Finding a FLOW STATE, that place where time collapses, your creativity soars and your productivity escalates 500% is sought after by many. And, for good reason. Who wouldn’t want to get more done in less time and enable you “free time” to pursue more of what you love?
But, what if the much needed requirement for being in that time-collapsable state is learning to be very focused. Would that change your thoughts about flow? And, how would you teach yourself to step into that state more easily without a lot of anguish and drama?
Love what you do, even the mundane tasks.
To be in the flow state, you need to find a way to be present and appreciate the moment where you are, even if its managing mundane and boring tasks. Just think! Grocery shopping and lining up to get in could become a trigger for an excellent creative idea. It gives you time to pause, to imagine.
Forcing yourself to create a flow state when you are uninspired by a task or work environment shuts you down. It will stifle productivity and in fact, work in opposition to creating that higher level of productivity and service.
Empowered flow states.
Consider looking at flow states as empowered states, not just a JOY ride for your neurochemistry. You can find your way back from emotional burnout by attaching meaning to small tasks throughout the day. By giving something meaning, it is possible to regain focus, empower yourself and find your way back inside flow states. Even the most simplest of tasks can become the brick and mortar of expressing meaning, and contribution. All it needs is a slight head-shift and the inspiration to do so.
Empower yourself by creating stability in your daily routine by introducing a “reward” activity every day. It could be a nice cup of coffee, listening to music, reading, going for a walk or walking your dog. Whatever you decide, stay consistent. We are creatures of habit. Reinforce self-care and self-love to enable YOU to be more powerfully focused and present for yourself and for others.
Many gateways to Flow states.
- Exercise that activates dopamine and endorphins can trigger flow.
- Meditation- being in a calm, peaceful state or the BLISS zone will also place you in flow.
- Visualization- uses the imagination to focus, to problem-solve and to simulate an experience including flow states by being present.
- Creative pursuits like art, music, writing and reading-will also trigger Flow. Have you ever done something creative and literally time vanished? The collapse of time meant that you were in a Flow state.
- More radical flow-seekers will tell you that low dose psychedelics will initiate Flow for creative break-throughs.
- And, those who gravitate to extreme sports to experience Flow states will tell you that this is a direct path to creating the adrenaline rush and “urgency” to focus that are the hallmarks of Flow states.
How to use Visualization to get into a Flow state.
Visualizing events and states of being can create Flow states. It works the same way as painting, writing or composing music. Inspired neurochemistry and shifts in focus, teaches you to emulate and become more focused and present whenever and wherever you are. Combining visualization with meditation sessions on a regular basis will create more mental clarity and enhance your memory. Expect to notice more detail and cultivate more “presence” in the present.
1. Creating Focus.
A consistent meditation practice will set the stage for you to be more aware of your body, your level of tension and relaxation. This is an excellent starting point to visualize. Here, as you breathe and take into account where you are, your distraction, any aches and pains, it teaches you how to relax more deeply. From this point, it is easier to create what you imagine and step into that state, including a flow state. Feel your body and energy shift and your level of focus, amplify.
2. Creating presence.
Presence, being more awake to your surrounding environment as well as fine-tuned in your inner world, creates more opportunity to be in a Flow state. Training yourself to focus on an idea, image or state of being is the gateway to getting into the flow state without having to use other methods. It will kick in when you are doing those mundane tasks and when you are doing things you love.
Becoming present with a greater focus will influence how well you can remember information. The more you are able to focus, the more likely you will be able to remember specific details. If you are swept up by distractions and your energy is low or you are coping with a strong emotional state, you will be less open to capturing details. Visualization practice is a survival skill that can clear out interference that deters, delays and imposes false limits on us. And, it can help us focus and move us faster into high performance flow states.
3. Re-defining limits by being there first.
What if you could induce a flow state by seeing yourself in it already? Your imagination is incredibly powerful and can be used to catapult you into a place of being, in that FLOW, faster than running 10K. Not sure about this? Test it out. Imagine yourself running a race or doing something you love and excelling at it. See the race/event in detail, imagine how your muscles would feel, how your clothes feel on your body and how your breath will change as you quicken your cadence. Now imagine the finish line and exceeding your best time.
How did this simulation feel? Did you get a sense of euphoria as if you had put in a real workout and had run that 10K? There are heaps of evidence out there that your physiology can be potentially shifted through visualization. So why not imagine Flow states?
We are very powerful beings capable of more than we realize. Tapping into a more empowered state using your imagination could be logically called a flow state as well. The psychology behind this imagined state is creative and moves beyond personal history, trauma and self-descriptions. Here, you can see yourself empowered and moving beyond old definitions.
Stepping beyond the Gate.
Did you know that the electrical activity of our brain changes when we learn to focus our attention? And, wherever we place our attention, imagined or real, our nervous system will respond powerfully?
Meditation can be used to release anxiety and stress, to gain more insight into our physical health, our energy levels and to hone mindfulness.
Visualization, on the other hand, offers an alternative neural pathway for encouraging the mind to become very focused, for remembering more detail, and for gaining mental clarity. It also has the potential to shift your physiology and place you in a flow state. You become an explorer of another kind just by using your imagination. Step beyond the gate of old self-descriptions and re-define your potential. Ignite your flow state and achieve more than you thought possible.
I created a visual meditation [visualization + meditation] for Mental Clarity.
If you are curious about what that sounds like, you can listen to a sound clip on Sound Cloud. To purchase this ten minute meditation, visit STORE.
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