How do you move from Funk to Flow, from Low to Glow? First-off, the flow as I like to define it is that feel-good state of aliveness, when everything just works out effortlessly and you seem to be at the right place at the right time, meeting the right people, receiving the right information… it’s almost scary, or magical, depending on how you look at it.
It’s a state we can cultivate and as we do so, the easier it becomes to move back in when we’ve slipped out. And so below are 7 suggestions to cultivate or return to the flow when you are in an occasional funk. They all start with ‘r’ as they are meant to get the ball rrrolling again in your life.
1. Relish The Goodness In Your Life
This first point (after accepting and not judging) is about truly appreciating the good things that we have in life, which are so easy to take for granted. A while ago I was due to extend my visa in Bali. After about 3 visits to the immigration office, I had completely lost track of whether or not they had kept my passport! I was worried that it might be lost, but didn’t want to alarm anyone, so I decided to simply go to the immigration office one the due date in order to find out. Long (and nerve-wracking) story short, they did have my passport! Pff, the relief as I saw it.
And that… was the moment I was close to tears as I realised and remembered how lucky I was to actually be in this amazing country that had grown so close to my heart. But I had forgotten to appreciate it consciously. It was that that I decided to have at least one daily moment of gratitude.
The good thing is… you don’t need to (almost) lose what you have in order to start this habit. You don’t even need to be in Bali for it. The mere fact that you are alive, that the sun is shining, the smile of a loved one… Appreciating and even inhaling those moments can be enough to lift your spirit and move back into the flow.
2. Recognise and Replace that Negative Voice in Your Head
But sometimes you need a little more of a pick-me-up. For instance, do you know that feeling when suddenly your whole life seems to be bleak and off track and your future seems hopeless, and no one likes you anyway, etc….
Is it really true?? Or is it just your mind that has captured one negative event or emotion and woven a whole negative story around it? The only trick you need, is to recognise it. You could then either double-check your melancholic thoughts with tools such as The Work by Byron Katie, you could check-in with your tribe (see next point) or you could remember a recent moment that proves the opposite- where you felt hopeful and optimistic about your life.
The more often you do this, the more you will come to recognise how creative your mind can be when it’s on a negative spin. But you can also spin it around and use it to your advantage as you create a more optimistic vision of your life and future, for instance by replacing your inner critic with an inner cheerleader.
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3. Rally Your Troops
This is an important point- and it’s usually the last thing you might want to do when you feel this way: to reach out. I know in my case when I’m in a low mood, I’d rather just stay and lay low and wait for when it’s over before I connect with people.
But it’s so important to check-in with supportive people the very moment you are feeling low. They can give you the reality check that you might need so much in that moment, and remind you of what’s actually going well in your life, or simply cheer you up. Do you have one or two, maybe even more friends that you know you can connect with when things get rough? Do you dare to reach out when you need to? Do you realise that this might actually deepen your connection and bring in more authenticity?
Nobody’s perfect, and the more we drop the facade of perfection, the more our soul shines through, and that’s when things start to flow again…
4. Reconnect with Your Soul
And that brings us to the fourth way towards flow. I know for some of you the term soul might seem vague or woo-woo even. And of course feel free to replace it with your own term, such as: essence, higher self, spirit, that peaceful part of you. Basically It’s about our innermost being, the part of us that lies underneath all the layers of who we are not.
When things are wild around you or inside of your own head, it may feel like you are being thrown and tumbled around in a wild wave (a memory that always comes to my mind is when I tried to surf in Portugal many years ago but took a wave that was way too big… oops).
When you remember that there is a part of you that is always at peace, you can start reconnecting with that inner sanctuary. The more you do this, the stronger the connection and the more easily you can return to that peaceful place inside, when things or thoughts get rough.
5. Reminisce in the Good Times
I know that this title might conjure up the image of a grandmother sitting in her rocking chair on the porch, knitting and remembering the good ol’ times. And… actually that’s exactly what I’m talking about. Ok at least the last part about remembering the good times (unless you enjoy knitting of course, in which case I so respect your patience!)
Basically, this point is about really diving into the moments when you felt good. Selecting. Savoring. Surfing. Daydreaming even. Putting aside all potential memories of school teachers who told you to do not daydream but to pay attention. I now invite you to access your inner rebel and really revel in some of those happy memories. Or in case nothing comes to mind, you could also visualise beautiful moments that you would like to see happening in your future.
6. Rest, Relax, Reset…
You get the idea… any r-word that helps you slow down will do. Because even though the previous point talks about changing your thoughts and emotions, some feelings just need to be felt. Emotions can also be explained as energy-in-motion and once we let that energy flow through us, we eventually enter back into the flow as well.
It’s all about embracing your emotions, and the way to start is by doing… nothing! It’s easy to stay busy as there is always something to do. But do you sometimes balance your doing by simply being? It actually takes practice, and you might even need the blissipline to schedule these breaks in your agenda (ironic, I know). Once you do though, from that place of rest and relaxation you reconnect with your intuition, which is when insights and inspiration begin to bubble up again.
7. Rock Until You’re On a Roll…
Probably I mention this in each of my blog articles, but dancing is just one of the most effective medicines for most ailments. Especially in cases when your life energy seems to be stuck, moving your body can literally move the energy in your life again. So prepare a list of songs when you’re in a good mood, so that the next time you’re a little down, you know where to go.
And even though dancing or moving might be the last thing you want to do when you’re in a funky mood… just translate those feelings into a funky dance. What I mean by that is: just dance the way you feel. If you feel tired, dance a tired dance. If you feel depressed, express that depression in the dance, if you feel low… get on the ground, ok just kidding, although it can be fun.
What I’m saying is, you don’t need to feel happy to dance, you can start the way you are… and I’m guessing that it won’t be long until you might actually be dancing your Happy dance ;))
In the end it is all about finding a way to feel good. Lifting your mood.
You’ve been down for enough time and your mind and body are powerful tools which allow you to shift your state by simply changing your thoughts or emotions. That’s all it takes. If you need a little assistance in this, I invite you to listen to the guided meditation below to bring you from funk to flow.
Now I would love to hear from you, which of those methods will you be trying next time you’re feeling funky?
Originally published at nickydekoning.wordpress.com