Many years ago, when I was living in New York City, I was deep in pursuit of an acting career. I was part of an incredible acting troupe, performing regularly in front of live audiences.
It was thrilling! But every single time, just moments before stepping on stage, I was a complete wreck.
My stomach was in knots, my mouth was dry, and my mind? Completely blank.
I couldn’t remember a single line. My heart pounded so loudly I was convinced the entire audience could hear it.
And then - like magic - something shifted.
The moment I stepped under those stage lights, the fear dissolved. The lines were there. The words, the emotions, the movement - it all flowed through me effortlessly.
I wasn’t thinking about what to say next. I wasn’t analyzing my performance in real time. I was simply there, fully immersed, letting something beyond my conscious mind take over.
I was in the flow.
We’ve all had those moments - whether on a stage, in a conversation, in creative work, or while moving our bodies - when everything just clicks.
There’s no force, no overthinking, no hesitation. It feels natural, effortless, almost inevitable.
That’s the flow state.
The problem?
Most of us have been conditioned to do the exact opposite of flowing.
We’re taught to push, to plan every word, to control the outcome. We hesitate. We doubt.
We start questioning: Is this good enough? Am I saying the right thing? What will people think?
And just like that, we slam the brakes on our natural rhythm.
I’ve been there. And I’ll be the first to admit that forcing it never works. Whenever I try to make something happen - whether it’s writing, speaking, or even just expressing how I feel - it’s like trying to paddle upstream. Exhausting, frustrating, and completely unnecessary.
Because the truth is, expression - whether through words, art, movement, or any form - doesn’t come from force. It comes from allowing.
Think of a river. The water doesn’t decide where to go. It doesn’t try to force itself to the ocean. It just moves. Effortlessly. Guided by something deeper than thought.
We are the same way. Our creativity, our truth, our voice - it all flows naturally when we stop gripping so tightly. When we stop questioning every step and just let ourselves be.
What if we trusted that?
What if we allowed our words to flow without needing to filter them? What if we let ourselves create, speak, and move - not from effort, but from presence?
That’s when the magic happens.
Flow happens naturally when we align with the present moment and stop resisting what is. When we release control and trust ourselves, everything falls into place.
Here are a few ways to make that shift:
1. Practice Presence Through Active Listening
One of the simplest ways to tap into flow is to deeply listen - to others, to your own body, to the world around you. When you’re truly present in a conversation, for example, you’re not planning your response or analyzing what’s being said. You’re just there, fully engaged.
2. Move Your Body Without Overthinking
Dance, stretch, walk, do yoga - without a goal, without trying to “get it right.” Just move in a way that feels natural and notice how your body finds its own rhythm. When we stop trying to control movement and instead tune into how our bodies want to move, we drop into flow.
3. Trust the First Thought, First Impulse
Overthinking kills flow. Whether you’re writing, speaking, or making decisions, practice trusting your first impulse instead of second-guessing yourself. Often, our initial instinct is the most aligned and true.
4. Let Go of the Need to Know the Outcome
Flow thrives on trust. When we let go of needing to know exactly how things will unfold, we create space for life to move through us instead of trying to control it. Trust that you will know what to do in each moment (just as I always found my lines when I stepped on stage!).
You Are the Flow
The more we embrace the truth that flow isn’t something we need to find but something we already are, the more naturally it shows up in our lives. It’s not about getting to the flow - it’s about removing what blocks it. When we surrender our resistance, flow is simply there, waiting.
So the next time you feel stuck, unsure, or disconnected, take a breath. Drop into presence. Trust yourself.
And if you’d like support in easing into your own effortless flow, my guided meditation, Easing Into the Effortless State of Flow, will help you release resistance and reconnect with your natural rhythm.
Let go. Trust. And let life move through you.
Five minute fix guided meditaiton #52: Easing In to the Effortless State of Flow 💫
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