Go to the flow.

My kiddo Jack proudly told me to be flexible and “go to the flow” a while back. It was one of those cute moments where I knew that Jack clearly meant “go with the flow.” But when I corrected him, he insisted “No mommy, it’s ‘go TO the flow.’” I thought, maybe he’s onto something. 

We all know the saying “go with the flow,” which typically means being agreeable, open to doing what others are doing, and generally taking the easier path. It can be a very good quality to go with the flow especially for things like where to go to dinner with a group of friends, how to spend some of your days on vacation with family, staying open to new experiences you might not normally choose, to name a few. When we go with the flow, we are generally more pleasant and easy to be around.

And yet, perhaps it’s not always good to go with the flow, rather we should go TO the flow. I think when we go to (instead of with) the flow, we are still flexible and open, but it’s deeply personal and about our unique path. It can mean going against the grain of societal norms, in favor of going towards what lights us up and away from what dims our inner fire. Rather than focusing on agreement with others, we trust ourselves, what feels right in our bones, and the places and people where we feel at home. It’s about the big choices we make like the people we spend the majority of our time with, where we live or raise a family, our career, how we fill our free time, to name a few. When we flow to what’s most true to ourselves, it isn't always the easiest path, but it is the path that is best for us and those closest to us too. 

It’s a great thing to be able to go with the flow. And yet, Jack’s cute insistence on a new way to say it is a good reminder.

Pay attention to what lights you up. Trust yourself to follow that path. Be courageous. Take that risk. Know when to go to the flow.