Have you ever had one of those days when everything you touch just sort of falls apart?  I think we all have.  You burn the toast, misplace the car keys, forget about an important appointment, and just can’t seem to get that much accomplished no matter how hard you try.  Fortunately, it doesn’t happen very often.  It usually happens to me when I have a really fully plate.  I’m pre-occupied with so many things, that I don’t give my full attention to the immediate task at hand.  I suppose that’s the definition of scatterbrained.  It’s like the body is present but the mind is not.

Then there are those days when every thing you do is golden.  Everything goes your way.  You just can’t lose.  You are “in the flow”.

Now I’m not talking about “going with the flow” which, in my mind, is slightly different.  When you “go with the flow” you “don’t make waves”. You just basically do what everybody else is doing and try to get along.

Being “in the flow” is that magical state when you are totally absorbed in what you’re doing.  It’s as if you’re suspended in time.  There is only you and the activity at hand.  It’s almost as if you are one.

I love it when this happens.  It happened to me last night when I was playing Tetris.  Although the game has been around for a while, I never played it until a few weeks ago.

In the game of Tetris there are colored cubes that are linked together to form various shapes.  The shapes can be rotated and each shape has a color that represents that particular shape.  The shapes drop, one at a time, from the top of the screen onto a grid-like pattern.  You use the arrow keys on your computer to turn the pieces and move them as they are falling.  If you are able to fit the pieces together with no gaps, the line gets cleared.  The object of the game is to keep clearing the lines faster than the pieces fall.

When I first started playing this game I thought it was so difficult.  Then, as learned the characteristics of each piece and how they would fit together the game got easier.  After that, I learned a few key strategies and before long, I was the Tetris Mistress!

Last night I got my highest score to date of just over 174,000.  If you’re not a Tetris player then this means nothing but it’s a fairly respectable score.  To play at that level you need much greater concentration and coordination because the pieces drop at an accelerated pace as the score climbs.  You may be wondering what all of this has to do with being “in the flow”.

After that exhilirating game, I had an epiphany.  I had been “in the flow” or “in the zone” as some would say, and I knew I was there.  The epiphany was the realization of what it takes to get there.  Here is how you can get “into the zone.”

1. Build a foundation.

Before  you can achieve mastery of getting into the zone you must first learn the necessary skills needed for the task.  Once you really develop an understanding of what you’re trying to accomplish, it will be easier to enter a state of flow.

2. Focus your attention.

To achieve getting into the flow state, you need to focus on the here and now.  Forget about the past, the future, or even the next five minutes.

Eliminate all distractions that can interfere with your concentration on the immediate task.  E-mail can be a big distraction.  Check any e-mails or messages and then be done with it until after you complete your task.

3. Relax.

Now that you’ve built a foundation and you’ve directed your laserlike focus on the immediate task, it’s time to relax.  Relax.

4. Just do it.

With the first three steps in place, now you can just do what needs to be done.  Don’t overthink it.  Just do it. Feel it.

5.  Become one with the task at hand.

This step is an extension of #4.  Once you just do it and try not to think too hard about doing it, you can just be.  It’s almost as if you become one with the task.

6. Lose all sense of time.

By now, you should have entered into that magical state of flow.  You are completely immersed and have lost all sense of time.  It is during this state that everything feels almost effortless.

When you achieve the state of flow you are tapping into your vast ocean of resources and nothing is impeding the process.  It’s as if you’re simply allowing it to happen rather than trying to make it happen.  You’re like water and there is no friction, only flow.

If you want to live a more positive and joyful life, then try to be more like a child. Children are perhaps the greatest teachers of positive thinking. Children are the ultimate positive thinkers. They always look at the reasons why something can be done rather than why it cannot. They have not learned to anticipate life’s obstacles and challenges. Children see life as one big adventure. Maybe we would all benefit by adopting this type of attitude.

Have you ever noticed how children seem to be fearless? They will try anything once. They love life and are optimistic and happy. Children love to explore and learn about what the world has to offer.

Do you remember when you were a child and you experienced something for the first time? I sure do. It was so exciting! I remember the first time I saw the ocean; I was in awe and I still am.

When I was about 4 years old, I tried cheesecake for the very first time. I wasn’t sure I would like it because I just couldn’t imagine how cheese and cake would taste together. My only point of reference for cheese was from the grilled cheese sandwiches that my Mother used to make. How this could be incorporated into cake was beyond my grasp. My Mom said she thought I would like it so I was willing to give it a go. Wow! It was so delicious. Just one bite and my skepticism turned to joy!

I remember learning to tell time. It made me feel as if I had been inducted into an elite club. Possessing that new knowledge was so exciting.

I remember learning to ride my bicycle when I was about 4 ½. My parents surprised me with a bike they had seen me admiring at a department store. I was overjoyed when I discovered they had bought me that very same one.

My new bike had training wheels and it wasn’t long until I started bugging my Dad to take them off. After all, I wasn’t a baby anymore! He told me I had better be sure because he wasn’t going to put them back on. I said I was positive I wanted them gone and he promptly removed them.

It was time for my maiden voyage. My Dad ran along side me, keeping me upright as I pedaled, and then he let go. Whee! I was riding by myself. I felt free and empowered. I rode about 40 feet and then attempted to turn around in my neighbor’s driveway. This resulted in my first crash. It was no big deal. I didn’t care about a slightly bloody and scraped knee, I just wanted to get back on that bike and ride. I was fearless and from that point on the sidewalks were mine! Annhurst Road would never be the same and neither would I.

I was painfully shy as a small child, which I have more than overcome. Learning to ride my bicycle was possibly one of the first steps towards helping me to come out of my shell. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have long since abandoned the shell.

Children have this sense of wonderment. It’s how they learn and how they develop their identity.

Children use their imaginations on a regular basis. They are always coming up with new ideas and solutions. Children are naturally positive because they haven’t yet learned to focus on the negative. They spend more time navigating with their feelings. It feels better to think positively and so this is what they do.

Let yourself develop that childlike sense of wonder. Slow down and take time to enjoy life. Allow yourself to get caught up in doing more of the things you really love to do. Stop filling everyday with to do’s and always look for the positive.

Here are some ways you can experience more joy by looking at the world through the eyes of a child.

• Be curious . Explore the world. Instead of walking away from the unknown, walk towards it. Be bold and be curious. Children are always exploring. This is how they learn. Let yourself start exploring again.

• Accept a challenge . When children are challenged, they get excited and look at it as a game. Let yourself accept challenges instead of walking away.

• Make a mess. Children love to make messes. They do so because they are learning and they simply do not care if they get a little messy in the process. Happiness can sometimes be messy.

• Use Your Imagination. When you’re a child almost everything you do revolves around pretending. Imagination is a wonderful thing. Do things that stimulate your creativity.

We spend so much time and effort trying to grow up and be responsible that sometimes we lose our childlike sense of wonder.

Try to remember some of your first experiences as a child. If you have trouble remembering back that far, then do the next best thing; watch children at play. Notice how they are completely caught up in what they are doing. They live in the moment.

The next time you do something you’ve never done before, approach it with that same childlike sense of wonder. Whether it’s dining at a new restaurant, traveling to a new location, or learning something new, just let yourself be open to fully enjoy the experience by focusing on that moment and only that moment. Seek out and embrace new experiences.

When you see through the eyes of a child, the world is full of amazing possibilities. : p !