Comments on: Catrien Ross on Recovering Your Purpose and Direction When You Lose Flow:Lessons from Kayaking

By: Catrien Ross

Catrien Ross — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:22:18 +0000

Faizal, hello again, and thank you for adding this insightful comment. Yes, we can actually make ourselves and the situation much worse when we chastise ourselves for our perceived failure. A shift in focus, however slight, can make all the difference – we can start over with renewed confidence, and as you say, move forward again.

By: Faizal

Faizal — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:46:14 +0000

Hey Catrien, great post!

I think when we lose flow, we fall further downhill when we keep focusing on the fact that we don’t feel good, or feel like we’re on track. Once we get over that and focus on getting back to where we were, then we can move forward!

By: Catrien Ross

Catrien Ross — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:50:25 +0000

Fiona, thank you, and a warm welcome to my blog. As you say, reaching that trust to be able to let go never seems to be easy. It’s been a long time since I have heard your wonderful voice singing a ballad – please come again to sing your exhilaration here in this minka in the mountains. Your singing gives such joy – let’s treasure flow together!

By: Fiona

Fiona — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:31:26 +0000

Dear Catrien
Your posting made me think about the ‘flow’ I can experience when I’m singing a ballad…I have to say it doesn’t always happen when I sing, but when it does…. as you say…it’s an exhilarating experience.
For me, that’s about letting go; not trying to control. Having the trust to be able to let go is not easy though, is it?

By: Catrien Ross

Catrien Ross — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:19:56 +0000

@Allan: Thank you for adding a very good point – the importance of steering a course when necessary. And also intuitively knowing when and where this is indeed necessary! My interpretation of flow is more the psychological-emotional-spiritual state you enter when your purpose and abilities and energies are aligned in harmony. In this state you can be committed to a process or outcome – flow just makes it easier to experience both. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts again, Allan.

@Sibyl: I really like your insight about appreciating all the waves of life. And yes, feeling so right in flow can make our times of losing flow seem bleak. But both losing flow and finding flow are part of the natural cycles of expansion and contraction. As you point out, both have a purpose, and we can know that everything is okay. Many thanks for visiting again and adding your perceptive view to the discussion.

By: Sibyl-alternaview

Sibyl-alternaview — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:05:34 +0000

Catrien:
Great post and great insight. Losing the flow is such a human reality that I think it is important to acknowledge that it is okay when things stop flowing like they have before. Knowing that everything is okay and remaining calm is important and allows you to remove any impediments that will prevent the flow from returning. It is easy to get addicted to the flow because it is great when things fall into place and feel so right. However, we also have to be able to appreciate all the waves of life and know they all have a purpose. Thanks for the insight. I thought the comparison to kayaking was poignant.

By: Allan

Allan — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:26:18 +0000

Catrien

Often going with the flow is the best course, choosing not to become bogged down in process or to be to committed to a particular outcome. However, on other occasions we must steer a course to make sure that we reach a reasonable end point. Deciding which approach to take when is the key, but is not easy!

Allan