When I talk of experiencing Flow, what exactly do I mean?
Flow is anchored in fueling my core energy with Love, Respect, Curiosity, Compassion and Gratitude. For myself, every being, every encounter, every experience. When I live that way, even for just a moment, Flow is my word for the effort-less, stress-less, joy-filled result.
My life becomes a fluid Journey to Wholeness grounded in Who I am Being NOT What I am Doing.
Sound cool but a bit too woo-woo? A delightful goal but impossible to attain? Flow doesn’t have to remain a mystery. It’s completely attainable with the help of some simple, practical tools.
Here are the first five tools to boost your ability to minimize stress and foster Flow:
1: Pay Attention – If you don’t recognize you’re feeling stressed, you can’t change it. Practice mindfulness by noticing what you’re feeling and figuring out why.
2: Breathe – Next time things start getting a little crazy, stop, take three deep breaths, become fully present, restore sanity and realize you have options. Your brain needs oxygen to function effectively. Try setting a timer on your phone or pc to remind you periodically to stop, close your eyes for a minute and just breathe.
3: Be Here Now – Forget rehashing the past and agonizing over the future. This moment is your only real opportunity to make a difference. Just you, just here, just now, just be.
4: Opportunity Knocks – While life won’t always follow your plans and expectations, everything in life is an opportunity. An opportunity to understand yourself better and open your heart wider — to develop greater compassion for yourself and others. While the details of our lives differ, we all experience the same range of emotions from fear, frustration and loneliness to joy, contentment and peace. With yourself firmly planted in the present moment, it’s your ability to respond creatively and constructively that makes the difference.
5: Get Curious – If everything’s an opportunity, where might the opportunity be in this situation. The Universe is far more creative than we can imagine. So assume the best and look for the silver lining in even the darkest cloud.