Have you ever had a time in your life when things just went exactly as you wanted them to? Like nothing could go wrong and everything was happening almost magically? And then who hasn’t had those times when things just didn’t come together and it seemed like there wasn’t anything that you could do right?
I know I’ve experienced both of these different scenarios several times in my life. And it’s only natural to want that first state when things were going your way. We use many expressions to describe that same state of being. For athletes, they call it “being in the zone”—you make that goal, dunk that winning basket, get that hole in one, or break a new world record. For spiritualists, it’s when you experience “being one with all” and is often described as a level of heightened consciousness. And with musicians, they get “into the groove”—they lose themselves in the experience of making their music. These all refer to a state called “in the flow”. Wikipedia defines flow as “the mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.”
Do you remember that movie How Stella Got Her Groove Back with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg? Stella’s life seemed perfect but inside she had lost herself and wasn’t happy. She goes to Jamaica and falls for a much younger man. The movie was about finding her way back. Now, I’m not suggesting we go out and get ourselves a young hot tottie as a way of finding ourselves—although that might work for some! But often times, we just need some sort of catalyst to get us out of the slump and back into action to moving forward.
We can learn so much from the rhythms of nature. Change is constant and therefore, we must embrace change as a good thing for us. It keeps us alive and ever present. The Asian cultures look at still water as stagnant and dying versus a river that is constantly flowing and moving. Humans as a species are amazing because we are so adaptable. We have the ability to take actions that will propel our lives forward and continually developing.
Our quest is to get our lives into that flow state of being: we need to find our groove and keep it! So how can you find that state of flow and stay there consistently?
There are two things that are important to keep in mind. The first is that you must be happy now. As humans, our natural state is one of joy and if you look at anyone’s life, what is the ultimate goal regardless of their individual paths? Happiness! We ALL want to be happy, whether we seek that through our work, our relationships, our families, our spiritual growth, or our own well being. The truth of the matter is that joy comes from within ourselves and that’s where we need to find it.
The second thing we need to get into the flow is a clear vision. Our dreams give us hope. It’s what will drive us forward and keep us going through whatever obstacles arise. When you know where you want to be, it gives you clarity and the confidence to make the right decisions in your life. Like a compass, your visions or dreams are your true north and will guide you. When you can be happy now and have a visio of where you want to go, you are able to capture that state of flow and then things will begin to magically happen in your life.
What can you do NOW to go out and get your groove back in your life?
Karin Volo is an expert in personal development and is known as a Dream Life Mentor. She is also the transformational author of the Bringing Joy series. Karin’s passion is helping people better their lives by inspiring and teaching others to thrive through tough times and create their dream lives. You can get inspired with Karin’s bi-weekly newsletter, Inspired Lives, by going to www.InspiringYourVeryBest.com. Or meet Joy and get a free e-book at www.BringingJoyToTheWorld.com
