arrives as soon as we stop trying to figure it out, make a good choice, or find the right answer.
I’ve made some of the biggest decisions of my life during ordinary moments. Run-of-the-mill moments like a walk on the beach, a drive in the country, a conversation with God, or a few quiet minutes before the world goes to sleep at night.
It’s not dramatic, and there isn’t an orchestra playing in the background. Just clarity and clarity has a way of creating confidence. Not because every risk disappears but because the internal argument finally ends.
Confidence Thru Clarity™
People often assume confidence comes first, but in my experience, the opposite has been true. Confidence is usually the result of clarity. When you know what matters to you, making decisions becomes easier. When you understand your values, distractions lose their power, and when you’re honest about what isn’t working, you’re finally able to change it. That’s the heart of Confidence Thru Clarity™. It’s not about becoming fearless. It’s about becoming clear so that fear no longer dictates every decision.
Looking Back
Sometimes, I’ll look back at many occasions in my life and see the hidden gifts they delivered. That doesn’t mean I enjoyed those experiences. I didn’t. Some of them were painful and heartbreaking, and they changed me forever. But they also strengthened, empowered, and inspired me. They deepened my compassion for others and taught me how to listen and how to trust.
Most importantly, those experiences teach us that we build confidence by moving through challenges, not by controlling outcomes. When life disrupted my plans, I discovered I was stronger, wiser, and more resilient than I had ever imagined. I face uncertainty head-on when life dismantles my plans. I’ve learned just how resilient and capable I truly am.
So if you’re standing in a season that feels uncertain, permit yourself to stop trying to figure out the next five years. Focus on the next step, ask for clarity, listen carefully, and trust what you hear.
One day, you may look back and realize that the hardest of times you were trying to escape was the event that changed everything. Maybe that’s the real turning point. Not when life finally makes sense, but when you stop demanding that it does before you take your next step. You don’t need the full map to move forward. You just need enough clarity to choose what creates the most benevolent outcome for you right now.
Life has a way of rearranging things in the background while we’re busy panicking in the foreground. Often, what feels like a cliff edge is simply the moment before you discover you’re standing on solid ground. So breathe, slow down, and let the story be unfinished for a while. Because sometimes where you are isn’t the ending you feared; it’s the beginning you didn’t recognize yet.
About The Author: Susan Shatzer is a globally recognized, energetic expert and 14-time #1 bestselling author known for her refined, results-driven approach to subconscious transformation and elevated living. She serves as Executive Director of the Webby-nominated global TV series Unlocking Your Limitless Life and holds the title of Ms. Global Ambassador Queen for Florida (2026–2027). As a producer of the forthcoming film Pillars of Power: The Hidden Secret in Achieving Greatness, Susan brings a powerful blend of vision, leadership, and depth to every platform she’s on. She is dedicated to guiding individuals out of limitation and into clarity, expansion, and their full potential. SusanShatzer.com.
“A child decides who they are, and an adult continues living as though that decision is still accurate.”
— Susan Shatzer
On the Second Wednesday of each month, join Susan Shatzer for a free live experience designed to interrupt a repeating thought, emotion, or pattern. This guided experience is where Science meets Awareness, supporting greater clarity, ease, and fun.
“I arrived feeling overwhelmed and left with a surprising sense of clarity.” -Michelle T., Colorado
- Connect with our Executive Writer, Susan Shatzer
- More articles from our Executive Contributor, Susan Shatzer