Flow is a state where we feel our best and perform our best.
-Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
To Move and be in a Flow State represents the delicate relationship between challenge and skill. Flow state is where all Focus and concentration come to the present moment. The worries of the future or the past are put aside for a moment, and we’re fully engaged.
We move freely in complete harmony and understanding with the activity we are engaged in.
It can be a jazz musician playing together with his band, a surfer sharing the waves with the ocean, a painter who creates beautiful images for hours without pause, or a public speaker who loses a sense of time on stage.
One of my many experiences in a deep flow state was when I gave a TEDx Speech, “Why Lifestyle Matters More Than Happiness” here in Tahiti.
I completely lost a sense of time as my full concentration came to the present moment. Luckily, the speech was well rehearsed, and I didn’t pass the strict TED eighteen-minute time limit. 😉
Even today I can only remember the opening lines and the outro of my stage performance, and everything in between is a blur. It was a short yet deep experience of the flow state. I was fully present, performing at full capacity and potential.
These are the Peak Life Experiences (PLE’s for short), which we now create with my Coaching clients instead of setting ordinary Goals!
(You can learn more about my Performance and Lifestyle based Coaching packages Here.)
The common denominator in these states of Flow is the presence of Movement.
It can be emotional, mental, or physical movement yet most of the time all three are present. Coaching, trail running and writing are three of my favorite flow activities where I feel fully engaged.
When we feel our best and push the boundaries of what we thought wasn’t possible, we learn and grow.
We find out what makes us feel truly alive and stay in the present moment. To connect with flow means to be at our very best without any masks, hesitation or feeling inadequate.
To me:
Movement equals freedom, and freedom leads to flow. And when in Flow everything about life is better, more vibrant and alive.
This writing was a part of my article from our latest book: Pathways to Fulfillment, Life Coach’s Guide to Self-Discovery!
Get the book here and Read my full chapter plus what other 10+ other Coaches had to say!
Perform with Purpose,
Tuomo
PS. To Learn more about the High-Performance and Lifestyle Coaching packages Go Here.
