Going with the Flow

This whole idea of change is founded on a single principle: CHANGE IS ALL IN YOUR MIND.

First comes a desire or need to change. Then comes an attitude that permits it. Then come behaviors that lead to it and support it. And finally, change happens - or at least you realize that it has happened!

The substance or result of the change process becomes clear at the moment you realize that something has changed - that you're getting BETTER, or that the situation is becoming DIFFERENT. And the notion of fundamental change ultimately leads to the possibility that you can actually be the BEST you that you can be.

All you need to do is take the change process all the way. All it takes, really, is the desire to grow, to change - and the realization that the process never really ends.

By acknowledging that your development is an ongoing process - a work in progress - you'll keep discouragement and frustration at relatively low levels when you suffer a setback or reach a plateau that could make you believe that you can't go on. You'll immediately realize that the situation is temporary and that you'll move on just as soon as you're ready.For just a few moments let's look at an "ideal state" scenario for change, one in which you truly "go with the flow."

The concept of "flow" isn't new, although recent books and articles seem to give it a lot of emphasis. "Flow" is what every one of us has experienced when, as children, we got really deep into our playing. Can you remember pretending to be Superman or Wonder Woman? How did that feel? Wasn't it exciting? Didn't you really believe that you could do all those superhuman things? Of course, that was imaginary, but the feeling is what I want you to remember. What words describe it?

One word is "joy." When your activity is going along without a hitch you may feel joyous. Moreover, you're likely to lose yourself in the activity, to become "one" with it. Your sense of time evaporates. Sometimes you go into "slow motion." This happens to me when I reach a deep state of concentration.

On the other hand, sometimes an hour will pass in what you feel is just a minute or two. For me, this can happen when I'm in front of my computer, especially when I'm surfing the Internet or working on a particularly interesting copy writing assignment.

When I reach this state, I often get a feeling of effortless achievement. One of the best examples of this for me is when I am skiing. Usually, at some point during the day, I begin a run and I just know that it's going to be perfect. All fear disappears; my brain and my body mesh in perfect synchronization; and my spirit soars! What a feeling!!

The way one gets to this remarkable state depends on a certain conditioning, one that involves a deep commitment to improvement and a conscientious planning process that outlines exactly what it is you want to achieve at this stage of your development. Mindful of that, the actions you take must be highly focussed, specifically located in the present, in the NOW. Whenever your mind leaves the NOW, your sense of flow will be disturbed and your effortless progress will dissolve into a confusion of ideas and time frames. When you're looking for flow, concentrate on NOW and on the single idea you're pursuing at this moment.

This ability to reach a "flow" state requires consistent practice. One way to motivate yourself toward this is to work on developing some talent not necessarily related to new experiences or skill-sets. You can profit from going back to some talent you already possess - sports, playing a musical instrument, gardening, crafts - whatever. Almost every one of us has some skill or interest that was very important years ago but has been lost in the process of being a responsible adult.

Take some time to inventory your talents and commit to activating at least one of them again. Not only will you likely discover that you get up to speed very quickly, but you'll also find that you can improve that already-acquired skill quite easily. That'll make you feel pretty good about yourself. Now translate the improvement process to the life change you want to make, and see what happens.

Next, pick a workable strategy, a way of approaching the task of conscious change that uses skill