***The Art of Flow and How to Tap Into It

I've often affirmed, "Let go and flow." Flow generates inspiration and births the A-HA moments of your clarity and vision.

All struggle is out-of-flow experience. Where you struggle is where you have turned your back on and said NO to you. Denying who you are and what you are here to be, do and have is an act of self-loathing. Life is exhausting for the person who holds back their truth, lives the 'shoulds' and 'must dos' of others, and limits their vision of what's possible. Where personal power is used to minister to internal fear and self-doubt, stress and anxiety is the end result. Such negative emotions are clear indicators of out-of-flow existence.

What is flow and how do I know when I'm 'in it'?

You've been in the flow before. Think of a time when you were completely and joyfully absorbed in what you were doing, exhilarated, moving beyond any fear and firing on all cylinders. You had no sense of time or space. One action succeeds another without thought. Endless energy gushed through your body. "In the zone" of creative life-affirming flow you were authentically expressing your full potential.

Truth is, you came into this world in the flow. A bundle of unconditional love and goodness at birth you used your personal power to feed your desires without fear. Your desires included your innate need for food, care and the actualization of your veritable presence on this earth. As you got older you began to use and direct your power to feed your fears. You began to doubt your worthiness, your abilities and what you wanted to become. You may have even lost your voice, you ability to express your truth.

"Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything, and love is all there is." - Gary Zukav

To tap into your authentic flow it is essential to align your inner power with your personal truth wrapped in unconditional love of self and others. Sounds like a difficult if not arduous undertaking doesn't it? It's a lot easier than you may think.

When you let go and flow you do not sit like an overstuffed turkey on the sofa eating bon-bons all day waiting for opportunity and fortune to waltz into your living room. Quite the contrary. If you want to end persistent struggle you must let go of the thoughts, beliefs and choices that hold you back from full authentic expression and achievement . Flow requires action. You must get into motion when a bright idea reveals itself.

"Truth is such a rare thing it is delighted to tell it." - Emily Dickenson

Notice that when you go against your truth you suffer through anxiety and stress. Notice that where you withhold your love for your self or others you will feel alone, disconnected from life. Notice when you give up your personal power you become a helpless victim, blaming other people and external circumstances for your misfortune. All of these experiences are out-of-flow, a movement away from that which you are here to express, your purpose in life.

Pay attention to how you feel. If you feel good, you're in flow! The choices you make, the actions you take are heart-centered and in agreement with who you are at your deepest core. If you feel bad, you're directing you are using your energy to go against flow. The choices you make, the actions you take are misguided attempts to keep you from growing, keep you stuck right where you are in a comfort zone that you may not even like very much. If you notice that you are stress, anxious, angry at yourself or others, stop whatever you are doing. Take a moment to breathe and center yourself. I call times of agitation "do no harm periods". Make no decision, take no action, when you are in a negative state. If you do, you will not like the outcome you create. Reach for a newer and better perspective. Redirect your energy and focus to what you want instead of what you do not want. Make sure you concentrate your attention on what you really want, what will make your heart sing. Imagine how life will be when you have achieved that vision.

Feels good, doesn't it? Hold this feeling of a life well lived with you as you intuitively use your personal power to actualize that image. Know that this is what you are here to be, do and have. If the feeling starts to slip back into the familiar drone of struggle then you have begun to slip back into an old pattern. You have a choice. You can stay right where you are never getting anywhere or you can artfully turn yourself around and get back into flow. Use the exercise above to tap back into your personal power, authentic truth, and unconditional love.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace ". - Jimi Hendrix