How to Find Your Flow: Guidance for Aspiring Authors

If you feel called to write a book that will make a positive impact, or you have a “knowing” that it’s time to start writing your book, pay attention!

These callings are what we refer to as intuitive guidance. Our internal hunches can be a direct line to our inner wisdom and trustworthy guides on the path to bringing our gifts and creative visions to life. 

In my work as a book coach, I invite my clients on a personal journey of bringing awareness to their inner experience and energy as they write their books. This inner work is the secret to their success in finding more clarity, overcoming obstacles, and writing their books from a state of flow. (You can learn more about this process in Catherine’s book, Awaken Into Flow: The Soulful Leader's Guide to Writing a Transformational Book.)

By flow, I am referring to the term ‘flow state,’ which describes a mental state of being in which a person is entirely focused on a single task or activity. They direct all their attention toward the task, and as a result, they don’t experience many thoughts about themselves or their performance. Some people refer to this informally as being “in the zone.” 

The concept of this kind of flow comes from positive psychology, the scientific study of human flourishing. During a state of flow, several changes take place in the brain.

Studies have shown that people in a state of flow have higher levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which supports feelings of motivation, pleasure, and reward. This may explain why they might not notice they are hungry or tired.

Flow is Found in the Now

Through my writing and the writing experiences of the authors I coach, I've learned that flow isn’t some elusive state we need to chase. Flow happens when we come into the present moment. We can access flow whenever we’re not caught up in our busy minds thinking about the past or worrying about the future. We experience flow more often when actively engaged and immersed in an activity with concentration and focus because we’ve stopped our incessant thinking!

Being in flow feels like a dimension of “no time” because it happens in the eternal now. Flow makes effort feel effortless. Flow invites synchronicity, too, magically lining things up in our favor.

Most of us likely have experienced a flow state when doing something we enjoy. When our minds are focused on one enjoyable activity, our train of thought slows down, and we merge with the moment at hand. Top athletes, artists, and creatives utilize flow states to achieve their visions and goals. Records are broken, masterpieces come to life, and long-awaited dreams are manifested. 

When we are in flow, we feel content, creative, and connected to something larger than ourselves. 

Flow states can also bring feelings of ecstasy, joy, and bliss, of feeling attuned to universal or Source energy. This elevated experience of flow makes our writing feel as if we are downloading the inherent creative expression of life itself. Many of our authors who don’t think of themselves as writers have experienced this joyful flow while writing their books.

Writing a book requires great focus and commitment and will likely bring challenges. Naturally, we need our minds and thoughts to write a book, but when we’re stuck second-guessing or overthinking, we block ourselves from flow.

To experience flow as we write, we must learn how to harmonize our energy with the universal energy around us. We begin by slowing down our busy minds and tuning into the present moment, which is why mindfulness, meditation, and conscious breathing are all powerful tools for accessing flow.

In flow, we attract what we desire without struggle and can write from a place of joy, connection, and creativity. Flow is where we discover our intuitive guidance and inner wisdom and access the creative ideas and brilliant insights that make our writing fresh and exciting.

If you’re ready to stop overthinking and find flow as you write your book, take the next step with our free Limitless Creative Flow guided meditation.