“Remain calm, because peace equals power.”
- Joyce Meyer
It's one thing, to get upset when things don't go our way. It's entirely different to let something keep bothering us to a point where it ends up affecting us even more than what initially upset us. We are not being fair to ourselves if we allow something beyond our control to ruin our mood. I'm not referring to tougher situations that may require us to vent, grieve or process our feelings. I'm referring to inconveniences and mishaps. The everyday blunders we all experience. The spilled coffee and traffic jams.
When it comes to responding to the unwanted circumstances in our lives, going with the flow might seem like an ideal response, but we're human. We feel cursed. We feel left out. We get angry. We get upset. It's natural to feel this way. Some people may even justify an irrational response, so they will do something to further emotionally or physically harm themselves or others. This is quite the opposite of going with the flow. It can become like swimming upstream with weights on our back.
One of the keys I learned to going with the flow was forgiveness. I was able to start forgiving myself and others more often until it became my default response. To not hold any grudges within myself or against others is my idea of going with the flow. I can let it go. I can let it be. I don't need to get even. It's not always easy, and sometimes it requires more than just letting it go. Even if it requires further action, it can still be done without judgment toward ourselves or others. It sort of has a non-attachment, Zen-like approach to it.
Going with the flow can become difficult when we allow our pride to get in the way or we just can't seem to let something go. I learned to stop taking things so personally. I learned to let negative feelings fade away the same way thoughts come and go. I learned to forgive myself and others. I learned how to come from a place of love instead of fear, anger or hate. It has made a world of difference in my life. It has helped me to go with the flow, and it has made my life much easier to manage ever since.
More Wellness!
Zen Habits: 12 Practical Steps for Learning to Go With the Flow
tiny buddha: 40 Ways to Let Go and Feel Less Pain
Positive Psychology: The Psychology and Theory Behind Flow
