Go with the flow

Momentum is a mighty fine thing when we’ve got it; that flow, that sense that things are slotting into place, that rhythm.

When we haven’t got momentum, it honestly sucks. Going from none to some is often the hardest part because it’s at that point where we’re needing to muster up enough confidence and energy to get going. When we start a car up after a period of it being parked, it always seems to splutter a bit in protest. Doing anything from nothing is a battle in and of itself.

That’s why, it’s super important that the momentum you’re trying to muster, the tune you’re trying to dance to, the flow you’re hoping to find, the rhythm, it’s yours.

Of your deciding. 
Of your designing. 
 
Nature has a rhythm that suits different plants in different ways. Some will flower in the Spring, some in the Summer, some in Autumn and some in Winter. Some need different climates, different soils, different light, different environments altogether.

An athlete who is training for an event will have an individualised training plan that’s been carefully crafted to get the best out of them at the best time. The plan is a rhythm to ensure every aspect of the athlete’s life is supportive and supported so that they’ll perform well under immense pressure at the right opportunity.

You, need to find a rhythm that works for you. Your rhythm will be different to someone else’s rhythm. The environment within which you will thrive, your motivation, your desires, your dreams, they’re all individual to you. 

When we feel stuck, it’s often because we’ve tied ourselves up in knots getting stuck in the rhythms decided and designed by other people. Whether those rhythms are cultural, societal, environmental, or expectational, they mightn’t always align with our own core values and we grind to a halt feeling hopeless and helpless, often because, we’ve done our absolute best to keep going at a rhythm that just doesn’t suit us, one that doesn’t fulfil us, give us purpose, energise us or reward us.

Creating your own rhythm isn’t ever going to be easy, think about that spluttering car, think about the darkness that seedling has to plunge through to reach the light. In the long-term though, then-you will be thanking now-you in abundance.

Here are some exercises which might help:

1. Use books and search engines to learn about core values and make a list of yours.
2. Write down all of the areas of your life (work, health, relationships, dreams, etc) which feel as though they’re stressful or have some kind of friction or just don’t feel right for you – that are misaligned to your core values.
3. Choose just one thing off your list to focus on for now. Make a note of it and reflect upon what your ‘ideal’ in that area would be, the ‘ideal’ that does align with your core values.
4. Brainstorm ways you might re-align there. Read books, watch YouTube videos, look for people who are where you want that area of your life to be and learn from them. Take notes and write down any ideas.
5. Take action, take the smallest step, do the teeniest of tasks, but do ‘do’. This is how rhythms start, with a single beat, a single tiny surge or energy, one instance of action. 
6. Repeat step 5 regularly, daily if you can. Keep going until you’ve managed to re-align what was once for you misaligned. Keep those core values and wants and dreams of yours at the forefront of your mind.
7. Once that part of your life feels more ‘you’, start another and never stop repeating this exercise because as you grow and evolve, your rhythm needs to keep up with you.

You,  deserve to have a life that you love, one that brings you joy, happiness and good health. Your life is just that, yours. It’s for you to decide and design. Your life – your unique individualised rhythm.

Kim Fry
UKSA Welfare Officer