Up to 15 percent of Americans say they never achieve a flow. Why is that? 

Surprisingly, there are real criteria for meeting this often elusive, but blissful state of being where time seems to slow down, nothing else seems to matter, and your talents and skills are put to their optimal use.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – the founding Co-Director of the Quality of Life Research Center at Claremont Graduate University, which focuses on the studies of positive psychology – has done extensive research on the topic and explains it this way: 

You find flow when your skills are fully involved in meeting a challenge that is just about manageable. If your skills don’t meet the challenge, you’ll be in a place of arousal that won’t allow you to get into flow—instead, that sparks a signal that there’s more to learn.

On the flip side, if a task isn’t challenging enough, you find yourself in a comfortable place of control, but because you can become bored in that area, you’ll also fall short of finding flow. 

For example, if you are a skilled cook with a passion for healthy eating but preparing dinner feels like drudgery, raise the bar on your menus and watch as you find your sweet spot!  Becoming aware of how you move throughout your day with these variables in mind can help you achieve flow more easily.

Some say there is a direct correlation between being in a state of flow and tapping into—and expanding—your consciousness. Author, motivational speaker, and life coach Gabby Bernstein teaches how to access a state of flow by tapping into your inner guide or “ing” and letting go of limiting beliefs that no longer serve you. 

In her book, Spirit Junkie (based on Marianne Williamson’s A Course in Miracles), Bernstein lays out a plan for getting into the flow of life, which among other things involve:

Choosing Love Over Fear—By making love your default, you purge the urge to fall back on fear and negativity, and create ample space for positive energy.

Tuning into your “ing”—Without quieting your mind and asking for help from your inner guide, you’ll never tune into your true passion. This is an essential ingredient for flow.

Forgiving—Letting go of any toxic feelings you may have towards others and viewing relationships as something that helps you grow, prosper, and bring alignment and authenticity into your life.

When you are able to move through these important stages Bernstein says you can come to expect miracles from the universe. And when miracles happen, you know you’re in the flow.

Looking for a detox program? Join me for my new detox program — that could set you up for a healthier, skinnier YOU.  

Click here to learn more and to register for My 10-Day Detox Program.   Check it out and join me to jump start your weight loss plan. And click here to find out which supplements I use when I detox.

Leann Forst, MBA, CHC — Family Health & Cancer Coach

Leann is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, holding a Master’s degree from Drake University and a Bachelor of Science from Upper Iowa University. Leann is accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. And she is an award winning author of 2 books “How to Get Your Kids to Beg for Veggies” and “100 Ways to Lose Weight.”

Born and raised as an Iowa farm girl, she moved to Texas in 1998 where she lives with her husband and 2 kids.

As a wife of a brain cancer survivor, Leann has a special interest in anti-cancer nutrition and detoxification. She works with individuals and groups, and speaks regularly at hospitals, schools and organizations to teach people how to attain optimal health by getting to the root cause of chronic and inflammatory conditions, while using healing modalities such as essential oils. <Click here to get my free report, “37 Cancer Facts You Should Know…But Probably Don’t”

“ART AT GALLERY FRANCANE” © 2009 rafeejewell, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivs license

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

Comments

comments