by guest blogger Paula Richie

We all know the feeling of being in the flow. We’re happy with how our life is going, we can dismiss the little annoyances that come our way, our lives are filled with blessings and, in return, we are filled with gratitude. Being in the flow gives us the feeling of expansiveness, where we are open to all without judgment. It’s like falling in love for the first time—no one can do anything to change the feeling in us. We find ourselves living in the present moment.

Then somehow we lose our way. Even the most self-aware person can find themselves caught in this funk. Unfortunately, when this happens, our alignment to the flow of life wanes. Pesky annoyances seem to accelerate, the world turns on us, tempers are short, and we focus on the past and future without interest in the present moment.

A change in attitude

Finding our way back to the flow almost always involves a conscious change in attitude. The problem is, we become pretty comfortable in our misery and—mostly unconsciously—begin to contribute to our own grief. It’s like we grab the proverbial funk shovel and dig ourselves deeper into our hole. And, because misery loves company, we start to draw the people around us into our hole as well. Misery becomes our addiction and we look for the next fall like an addict looks for their next fix.

But reconnecting to your flow is only as challenging as you want to make it. It’s just as simple to convince ourselves we can get out of the funk as it is to convince ourselves that we have no control over it.

Some tips for reconnecting

If you’re feeling stuck, here are a few ways to help yourself reconnect to the loving flow of the universe:

  • The Beatles had it right. Love is all you need. It seems so simple to turn your attention to those people, places, and things you love to elevate your spirit, but it’s not. Being human, we like to complicate things. To let go of the complication, it can help to remember that love is bigger than you. When we allow ourselves to connect with it, it acts as a ladder out of your dark hole. So find things you love to do, and do them often.
  • Fake it ’til you make it. Smiling is contagious and sometimes our inner self can get caught up in our outer smile. This can help increase our vibrations and make us lighter.
  • Find your way back to gratitude. It’s the ultimate energy booster. An easy way to do this is to volunteer your time to an organization that needs your support. Beyond feeding the spirit, this helps a cause you believe in.
  • Be honest with yourself. Do you really want to get back in the flow? If you do, declare it out loud. Make it known to the universe that it’s time to move forward and lighten up. You can only do this, however, if you let go of attachment to your funk. If there’s an angry or self-righteous part of yourself that thinks you should stay in that negative space, moving forward is going to be difficult. First, you’ll need to forgive.
  • Find your inner joy. Deep down, at the core of our souls, we are filled with joy. It is inherent in our birthright and rooted far below the grief of human experience. If you can spend some quiet time with yourself every day—just 10 minutes is enough—to be still and listen to your breath, it will make a world of difference. Try your best not to attach yourself to your thoughts. Simply be. In time, you will connect to this beautiful essence that’s always been inside you waiting to be found.
  • Surrender. Sometimes we lose our flow because we want everything around us to be perfect. If we can let go of perfection and stop trying to control every situation, we untie a lot of aggravation.

Ultimately, the key is to remember that we are part spirit, and this part thrives on expansiveness. When misaligned, our physical bodies may want to crawl into a hole, but our spirit craves connection. So instead of wallowing in bed eating junk food, get out into nature. See friends. Find ways to feed your happiness. The flow is always there. We just need to step into it.