We all remember when we were young, having to learn to float in water before we could swim. If you can’t float, you sink and drown.

This is why when learning to swim at the shallow end of the pool, you learn to let go of the sides of the swimming pool first, and then have the realisation that you don’t have to sink, you can actually just float on the surface. But there is fear at this stage because knowing that you can’t swim yet, you think you will sink and drown.

There is, I have noticed a kind of preliminary state to the onset of Flow. We know that Flow Follows Focus. Focus is what you do with your mind’s attention, but before focus there exists another state - that of simple ‘Being’.

Just as floating precedes swimming, being precedes focus.

What I want to combine here is the association of a floating kind of focus that is a preliminary stage to entering flow. What do I mean by a floating focus?

Essentially a mind that is non attached. A mind that is relaxed and aware, but not caught up in thoughts. Once you are in flow, you are not over thinking, you are just aware, and functioning at a high level of mental and physical performance.

It’s a very desirable state to be in ... this platform Flowisness is dedicated to this state of consciousness.

So floating focus is the simple awareness of being. It's like floating before swimming. You become aware that you and the water are one, and that water won’t drown you if you trust it to support you. But here is the Red Pill of trust ... you have to swallow your fear and let go. That fear is in your anxious mind, it’s not in the water. And when you do let go and just trust you find yourself floating.

The first time this happens is a truely ecstatic experience. You receive a kind of joy from water now you are not fighting it. The next thing you might do is just jump in at the deep end of the pool, knowing you won’t drown, you will float, and it's easy to just doggy paddle to the side. When you have done that, then it’s time to learn how to swim.

Floating Focus is the state of just pure Being. We hear the statement all the time of ‘Being in Flow’

Being comes before Doing
I DO follows I AM
You enter Flow by just Being.
By being what?
By being present.
Simple ... but not so easy.

Why, because the nature of the mind is to think of doing something. Being is without thought it’s just simple pure awareness. Remember the biggest flow triggers are focussed doing activities, like skiing, surfing, creating, long forest walks ect - what I am looking for here is the key to a preliminary flow hack without activity.

It’s akin to ‘Just Do It’ for activity - except it’s ‘Just Be It’ for awareness.

Just let go in your mind, be aware of the now, let distractive thoughts just float by your awareness, don’t grab them, just witness the rising and disappearing of mental activity in your mind. Be aware of sensations in your body but don’t react to them. They also appear and disappear. Just like clouds in the sky.

Basically JUST STOP !

Right where you are - right when you are - don’t do anything - do nothing for a few moments.

Just float ...

That’s going to contradict a lot of your inner drive, motivation, intent, calendar organised, goal orientated, don’t waste time, over achieving 21st century progress mentality.

But this kind of Mind Floating, will in my experience, give you a subtle preparatory micro hack into the Flow State. Then when you refocus your attention on an important activity, you will access and deepen your experience of the Flow state within it.

So just Float your Focus for a few minutes before engaging in an activity, 3 deep breaths will ease you into this preliminary state. Relax your body, just be here now, and then ...

- enjoy the swim.