Yesterday, when I picked my daughter Jenna up from tennis camp, she rushed over and handed me her uneaten snack and her nearly full water bottle, with a big smile on her face.  I was surprised she hadn’t eaten her snack (after all, Goldfish is her favorite) and I couldn’t imagine her not drinking a gallon of water on this hot summer day!  When I asked her about it, she exclaimed, “Mommy, I was having so much fun playing tennis I forgot to eat or drink!”  Jenna was doing something that energized her.  She found an activity that caused her to forget about everything.   She was in her “flow.”  This got me thinking about how Smart Women find their “flow” and live energetic, passionate lives.

When I was studying to become a Professional Certified Coach, I was required to read lots of books that were essential to my growth as a coach.   I found one book in particular, Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life (Masterminds Series) by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (“chick-Sent-me-high”) to be quite thought-provoking.  Csikszentmihalyi believes that many people walk through their lives without ever becoming aware of what energizes them or where they find themselves in the “flow.”  Athletes sometimes refer to this as being “in the zone.” “Flow” is the place where you lose yourself and all track of time.  You know when you are in the “flow” when you finish a task or project and you feel more energized than when you began.  Have you ever done something and forgotten to look at the clock or stopped to take a break for lunch or even go to the bathroom?   I personally find my “flow” in my work with women, watching my children play sports and listening to solo piano.

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