Creating An Environment For Flow

Hello there, kind souls.

Today, I was on the phone with my real estate mentor, Gail (yes, somehow I unexpectedly acquired a real estate mentor here in San Diego…what can I say, she’s a New Yorker and she just gets me) and we got to talking about Healthy Crush.

She asked me, “Jenny, what is it REALLY that fuels you to keep working? I know you’re not just fueled by the financial part. So what is it?” 

I struggled for a minute to come up with a response.

“I do it because I feel like I’m downloading information and I have an obligation to share it with people. The reason I’m so into health and wellness and fueling my body with good food is because the more I take care of myself, the more I get these downloads. On a good writing day, I don’t even remember what I wrote. I’m in a total flow state. I’ll read it later and be like, ‘who wrote this?’ So I think I do it for that. For the downloads.”

She said, “Yes. It’s all about relaxation first. And then concentration. From there comes the inspiration.”

She said she learned this from Lee Strasberg’s method acting technique.

“Method acting is a range of training and rehearsal techniques that seek to encourage sincere and emotionally expressive performances.”

You have to create an environment for expressive, creative flow.

YES, that’s exactly it. And even though Lee Strasberg taught acting, this concept can apply to any kind of creative work, I think.

I looked him after our conversation, and he says this: 

“The purpose of the relaxation exercise (in the method acting technique) is to eliminate fear, tension and unnecessary energy, and to awaken every area of the body.

Much of what stands in the actor’s way aren’t acting problems, but their personal issues that have nothing to do with a scene or its interpretation.

Problems of expression arise from inhibited muscles and tension. 

Without relaxation and concentration, the actor isn’t in a condition to make full use of his capacity.” 

(Lee Strasberg, from this book)

This is exactly what I was saying about being able to take care of myself in a way that sets me up for that flow state. 

He goes on to say:

“Expression means that you have something that you want to express in a way that is clear and true. This isn’t possible when you’re tense. Relaxation and concentration help the actor to eliminate mannerisms that obscure the truth of expression.” 

I LOVE THAT. Isn’t that incredible?

There’s a reason I get some of my most creative ideas and “downloads” when I’m in the float tank and I’ve taken Alpha Brain with yerba mate before getting in. ;)

Seriously, though. Float tank = relaxation. Alpha Brain + Yerba Mate = concentration. And then? Inspiration.

That’s just one way I set myself up for flow, but I know I’m a better writer and I ENJOY writing so much more when I’ve set myself up for flow, rather than pushing or forcing my writing out.

Creating the environment for flow means the environment inside our bodies, too. We all know that fatigue, stress, anxiety, lethargy and moodiness due to our lifestyle choices do not lead to a state of creative inspiration. When our guts and our brains are happily fueled with nutrients, we put ourselves into a state for optimal creativity. Am I right?

This is one of my favorite topics.

What puts you in the flow state?

How do you know you’re in it? What does it feel like?

Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream…

Love,
Jenny