A Simple Stress Management Technique: Finding FLOW

Do You See What I See?

Finding FLOW and JOY through the Eyes of a Child

I admit it. I'm just a kid at heart who continues to look at the world  through the eyes of imagination. At 65 I still love getting to the dentist's office early to flip through the children's 'Highlights' Magazine to play with the 'hidden pictures' page. 

In the words of my then toddler, Sean, trying to coax me away from working on the computer: "It is good to play."

As a kid I loved laying in bed and looking up at the ceiling to find hidden pictures in the plastered swirls above. As an adult I continue to look for the hidden pictures everywhere I go--finding objects in bathroom tiles and shower walls--and in trees, leaves, rocks and flowers on nature walks.

So when fellow artist and sis-in-law, Lee--who shares my love of finding hidden pictures in the world around us--asked me to see what I saw in her 'underpainting' for a painting she started I was hooked. 

I was like a dog with a bone--focused and oblivious to the world around me--barely coming up for air as I looked into the underpainting to discover what treasures were present. This is the very definition of FLOW--the magical state where stress and anxiety melt away and pure joy emerges. 

What Do You See in Lee's Underpainting?

Child's Play Leads to FLOW

What do you see in Lee's underpainting? Free your mind and eyes to let people, animals and objects pop out at you. Then look again and see what else pops out at you. There is no one around to judge what you see. It doesn't matter how primitive the image is. There is no right or wrong answer.

It is through child's play we're able to find flow as we immerse ourselves in unselfconscious activity. The moment we're on the hunt for something of interest we're taken out of our critical and judgmental self--the one afraid to make a mistake or do something wrong--and moved into our curious and open self. 

When we move with a child's innocence into a state of FLOW, we're so focused on the present fascination we leave all judgment, fear and worry behind. There is nothing before us but the object of our attention and we're sucked into playing.

I See Connection--What do You See?

Every Day Look with Fresh Eyes

What began with a simple request for me 'to see what I saw' in Lee's canvas shot me onto a four day journey of play in which I approached the canvas fresh each day to see what emerged. 

Each morning before I opened my eyes my mind started churning on what fun images might appear and with pen in hand, I freed my mind to see what was before me as I filled in the images that popped out of the virgin underpainting. 'Laisser-Courre', 'Connection' and 'The Gathering' are what appeared on three different days.

But it didn't stop there. On my walks I had a renewed interest in looking at the world in a new way--looking to find hidden objects in everything--the leaves, rocks, trees and sky. 

You can do this too to calm your mind and create a state of flow.

I See a Conversation--What Do You See?

Practice Looking for Hidden Pictures to Quiet Your Mind

You can use this simple technique of looking for the hidden pictures to move you into FLOW and quiet your mind. Play with finding hidden objects until you don't want to do it any more. This is about letting your mind freely play without expectation or judgment. 

Let your images sit for a day then take another look. What messages do you see?  

I See a Bird, a Person, a Dog--What Do You See?

Blank Canvases are Everywhere 

Look for your own 'blank canvases' in the world to immerse yourself in as you look for the hidden pictures they contain. Photograph your walls, tile floors, or tree bark or use someone else's image to loosen your eyes to find the hidden pictures within. 

Above is one of many abstract markings on my shower wall I photographed for my fun. Feel free to play with it to see what you see in it.

Below are tiles from 'Connection' that I sat with for one more day. The more you study what's hidden the more you'll discover.

Belonging

 The Lion--or is it?

Look closely at the lion's face--it's a chicken!

Look closely at the lion's paw--it's a parrot!

FUN!

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

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