Flow, v. - fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus.

Your surroundings have the ability to unnoticeably slip away. Where time loses all consciousness and consciousness can live comfortably without the need for time. Intrigue unexpectedly begins to spin in one direction. A whirling collection of flowing energy spiraling away from the rest of the world. It most certainly feels therapeutic. A state of being carried away within the magnetism of euphoria. A gradual ascend toward purpose and an uncalculated journey toward the unknown.

"Lose yourself to find yourself."

There is a level of untouchable freedom in the submergence of joy. Whether it be fixing a car, creating art, working on a puzzle or to be drenched in the depths of a long trail. A different sort of energy flows through your veins when your mind levitates effortlessly toward freedom. Sitting alone immersed in a project can add more value to your soul than a crowd full of accolades. Some of the best conversations you’ll have with yourself are when you are in the zone. Something mysterious happens in these moments. Confidence is ready to be challenged. A wild ambition spontaneously captures all thoughts. A deep fulfillment becomes met from the ego. Self-driven promotion flows quickly. We are meeting our own needs. A synchronicity between the mind and body. Isolation forms an invisible wall distancing you from the rest of the world. An abduction of the mind and an escape of the soul. It’s a self-gratification that totally engulfs your surroundings as if you’ve created your own black hole. Decisions are being made, the reasons are personally enjoyable and the by-product is eye opening. No one can satisfy that need or provide that level of high, except oneself.

"Time for yourself dissipates negativity from the inside out."

Curiosity is within us from the day we are born. Our senses are here to help us solve all the wonders in our mind. We tap on things, examine things close up and ask a whole lot of questions. Curiosity feels freeing and playful. Then life starts to become demanding, competitive and requires a lot of work. Routines create certainty and certainty makes life very easy. However, there is a price to pay; the loss of creativity. The kind of creativity that surfaces through free thinking. You’ll be astonished when left alone with a fulfilling hobby, a challenging task or a much needed voyage, the distance your mind will flow. You have to seek out the language your mind is speaking through silence. You have to give it time to respond. This type of development needs uninterrupted time. Ideas will flow, problems may be solved, but most importantly you are creating a flow of self-happiness.

"Your interpretation of the world is waiting on you!"

A common problem with flow is self-sabotage. We become invested in a project or idea then cut it short like a scratched record. There are many reasons why people fight against this freedom. The brain is wired to tackle the most pressing issues first. The day-to-day immediate issues pull us farther from ourselves. Heavier dilemmas fill in all remaining gaps. It can be difficult to turn off our brain's hard-core engineering rotating in a clockwise rotation. Like an army of thoughts marching in a synchronized parade. Solving critical tasks takes precedence over deep absorbing work on oneself.

"Who's life are you living?"

Creative thinking attempts to flow in when we have those brief moments of isolation; sitting on a bus, waiting on an appointment, driving to work. It seems these days .. spare moments are spent staring at a phone. Although those short bursts of quiet do not allow time to settle into a lengthy project, it does allow enough time to recall and understand memories, emotions and desires. Enough time to have those light bulb moments! Mindless daily scrolling keeps you connected to how others have chosen to live and takes you away from figuring out your personal passions. Think of those who made up our previous generations. I’m sure you can recall how those close to you were sincerely known for a particular passion. Quiet time walking the land with a metal detector. Green thumbs with spectacular backyard gardens. Cars restored and remastered; bringing back the great classic car. Building scale models, crafters, great fudge makers, painters.. the list goes on and on. These quiet short inopportune moments of creative thinking will jump start the mind to be further explored later.

"Find your pulse, find your peace."

The thoughts you are currently having and continue to replay about your life and future are legitimate and important. There is a certain type of unexpected happiness that occurs when you are in control of your own thoughts. A flow of positivity will seep out through the cracks of concrete boredom. Imagine the idea of getting lost in only the thoughts that you want to think. Energy put back into you. This is when problems not only get solved, but the solutions become inspiring. The consequences of forging your own river is the ability to control your personal flow and outcome. When you divert water away from a river you change its natural flow. You change its pulse. Find your silence and hear your pulse flow.

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Swept Away In The River Of Fulfillment

Waters churn a righteous path

Land reaps waves from nature’s wrath

Stirring shallow beasts of prey

Folding darkness into day

Twisting cursive tides of peace

Forging quiet basin creeks

Flowing rapids turbulence reigns

Stark blue liquid flowing through veins

Mother nature takes the lead

No human feat can supersede

Sediments pace the river floor

Washing nutrients on the shore

Once the faucet begins to seep

Remove the dam and watch it weep

Once the faucet begins to pour

Resist the urge to swim to shore ©S.Ihrig

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"Translate the flow into professional success."

You’ll be a better workplace contributor as you dedicate time toward yourself. Auto-pilot mode will be less interesting. A peaceful aura translates to an inspiring communication pattern. Approaching people around you with a happier set of eyes creates change. Uplifting associations and strategies always brings out the best in people.

Finding your flow takes time, silence and dedication. This is about reviving what was once a great passion. It's about acting on those creative signals that have been nudging you for some time. It's about starting from scratch and rethinking what makes you tick on a daily basis. What values run your life? How should your life flow in order for happiness to flow in? What brings you peace?

Here are some suggestions I hope you will find encouraging, healthy and happy.

I hope I have inspired you to go out there and live your very best life!!

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1. Recognize what is too loud in your life and go the opposite direction momentarily.

2. Focus on what makes you smile and gives you joy.

3. Schedule dates with yourself. Quality alone time doing enjoyable projects.

4. Be open to trying something new. Take classes or try different types of meditation.

5. Look back at childhood mementos.

6. Have an understanding that some projects will not be satisfying. That is OK!

7. Once you are in the zone don't think of reasons to stop. Don't sell yourself short!