As a self-confessed control freak, the thought of going with the flow has always been something that has made me feel queasy.

I’d like to think that it’s a symptom of the fast paced, instant gratification, ‘I want a golden egg and I want it now’ generation that I was born into. As a society wears ‘busy’ as a badge of honour and is probably more likely to prescribe to a quote like ‘only dead fish go with the flow’ than the above.

It would seem that going with the flow is part letting go, part listening to yourself. It’s wrapped in spontaneity. It’s judgement-free. There’s an ease and simplicity to it. It’s about trust and faith that sometimes (especially if you’re not sure what your next move should be), just going with the flow can lead you to exactly where you need to be. There’s a calm energy to it.

You know, like taking a Sunday to do NOTHING and feeling good about it.

Or a spontaneous trip away with your loved one.

Or getting away from the computer for an hour (or a day) and just BEING.

Easing off anything that feels like pushing or forcing or over extending in a way that goes against your core values.

I’m not talking about avoiding the uncomfortable or the necessary. Those things we don’t like to do because they’re new or scary or challenging.

I’m saying, listen to yourself, ease off on the massive pressure, and just BE.

And then see how incredible it feels.

I’m sure there are scientists who can explain the anomalies outside of our control, but I do believe that the energy of the Universe and of those around us can sometimes mean that regardless of our best intentions, sometimes things just don’t feel right. And other times, everything lines up and works without us even quite knowing how.

Similar to pushing ourselves to keep moving through something, being able to just ‘let it be’ every now and again is important as well.

Some days you’re going to wake up and feel alive with inspiration and vitality, and other days your body will be saying, ‘hey, it’s time to slow down and chill out.’ The more we can learn to listen to what we need, the more we will get in return.

So what does listening to yourself and going with the flow look like to you?

// Does it change on a day-to-day or minute-to-minute basis?

// Does it just ‘feel’ a certain way?

// Does it align to certain core values or desired feelings?

// Does it feel like your guts or your heart telling you something that you might have been trying to ignore?

// Does it show up in a more physical way through signs and reactions?

Perhaps it changes, depending on the situation.

Last week, my skin broke out in an eczema-like rash around my eyes. Aside from how bad it looked, it stung like crazy. It made me wonder what I was missing? What was I forcing? Or what was I choosing not to see?

Other times, you can be wracking your brain for an answer or a solution, but only when you let it go and stop forcing, does it pop into your head (or, even better, show up in the form of a person, an external indicator, or a sign).

We’ll probably never understand it, as much as we try – as humans – to define and explain and label. But sometimes just going with the flow and appreciating that might be the answer right now, could be exactly the solution you need.

What do you think? I’d love to hear of a time going with the flow has worked for you or if there’s something telling you that this is exactly what you need to do right now. Leave a comment below!

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