Stepping In and Out of Flow: A Metaphorical Exploration for Creatives

One of the best feelings and optimal experiences for any artist or creative, including myself, is the feeling of being in flow. That mental state of complete immersion and intense focus when we are able to create and work with ease and fluidity. For example, an illustrator might lose track of time while effortlessly bringing a vivid scene to life, a writer may find words flowing without resistance to complete an entire chapter in one sitting, or a musician could compose an entire melody in minutes. Being in flow is our most powerful state of being, one that can enhance our creativity, productivity, and overall sense of fulfillment as creative professionals. It’s the state we all strive to enter and create from.

I was born, raised and live in a land rich with lakes (more than 250,000 in my home province alone). I currently live on the shores of one of the Great Lakes, in a city defined by six major rivers, numerous creeks and streams. When I think of flow, I picture water. For me, it’s a perfect metaphor. As a coach working with creatives, I often turn to metaphor to help unlock insight and shift perspective. I hope you find it creative and helpful to explore flow state through this metaphor.

Depending on our personalities, the project we are working on, or a given moment, flow state might feel like:

• Surfing a wave of inspiration and productivity.

• Swimming purposefully with ease in a calm, clear lake.

• Flowing like a river, carried naturally by an inner current.

Which description resonates with your most recent experience of being in flow?

Sometimes, we dive into flow like a fish to water. Instantly immersed in deep focus, effortlessly swimming through our creative process.

Other times, we linger at the edge, hesitant. Like a swimmer who takes forever to get in the water. The act of starting feels uncomfortable, even overwhelming. Internal doubts and external distractions pull at our attention, tempting us to procrastinate or give up before we begin. We tell ourselves we don’t have enough time, so it’s not worth trying. In doing so, we give away our creative agency before even dipping a toe into the work. Cutting ourselves off from the possibility of entering flow at all. 

Flow can feel elusive at times. Even the most experienced artists and creatives I work with sometimes find it just out of reach. Like an underground stream they know is there, but can’t quite access without significant effort or some professional support.

Image Credit: Cylla Von Tiedemann, Me Stepping In and Out of Flow

If only it were as easy as just stepping into it at will. Like me in the image above. There’s no magic tap we can turn on, even though I notice many of my clients expect this from themselves. They schedule studio or creative time with the expectation that they’ll access flow instantly. But we all know it can't be forced. It’s not just a matter of self-discipline. Though we do have to make an effort to get wet before we can experience it.

Even I, someone who considers myself fairly disciplined about my work, still struggle with getting into flow at times. Lately, I’ve been paying more attention to what enables or disrupts my sense of flow. More recently, I’ve also begun noticing the qualities of flow that I want to cultivate. Maybe it’s related to my stage of creative career, but my ideal now feels more like “swimming purposefully and with ease in calm, clear waters” That’s not to say I don’t also enjoy the occasional rush of riding waves of inspiration and energy.

Is your ideal flow state more like riding a wave,

flowing like a river or swimming in calm waters?

Flow may not be something we can summon on demand  like tap water, but it is something we can prepare for. With greater awareness, intention, and supportive practices, we can learn to approach our creative work intentionally. Stepping into flow more frequently, and returning to it more easily when we drift away. This is the work I continue to do in my own creative life, and it’s what I support my clients in cultivating: a sustainable, nourishing relationship with flow that balances both inspiration and discipline.

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I’ll be diving into how artists and creatives can more intentionally and consistently access a state of flow. I’ll share practical prompts and tools to help you build awareness, identify what supports your creative rhythm and experiment with new ways to reconnect with flow, especially when it feels out of reach.

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