How to ACCESS YOUR FLOW STATE!

This week we’re exploring the concept of flow state, its benefits, and how to achieve it through intrinsic motivation and mindfulness practices.

The conversation delves into the importance of being present, engaging in enjoyable activities, and setting SMART goals to enhance personal development and well-being.

I also guide listeners through breath work and visualization techniques to help them connect with their flow state, and encourage them to embrace solitude and introspection as part of the journey towards self-discovery and fulfillment.

SUMMARY:

• “Flow state is achieved through enjoyable, meaningful activities.”

• “Intrinsic motivation leads to greater happiness and creativity.”

• “Being present enhances our ability to experience flow.”

• “Breath work can help us visualize and connect with flow.”

• “Setting SMART goals is crucial for achieving flow.”

• “Embracing solitude allows for deeper self-reflection.”

• “Indulging in joyful activities is essential for well-being.”

• “Scheduling time for enjoyment can improve life satisfaction.”

• “The ego diminishes when we are fully immersed in flow.”

• “Regularly reflecting on our desires helps align our actions with our goals.”
  

Full Transcript:

[The following is the full transcript of this episode of The Sincerely, Sherrise™ podcast. Please Subscribe to the free motivational podcast on iTunes and all major podcast streaming platforms)


Flow is connected to being present, especially when we're channeling the power of now. 

Today, we'll be exploring how we can enter the flow state and reap the many benefits of being in flow, especially when it relates to achieving our desires and or goals, becoming the best version of ourselves and living our absolute best lives.

When we're in flow, we indulge in activities that are intrinsically rewarding. We have clear, SMART goals that may be challenging yet attainable. We're completely focused Following One Course every day on our tasks and activities.

We experience feelings of personal control over the task activities or desires and or goals as well as their outcomes. We often have feelings of peace and serenity void of self-consciousness. 

We receive immediate feedback based on how we feel, we know that the task or activity is doable and there's harmony between our skill level and the challenges or challenge being presented to us. 

We experience a lack of awareness of our physical needs, we are captivated in the moment, experiencing strong concentration and focused attention.

-- 

Hello, beautiful people. 

Welcome to Sincerely, Sherrise™ a podcast or should I say a platform centered around wellness, self-care, personal development, creating a positive mindset and growth. 

I'm your host Sherrise Marshalleck author of I AM AND I WILL: The A -Z of Positive Affirmations and Call to Actions. Consider me your friend and confidant. 

Join me each and every Monday for your weekly dose of positivity.

How you doing? How are you feeling? 

Please say that you're feeling JOYOUS, INSPIRED, and MOTIVATED! 

Give a thumbs up in the comments, if you've ever been so engrossed or captivated by something that time seems to stop and nothing else other than what's happening in that moment seems to matter. 

Let us know. 

Maybe you're on an enjoyable date, involved in a stimulating activity such as: 

• Reading

• Playing an instrument or sport

• or having a riveting conversation

According to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, also known as the Father of Flow, we enter a flow state or flow, otherwise known as a focused experience when we are participating in enjoyable, personally meaningful activities which bring us intrinsic rewards. 

In other words, when we're fully immersed in an activity we are in, flow.

Flow is connected to being present, especially when we're channeling the power of now. Today, we'll be exploring how we can enter the flow state and reap the many benefits of being in flow, especially when it relates to achieving our desires and or goals, becoming the best version of ourselves and living our absolute best lives.

We generally experience two types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivations are driven by internal rewards and extrinsic motivations are driven by external rewards.

Intrinsic motivations generally include:

• Achievement motivation

• Attitude motivation

• Competence and Learning motivation\

• Creative motivation

• Sociological motivation

Extrinsic motivations include: 

• Incentive motivation

• Fear motivation

• Power motivation

• Affiliation and Social motivation

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, focused on positive psychology and leaned into intrinsic value.

When we're in flow, we indulge in activities that are intrinsically rewarding. We have clear, SMART goals that may be challenging yet attainable. We're completely focused Following One Course every day on our tasks and activities.

We experience feelings of personal control over the task activities or desires and or goals as well as their outcomes. We often have feelings of peace and serenity void of self -consciousness. We receive immediate feedback based on how we feel
we know that the task or activity is doable and there's harmony between our skill level and the challenges or challenge being presented to us. 

We experience a lack of awareness of our physical needs, we are captivated in the moment, experiencing strong concentration and focused attention.

We also experience the phenomenon of timelessness or a distorted sense of time, feeling the power of now so much so that we often lose track of time, time tends to then stand still.

According to verywellmind.com, flow has a number of benefits. It is associated with increased happiness, high intrinsic motivation, greater creativity and better emotional regulation among other positive effects.

In an interview with Wired Magazine, Father Flow shared that when we're in flow, "the ego falls away.Time flies. Every action, movement and thought follows inevitably from the previous one. Like playing jazz, your whole being is involved and you're using your skills to the utmost."

Comment a thumbs up below if you've experienced flow. 

Feel free to also let us know what you were doing when you were in flow. 

Let's calm our minds and flow into... Some breath work, like how I did that? 

If you're seated, sit upright with your hands in your lap. 

If you're laying down, lay flat on your back with your arms to the sides of your body if you're able. 

Gently lighten your gaze and close your eyes. 

Take a deep breath, inhaling deeply for four to five seconds.

and exhale gently for four to five seconds also. 

Inhale for one, two, three, four, five, and exhale for one, two, three, four, five. As you inhale deeply,

And exhale gently.

Visualize being in flow. 

Maybe you've been there before. 

Maybe you're yearning to perform an activity that will bring you pure joy and enjoyment. 

Please take yourself there now. 

As you continue to inhale deeply and exhale gently.

Channel the feeling of the moment that you're visualizing. 

Inhale for one, two, three, four, five. And exhale for one, two, three, four, five. As you inhale deeply, welcome flow and the desired experience into your life.

And as you exhale, release anything that takes you away from being in flow. Continue inhaling deeply.

And exhaling gently.

Focus your efforts on being in flow, indulging in an enjoyable activity, being joyous, happy and living the life of your desires starting today. 

Be present in this moment and every moment that follows. Be grateful for this moment of stillness, presence and visualization.

Before opening your eyes. If and when you're ready, thank your mind, body and spirit for their loyalty. 

Ooh, wow. 

I feel good. 

I feel so relaxed and serene. 

Ooh. 

VeryWellMind also states that having a specific goal, choosing a task that's moderately challenging, pursuing an enjoyable project and minimizing the distractions around you all help you better achieve a state of flow. 

Are you ready for the weekly challenge? 

Please say yes. 

[Monday] Unleash the power of solitude and lean into the power of now

Connect with yourself, especially introspectively.

Eliminate distractions. Embrace silence by silencing the noise. Regenerate and rejuvenate in whichever ways work for you. Strengthen your intuition and super conscious.

For a more detailed explanation on this topic, please head over to the Sincerely, Sherrise™ archives and check out the seven steps to Inner-Peace Unleashing The Power of Solitude. That episode is wonderful. Check it out. The card's there. 

[Tuesday] Define your purpose or ikigai 

Ask yourself: 

• What am I passionate about? 

• What do I love? 

• What is my mission in life?

• What does the world need in general and what does the world need from me specifically? 

• Am I offering valuable service to the world? 

• What is my vocation? What am I good at? 

• What comes naturally to me? 

• Do I have a God given talent that may be dormant or being overlooked? What's my profession? 

• What do I get paid for? 

• And how do I make a living? 

Do you need help? 

If so, Feel free to head over to SherriseMarshalleck.com/Shop and grab a copy of: 

• The 30 Day Self Exploration E -Workbook or 

• The Reflecting and Resetting E -Workbook 

To get more insight into your thought processes when it relates to living your best life and positioning yourself for greatness. 

Let's go. Let's get it. 

[Wednesday] Explore your desires

Now think about how your passion, mission, vocation and profession align with your desires and the life that you'd love to live. Take some time to journal about your findings.

[Thursday] Get SMART

Explore your goals and desires and make sure that they're Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound

The more focused you are on your goals is the more likely you'll organically lean into flow.

[Friday] Carve out time for enjoyable activities

What's one thing that brings you pure joy or enjoyment? When's the last time that you indulged in that one thing or that activity? Can you carve out some time today to indulge? How can you honor your enjoyment by scheduling time in your day, week, month or year to indulge?

For instance, I enjoy going on solo dates. No shame in my game. At least once a week, I ensure that a solo date is on the calendar. It's a priority of mine. I actually schedule Sherrise time in before I schedule any other obligation.

A while back, I joined one of Jesse Itzler's live webinars and he shared a three step planning process or planning system which relates to prioritizing your enjoyment and getting the best out of your life.

Step One: Was choosing one significant year defining goal or event.
Step Two: Was scheduling a mini adventure every other month.
And Step Three: was adopting one winning habit every quarter to make incremental positive changes in our lives.

He also encouraged his listeners to schedule these activities into their schedules before any other obligation, especially before work, preferably in preparation for the beginning of the calendar year.

However, we can commit to getting a head start and finishing this year off strong and reflecting on whether we have already had a year defining moment, or maybe we'd like to take a mini adventure every other month from now until the end of the year.

This adventure could be a staycation, ooh. or visiting a loved one for a few days. Maybe they live in a different country or another state, Or maybe they live close to you, but you haven't been there in a while. It could be a spontaneous trip or a last minute flight somewhere.

Ooh.

Maybe our winning habit is taking daily walks, drinking more water, journaling, meditating, indulging in some breath work.

Being an effective communicator, reading more books, reducing your TV consumption or eating cleaner. maybe even it's activating your energy to generate success. comment down below what you'll be activating between now and the end of the year to start living your desired best life and getting the most out of your life.

[Saturday] Indulge in an enjoyable activity

Treat yourself to a flow induced activity. Maybe it's driving, listening to your favorite playlist, meditating, creating, painting, writing, playing a sport, having a stimulating conversation, reading a book, who knows, you know though, whatever that joy filled experience is, indulge in it today and let time escape you.

Be in the moment and lean in to the power of now. You deserve it. Honor yourself today by having and indulging in that activity.

[Sunday] Calm your mind, breathe

Spend at least 30 minutes today reflecting on being in the flow state. Think about how it made you feel and how you'll commit to being void of time and in the present moment more frequently. Feel free to journal and dive deeper into your thoughts. You've got this, let's go, let's get it.

Say it with me: I AM... In flow AND I WILL... Honor the power of now.

Yay.

—

Call to Action (CTA):

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  As always, thank you so very much for tuning in and kickstarting your week with me. 
  Until next Monday, 
  
  Have yourself an amazing and blessed week. 
  
  Sincerely, Sherrise™. 
  
  Ciao.