What is flow?
An act of moving in or as if in a stream, a flow of tears a flow of praise. The ebb and flow of the tide. A smooth even movement, a stream, the flow of information or conversation, or life-giving blood flow. Moving without effort.
When I speak of flow, I mean moving effortlessly in life When the path we are on is the path we never knew we were always meant to take. When it feels effortless – we are in FLOW. The act of moving in harmony with oneself.
In this blog I will use the word “universe” because that speaks to me. You may interchange the words God, higher-self, intuition, inner knowing, spirit, or angels. Whatever works for you and your personal belief system. The message is the same.
It’s funny, when we set off on our journey through life thinking that we are headed in a particular direction, it turns out the universe has something completely unexpected in store for us. As I hit my half century mark, unexpected and life-changing events started to unfold. These events shook me to my core. I was blindsided, upset, hurt, and in full panic. I spent two months trying to save it all. To save who I believed I was because I felt defined by what I did. The hard fact was, there was no way to save it, the universe had other plans for me, and without these changes in my life, changes I hadn’t expected or wanted, I would never have had the courage to do something different. To become someone different. To change how I show up in the world.
Once I embraced the possibility of change though, it all started happening very quickly. Events, people, classes, and sessions with trusted advisors, sent me on a path that I never expected. I made a complete shift in my life and decided to FLOW and let the universe carry me like a mighty wind. This flow lead me to become a life coach. To help others and give back in this lifetime. To be a force for change in this world. To help the world heal.
When we do something different, dare to be more, and have the audacity to show up as someone new - it may shake others’ beliefs and test our relationships with those closest to us. Others may be holding on to certain beliefs about what you should look like, and how it should be – they may hold beliefs that are not fully aligned to your new life. You may subconsciously fight against who you are becoming to try and fit into the box you think you need to be in. But once again, the flow of the universe will gently push you forward. Dare to flow.
The growth cycle that every human being goes through is part of this natural flow, which is also the current that takes us down life's path. When we move with it rather than resisting it, we are riding on the universal wave that allows us to flow with life. A river does not choose its path, it flows with the landscape, the path of least resistance, it just moves harmoniously with nature. That is what being in FLOW feels like. Sometimes the river will rage full and spirited during a spring snow melt. At other times in deep summer the river may be small, barely noticeable, allowing the riverbed a chance to recover from spring runoff and allow for something new. This is flow, allowing, not forcing, just being.
When we lack self-confidence or live in a space of fear, we try to use force or resistance to will our lives into happening in the way we believe others think it should. Yet others move with it like a sailor using the wind, trusting that the universe is taking them exactly where they need to be. This flow is accessible to everyone because it travels through and around us. We are always riding it—it’s just a matter of whether we are willing to go with it or resist it. Choosing to go with the flow is often a matter of relinquishing the notion that we need to be in control at all times. It is moving from fear to trust. To believe that life is happening for us – not to us.
Our souls feel good when we go with the flow of the universe. All we have to do is make the choice to ride its currents.
You're either in flow with The Universe or you're not. If you're clinging to anything, anyone or a place that isn’t fully aligned with your core – your inner knowing, you're resisting against the natural flow of who you are. What would you do if you decided to be brave and flow? How would you show up in the world and for yourself? Remember, when we are in flow, nothing we are meant to have will ever leave us.
BE BRAVE – FLOW.