Why find your flow?
I have a lethal combination of ADHD, an obsession with systems, anxiety, an overactive idea generator, and a passionate love for new ideas – all of which keep me busy. People comment on my “energy” and I have no idea what they mean. Yet: I have trouble breaking for lunch when I’m working on something, I spent 9 months unemployed and was almost too busy every day, and I exhaust myself with ideas that seem to multiply, like fractals. It’s maddening to be me.
To be me and be sane, I have to stop the chaos, let the static settle long enough for the truth to crawl back into view.
Because if I don’t, I’m in a dreamland, anxiously spinning ideas all over the place.
That energy is useful – if directed. As in Taoist philosophy, I believe that this energy, when aligned with the energy of natural rhythms, will flow.
When you’re not flowing with what is, it’s like driving a car at top speed with a blindfold on. You’re in (often high-speed) motion - but completely disconnected from what’s around you. You can’t feel the curves of the road, the shifts in terrain, or the rhythm of the traffic. You just keep pressing harder on the gas, convinced that speed equals progress.
And sure, you’re “doing” a lot — but you’re also ricocheting off reality, burning fuel, denting everything in your path. The crashes aren’t punishment; they’re feedback. The universe saying, Hey, maybe slow down and look where you’re going.
Aside: I'm reminded here of an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, with Trevor Noah and Jerry Seinfeld – a fantastic episode - in which Seinfeld says “Everything you need to know, you figure it out when you need to know it. Even if you miscalculate and make the wrong decision, you needed to know that. I always say that pain is knowledge rushing in to fill a gap. When you stub your toe on the foot of your bed? That was a gap in knowledge.”
Flow, in contrast, is like taking the blindfold off. You still drive, but now you see. You sense when you need to accelerate, when to brake, when to pull over and rest - and how to do these things. You notice the scenery. You even enjoy the ride. And you can still decide what direction you’re going. In fact, if you know the destination and are paying attention to the opportunities in front of you, you can take shortcuts.
That’s a thoroughly beaten dead horse of an analogy, but it’s what I mean by finding your flow.
What do you think? Have you noticed this about your way in the world? Comments welcome.
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I'm Michelle Zassenhaus, and I offer health coaching to help men and women over 40 reconnect with their natural rhythm — restoring energy, ease, and vitality through simple, sustainable practices grounded in flow and harmony. If you'd like to learn if this is right for you, I invite you to book a Free 30-minute Discovery Session, or learn more at my site.