My year summed up in a few words? It would most definitely be the flow of life.
I just finished my 10th book of the year 2022 – Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu and Stephen Mitchell.
These lines forced me to stop and ponder over 2022.
Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water.
Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass it.
The soft overcomes the hard; the gentle overcomes the rigid.
–Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu and Stephen Mitchell
My word of the year 2022: Flow of life
I thought this was the perfect excerpt to describe my year 2022.
Flow of Life should be as simple and effortless as the water flowing.
The water flows as if it as purpose, never doubts itself or the destination. It flows with conviction.
Yet it never forces.
It’s remarkable forbearing helps make its way through everything.
All my life, I have operated on rules and conditions, prided myself (almost) in following them even when they were not required. To the point where I became inflexible to ideas, concepts, opinions.
I did inevitably realize that there is a better road. A road that doesn’t strain me unnecessarily. A less travelled road of allowing things to take their course all the while doing your best. It seems that when we try to control things or put them in neat little boxes, our focus can become very narrow. Like looking at the world through a keyhole. We can only see what is directly in front of us and ultimately lose sight of the bigger picture.
Accepting that life is fluid and ever-changing was a big part of “FLOW” for me, this year.
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If we are to open ourselves to new experiences, opportunities, and ideas, only then will we be able to flow with life’s current rather than struggle against it.
What is the flow state of mind in psychology?
The flow state of mind is a mental state of being completely immersed in whatever you are doing. Not worrying about the destination, enjoying the process, present in the here and now.
What does it mean to be in the flow of life?
Being in the flow means that you are not afraid of what the result will be. You know in your heart that every experience is leading the way for you to become the person you need to be. When you understand that the experience is much more crucial than the finish line, you’ll stop forcing things. And that’s when the magic of flow will manifest. You’ll learn things which will lead to success in one way or another.
For me this meant, not only letting go of my idea of how things should be, but also releasing any attachment to the outcome of any situation. It was about trusting my intuition. In my experience, the gut feeling is never wrong. But separating the voice of your intuition and the chatter that goes on inside your brain is what matters the most.
Safe to say, I flowed through 2022.
It was a rollercoaster of emotions. Up and down. It was one of my most memorable years. Along with that, some major disappointments did occur as they were supposed to. I think it’s important to consider what your intentions were with the year and reflect how close you came to them.
Often times the water needs to stay steady in its softness to break through barriers.
It is never the first strike of an axe that falls a tree, but it doesn’t mean that the first blow didn’t have a purpose.
Embodying the spirit of flowing, I would consider this year to be a success, because it’s almost always a matter of perspective.
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Tell me in the comments below, what did your 2022 look like? What did you learn?
