How To Go With The Flow: Try These 10 Great Strategies
If you want to understand how to go with the flow, you will love this article.
Life will all the time offer you surprises, no matter how hard you try to prepare for them. Going with the flow is a fantastic way to adapt to new circumstances and be on top at the same time.
Here are some methods to start living more of the moments in your life.
How to Go With the Flow:
1. Find a way to distract yourself.
Think about something that does not make you anxious. Maybe it is the fond memories of you and your family at the beach, or possibly it is the prospect of coming home and eating ice cream from the freezer. When you start to feel anxious or nervous, shift your attention from how you are feeling to something pleasurable.
This can help you think more clearly and get rid of worries that cloud your ideas.
2. Say the mantra out loud to yourself.
Remember to go with the flow. You can repeat your own mantra in front of a mirror when you feel nervous or scared, or you can begin your day doing it. Your slogan can be whatever you want, but here are some suggestions:
“I believe in the highest good and surrender to the flow.”
It’s natural that things do not all the time go according to plan.
I haven’t any influence over other people; I only have control over myself.
3. Smile and laugh
Realize how easily you get angry. There’s nothing wrong with injecting a little comedy into the situation–in fact, it can even make you feel better! When you end up struggling to control a situation or not wanting to go with the flow, giggle quietly to yourself and make jokes about how you are acting.
You do not need to share this joke with others. It’s fine to make fun of yourself, but hearing it from other people is not so much fun anymore.
4. Be cooperative and pleasant.
I sometimes let someone else run the show. If you are around other people, try to follow their instructions.
If you really do not like what’s going to occur, do not be too resistant and supply helpful feedback. Going with the flow often involves delegating decision-making to others, which can relieve some of your stress.
5. Give yourself permission to break the rules.
Every day we impose a series of limits on ourselves. Give yourself permission to break or bend any “rules” you feel you should follow. This may be an arrangement with a friend or a routine that you regularly follow. When you break the rules (1), you’ll notice that you become less worried and stiff.
For example, rather than going to the gym after work, do something unforeseen and take a hike in the woods.
6. Give up control.
It’s okay if you cannot control everything. Try to distinguish between what you can control (your own actions) and what you cannot (friends, kids, spouse, parents, and everybody you know). Is it in my control? “, ask yourself if you find yourself trying to manage a situation. Generally, it’s better to take a step back if it doesn’t involve you or your own actions.
For example, even though your friend has been playing soccer for years, he may want to quit. You can make suggestions, but ultimately it’s up to him to decide what he wants to do.
This way, you can relieve the pressure and feel more relaxed.
“Radical acceptance” is an alternative choice. Even although you may not agree with or accept something, you must accept it as reality because you haven’t any control over it.
7. Take a step back and look at the big picture.
An issue may seem relevant at the time, but is unlikely to be relevant later. Consider whether what you say today will be relevant a year from now. How about five years from now? If the answer is no, you can generally remove it without much damage.
For example, being late to the doctor may seem inconvenient today, but after a year, you will likely forget about it.
This will help you gain emotional and psychological distance from the situation, which will let you better understand what really happened.
8. Pay attention to the moment.
Being aware can help you become calm and balanced. Stop and remind yourself that you do not know what will occur next when you consider the future. Focus on what is going on now, not on what might occur later.
Asking questions like, “How will I know what will happen in the future?” can be beneficial. Does this idea have supporting evidence?
For example, you might be concerned about the impact of a coworker being late to a meeting on your team’s performance rating. However, you haven’t any way of knowing if it will have a negative impact, so there is no point worrying about it now.
Over time, practicing mindfulness can help you reduce stress and anxiety.
9. Recognize and accept your flaws.
Know that just like anyone else, you’ll make mistakes. Nobody’s perfect, and that is okay! You will feel better and more relaxed the sooner you accept this for yourself. Try not to put unreasonable expectations of oneself or someone else you care about.
When someone is late or cancels an appointment at the last minute, it can be very annoying. Try to put yourself in that person’s shoes; they may be having a hard time or a bad day. Show them the kind of affection you would expect from a friend.
10. Focus on the nice aspects of your situation.
When things aren’t going your way, it is easy to fall into pessimism. Instead, try to see the nice. Maybe now that your plans have changed, you will have more fun trying something new! If your schedule is thwarted today, you may have some extra time to relax before heading to work! Reflect on at least one pleasant event that occurred as a result of a change in your life.
For example, if your meeting was scheduled for 2:00 p.m. but was rescheduled for 4:00 p.m., you now have time for a longer lunch.
This is also known as “reframing” and is a useful approach to dealing with anxiety.
Thanks for reading this article on how to go with the flow and I actually hope you take action on my advice.
I wish you good luck and that I hope that its content has been a good help to you.