Nancy Dadami

Create Sacred Space Within You And Around You

Stop Falling Out Of The Flow State And How To Get Back In Flow

by @elioverbey

Your inner voice chatters at you all day long. Right now, it is hovering over you. “You are not checking off enough tasks on your to-do list. There is only 1 hour left in your workday and you are behind.”

Panic sets in and you launch into hyper-drive. You must complete the day’s tasks, no matter how long it takes. The mantra “work harder, work harder” fills your thoughts.

Instead of working harder you feel anxious, overwhelmed and stressed. You fall out of the flow state. Your productivity plummets. You are out of ideas. You think if you work harder and longer you will check all the tasks off the list.

Working harder is not the answer.

What is the flow state?

When you are in the flow state you are alert and fully engaged. It is an energized and happy state where you are immersed in your project or actions. 

You are without self-consciousness, doubt or judgment. When you are in the flow state you are confident, creative and tasks fall together with ease.

Flow is a positive and uplifting state of being.

Unlike hyper-drive, being in the flow has no anxiety, stress, overwhelm or other negative emotions associated with it. Negative emotions block your ability to get into and stay in the flow state.

Your project was moving forward with ease, you were in the flow. Then you started to worry about finishing the list. You immediately left the flow and popped into stress. 

The mantra “work harder, work harder” kicked in and you need an intervention to stop that negative thinking.

How Are You Showing Up?

It starts with knowing how you show up. What do you bring to your to-do list? Are you excited, positive, and confident? Or do you complain, dread, and worry?

You take who you are (your mindset, beliefs, experience, etc.) into every situation, creative endeavor and relationship.

Who are you at the moment? You can only be as good as you are at the moment whether you are happy, confident, or stressed.

You have a personal energy field within you and around you that impact your thoughts, actions and flow. This energy field is influenced by your thoughts, feelings, and level of self-care.

How To Get back Into The Flow State?

Your project was moving forward with ease, you were in the flow. Then you started to worry about finishing the list. You immediately left the flow and popped into stress.  The mantra “work harder, work harder” kicked in and you need an intervention to stop that negative thinking.

Scientific studies show that you are more productive and efficient when you take breaks from your “to do” list. Research reveals you get more done when you take a 5-minute break every twenty minutes.  The break gives your brain the time it needs to refresh and replenish before continuing to work. It helps create a state of flow.

What can you do during that 5-minute break that will replenish you, boost your personal power and move you back into the flow?

A Flow Alignment Technique

When I fall out of the flow state or take my 5-minute break here is one flow alignment technique I use:

I move away from my desk and do this simple breathing flow alignment technique.

Notice:

  • What are your feelings or emotions?
  • Is your mind racing or is it calm?
  • Scan your body for places that are tight or hurt. Make a mental not of it.
  • Notice your breathing. Is it mostly in your chest or in your belly?

Here Are The Steps For One Flow Alignment Technique

Step #1 – Close your eyes and take a slow deep breath.

Step #2 – Breathe a slow deep breath again. This time imagine your body expanding up through your head and down through your tailbone

Step #3 – Breathe a slow deep breath in again and imagine your body expanding from side to side. Imagine your ribs lead the way.

Step #4 – Breathe in again and imagine your body expanding from front to back

Step #5 – Put it all together by breathing in and imagine your body is a balloon filling up with air in all directions

Step #6 – Repeat these steps at least 3 to 9 times and you will feel refreshed and energized.

Step #7 – Revisit the noticing process you did before you began the breathing. Do you notice a shift and one or more areas?

This is a quick technique that can be used several times a day to replenish you and reset your personal energy field to a state of flow. You don’t have to worry about that to-do list anymore because you have a flow alignment technique.

You may also want to read this article Personal Power Where Do You Stand?

Nancy Dadami is an Intentional Flow Strategist, Energy Reader, and Mentor. She teaches smart, strong, successful Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers to understand “the flow” and find peace of mind in their life & business.

Mindset Secret #2 – Develop A Growth Mindset

by @elioverbey

Michelle was in her forties when she felt like she was missing something and realized she was unhappy with her life. She was living the life she dreamed of when she was twenty, and she was disappointed. Michelle had:

  • beautiful home on a lot surrounded by nature with a gourmet kitchen and a view of the valley below
  • a fulfilling marriage to a man that was her best friend and lover
  • two busy teenage children active in sports and school activities. She adored them
  • a dog named Barney that ran to greet her every time she came through the front door

But what Michelle didn’t know was that she was stuck in a rut.

Each day was the routine that never varied, she drove the same route to work, ate the same quick meals, and went home to have the same evening schedules and conversations with her family.

She was going through the motions of what she thought was a happy life.

When she overheard someone at work talking about a “growth mindset”, she did a Google search and realized that’s what she’d been missing.

“I was being so careful to do everything right, to color inside the lines. But when I heard about growth mindset, I knew that’s what my life was lacking—growth.

I had stopped trying new things and experimenting.” “My life had become predictable nothing new, no challenges, no expansion, and no passion.

What Is a Growth Mindset?

A growth mindset is the belief that even though you may not have certain qualities, you can develop them through learning and practice. It is seeing your possibilities from a positive perspective.

If you have a growth mindset, you might think things like, “If I practice my painting skills, I can get better at creating art.” Or you might say, “I can learn to meditate if I take a class about it.” Or you sign up for the belly dancing class you always thought about taking.

The beauty of a growth mindset is that it gives you freedom.

You’re free to try new things, experiment, and study the results.

With a growth mindset, the outcome of a situation doesn’t become your identity.

How Can You Lean into a Growth Mindset?

Developing a growth mindset doesn’t mean that you must do something radical like sell all your possessions and move halfway across the world.

A growth mindset is more about staying open to new experiences and new people.

It can be as simple as a willingness to try a hip-hop dance class at your local gym, change your comfortable routines, and seek out new relationships with people who are different from you.

 

What If You Surprised Yourself?

Michelle surprised herself by signing up for acting classes. She’d always loved musicals and she liked the idea of performing in front of a crowd. So, she gave it a try and found it uplifting.

The classes had a benefit she hadn’t counted on either—increased confidence. She felt bold and empowered again.

This helped her lead more effective presentations at work and within a few months, her boss promoted her.

Of course, not every surprise has been wonderful. Michelle also signed up for a knitting group. “I loved the people there, but I quickly discovered that knitting wasn’t my thing. Still, I’m glad I was willing to give the experience a try.”

How open are you to new experiences and people? Here is something I do each month. Give it a try.:

  • get a blank 8 1/2 x 11-inch piece of paper
  • place it in front of you in the horizontal position
  • make 3 equal columns
  • at the top of the first column write What I am Doing
  • in the middle column write What I should be Doing
  • in the last column write What I want to be Doing

Give yourself some quiet time to write in each column. You will be surprised as you find clarity and awareness about your growth mindset.

A growth mindset is a wonderful way to go through life. It means embracing the unknown and being willing to take risks, even when it feels a little bit scary (and fun!).

You can read Mindset Secret #1 Here

You may also be interested in What Are You Saying Yes To?

If you know someone that would benefit from this article, please forward it to them.

Nancy Dadami is a Flow Specialist, Creatively Fit Coach, and Intuitive, teaching you how to get Better Flow Faster so you can live a life you love.

9 Tips to Overcome Procrastination and Boost Your Confidence – Part 2

by @elioverbey

In part 1 you met Francine, she was struggling with procrastination in the area of her health and happiness. Have you ever wanted to get healthier and not been able to get started or started but not been able to stay with it?Read Part 1 Here

Meet Francine, a small business owner, author, wife, mother, effective communicator,  and spiritual seeker. She had solid relationships with her clients, friends and family.

There was that one area of her life that kept her frustrated because she could not get started or if she started she could not stay with it.

The doctor told her if she lost 15 pounds she would feel better, have more energy, and help her heart be healthier.  Part of her knew he was right and part of her believed she would be on the road of endless sacrificing. She just wanted to be thinner without giving up the foods that she loved.

Francine had talked about dieting but never actually made the changes that would make her happier and, healthier. She always said she would start next Monday. When next Monday arrived she would procrastinate by finding other activities to keep her too busy to pay attention to her health.

Everyone procrastinates on something. It’s important to recognize that Francine and you are not alone, procrastination is normal, and there are strategies you can embrace to get through it.

In fact, procrastination is so common that strategies have been tested and proven. Here are the top four tips to overcome procrastination from part 1 Read Part 1 here

Tip #1-  Give it Five or Ten

Tip #2 –  Find Your Why

Tip # 3 –  Work on Your Discipline

Tip #4 – Set Realistic Goals

 

Here are tips 5 through 9 to help you overcome procrastination Part 2

Tip # 5 – Visualize the Completed Task

Imagine you have completed the task. See it completed. Let yourself feel the feelings you’re going to feel when the task is done. How will your life be improved? How will you feel about yourself?

It doesn’t matter if it’s a big project or a small one, this strategy works.

When you can imagine the outcome, it’s easier to get started on the work.

Tip # 6 –  Make it Fun

Think about what you can do to make the task fun. Would it be more enjoyable to do it at a coffee shop?

Could you listen to your favorite music while you work on the task?

Or maybe you can enlist a friend to keep you company or help you out. Even the most boring tasks can be more enjoyable with the right approach.

Tip #7 – Positive Mindset Development

Wipe away all negative thoughts and language around the task you’re procrastinating on.

For example, if you catch yourself thinking, “I hate cleaning my desk.” You might change that to “I love having a clean desk. I feel more productive and creative when I have a clean desk.”

Then, you can focus on what is possible about the task or project and let go of the negativity.

Tip #8 –  Break Up Projects

Break up large projects you’ve been procrastinating on into smaller bite sized tasks.

Often, we avoid doing some things because we know they’re going to take too long.

You control this. For example, instead of painting the entire house, you might paint one room each month until the project is done.

You get to decide how the project is managed and completed.

If you’re procrastinating on a work project, you may not get to decide how it’s managed but you can still break it up into smaller pieces that feel more doable.

Tip #9 – Group Similar Tasks and Projects

Sometimes a task you’re putting off doing is related to other tasks. For example, cleaning your desk and updating your files are two tasks that may overlap.

When you group similar tasks and projects, it helps you be more productive. It also helps you capitalize on a productive mindset and feel accomplished when you’re finished.

One project runs into the next and you are done with that dreaded project before you know it.

How To Get Started

Look at the tasks and projects you’ve been procrastinating on both in your personal and your professional life.

One of these nine strategies is sure to help you push through and get the job done.

Identify the strategy that may work best for you and enjoy your success. Procrastination doesn’t have to derail you or slow you down.

School Principal Gets Feng Shui Boost And Everyone Benefits

by @elioverbey

An elementary school principal  had insomnia, ate on the run and did not have a self-care routine. She  worked late into the evenings, ignoring her needs, to get things done. She was stressed and exhausted. She knew she could not keep up this pace and be the leader she needed to be for her teachers, staff and students. That is when I got the call. In my years as a teacher and principal I saw how a few Feng Shui changes could make a big difference for everyone at the school.

Your home and work surroundings  tell a story about you. Every person and place emits an energy field. Your surroundings are continuously  influencing your energy field and inner world, sometimes subtly, other times obviously . What story is your space telling about you? This aspect of Feng Shui is based on the Law of Reflection.  The contents of your home and workplace reflect who you are.  Your surroundings act like a mirror reflecting your thoughts, feelings, passions, beliefs, inner magnificence and much more. Your home and workspace gives clues about flow in your outer and inner world. [Read more…]

Got Stress? 4 Tips To Create Flow And Reduce Your Stress

by @elioverbey

Think of a time when you felt like you were in “the flow”. It might have been like this:

  • Your days moved easily from one activity to the next.
  • You felt peaceful.
  • Making decisions was easy
  • You were positive, believing anything was possible
  • Being happy and uplifted was natural

[Read more…]