Being in a flow state (aka “in the zone”) is not only pleasant—it can be healing. Flow is a natural antidote to feeling disengaged, apathetic, and stagnant. If you’re recovering from trauma, an eating disorder, addiction, heartbreak, or anxiety, incorporating flow into your everyday life could be a helpful tool on your healing journey.

Flow has been described in different ways. Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls it “a state of effortless concentration and enjoyment.” Steven Kotler, executive director of the Flow Research Collective, describes it as “an optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and perform our best.”

However you define it, inviting flow into your life on a regular basis is a healthy practice.

Benefits of flow

You may consider your thoughts, emotions, and physical body as separate entities, but they are just different facets of you. When you act on one part of yourself, it affects all parts of yourself, naturally. The human body is a system that works together. So if you introduce flow to one area, like physical exercise, it can help bring more flow to your thoughts and emotions, too. This idea touches on the Chinese principle of qi (pronounced “chi”), believed to be a vital life force in all living entities that needs to flow unimpeded to maintain good health.

In talk therapy we often look for ways to dissolve or work around emotional stagnation or blocks. Thinking, feeling, and talking can increase emotional and cognitive flow by transforming hard, inflexible thoughts, feelings, and patterns into something more soft and flexible. Something you can work with—and play with.

Introducing flow in another way, like moving your body, can increase flow in emotions and thoughts, too. When you get immersed in it, that’s a flow state.

Physical symptoms of stress, like tense shoulders or indigestion, may ease as you are able to increase that physical, emotional, and mental flow.  Steven Kotler even suggests that in the future, doctors or psychologists could prescribe experiences to their patients to heal from various ailments.

Benefits of getting into a state of flow:

• Connecting with the present moment
• Confidence
• A feeling of agency
• Increased memory recollection
• Feeling more motivated
• Happiness

How to get into a flow state

So how do you get into flow? Traditional creative practices such as drawing, painting, sculpting with clay, and playing music are all tried-and-true ways. Sports are also a wonderful catalyst to get you into flow: running, swimming, surfing, tennis, basketball, rock climbing, dancing… the list goes on and on. Calmer activities that feel more meditative can also produce a flow state. This could include engaging in meditation, walking meditation, gardening, qigong, or cooking.

In a study by the U.S. Veterans Administration, veterans who were suffering from PTSD participated in an L.A.-based surfing program called Ocean Therapy, where soldiers are taught to surf. In between surf sets, they had structured group discussions on the sand. A lieutenant who approved the experiment reportedly said, “Oh my god, our Marines are talking. They don’t talk. Ever.” Most participants in the study reported significantly reduced PTSD symptoms after 5 weeks.

A flow state is a state where you get lost in your activity—in the best way possible. You are in the moment. Sprinter Usain Bolt—“the fastest man in the world”—describes it simply: “You don’t think about the start of the race, or the finish, or the crowd. You just run.”

Having said that, keep in mind that chasing the “high” of a flow state is not what it’s about. It’s about simply engaging in an activity that you are curious about and enjoy doing.

Make it part of your routine

To increase your chances of tapping into flow, make sure you regularly engage in activities that bring you into it. If you already have a routine that incorporates those creative or physical practices, great! In case you need some tips:

• Schedule time every day for creative activities or physical activity.

• Sign up for a class.

  • Whether it’s a pottery class, tennis workshop, or dance, if it’s a group that meets regularly, the schedule, rhythm, and accountability will help you incorporate it into your routine.

• Set an activity-related goal.

  • Maybe you set a goal to play in a tennis match in 3 months, to give you something to work toward and look forward to.
  • Or maybe you want to create handmade birthday cards for all of your friends this coming year, providing dates throughout the year where you need to produce art.
  • You could set the goal to host a garden harvest meal for friends at the end of the summer, to encourage you to put your love and energy into your gardening.

• Reflect on your “why.” As a journaling exercise, think about why you enjoy this activity and what it adds to your life.

  • What drew you to this activity, and how did you feel about it when you were first getting started with it?
  • Are there others you admire—celebrities, acquaintances, or friends—who do this activity too? What qualities do you see in them that you’d like to embody?
  • Are there moments where you pushed through difficulty or setbacks while engaging in this activity?
  • What are you excited about as you continue with this activity?

Ultimately, your intention to invite more flow into your life is what is most useful, because that intention can provide clarity, guidance, and motivation. You may already know you enjoy watercolor painting or horseback riding, and you may try to do those activities when you’re able. But articulating that this is an important part of your healing may give it more weight and importance in your life, which makes you more likely to prioritize it.

Conclusion

Flow is a great tool to incorporate into your life at any point, but especially if you are working through a challenging emotion or situation. It’s about getting up and getting your energy moving in a direction that brings you curiosity and joy. Flow comes in many forms: emotional, mental, and physical.

The benefits of flow range from joy and presence to improved memory, motivation, and confidence. If you want to invite more flow into your life, find the activities that help you tap into flow and figure out a way to work them into your routine. Chances are, it will improve your life.

“To overcome the anxieties and depressions of contemporary life, individuals must become independent of the social environment to the degree that they no longer respond exclusively in terms of its rewards and punishments. To achieve such autonomy, a person has to learn to provide rewards to herself. She has to develop the ability to find enjoyment and purpose regardless of external circumstances.”

– Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Find help

Are you feeling emotionally stagnant or congested? Are you repeating behavior patterns that feel unhealthy or unhelpful?

Talk therapy can be a useful way to explore which healing approaches will work best for you. Softening and dissolving set ideas and ways of engaging with the world can be challenging, and a therapist can offer you fresh perspectives and creative solutions.

Finding a therapist can be intimidating. Did you know that most therapists offer a brief complimentary consultation call? That allows you to get to know them, get a sense of their communication style and therapeutic approaches, and to see if you’d like to proceed with scheduling your first session. You do not have to go with the first therapist you find. Give yourself the time and permission to meet and reflect on different people. Find someone that feels like a good fit.

At Evolve, our therapists offer a complimentary intake call. Get in touch today!