Take a Break from Tariffs and Taxes with Flow
Rediscover Presence, Purpose, and Creativity — Without Burning Out
I first came across the idea of Flow years ago, back when books and articles were everywhere touting the professional and personal benefits of “being in the zone.” I understood it as being fully immersed in an activity, completely focused, and thoroughly enjoying it. It sounded appealing — even intriguing — but I never looked much deeper into it.
That changed when I met Dr. Julia Colangelo, a Flow expert whose take on the subject was refreshingly simple, grounded, and human. I invited her to join me on this month’s Meaning vs. Merit podcast to unpack what Flow really is and how we can cultivate more of it — especially in a world so obsessed with productivity, performance, and external validation.
To start us off, Dr. Julia described Flow as:
“A state of consciousness where you are performing at your highest level, where you are naturally in your strengths, in your gifts, and you're lacking that usual - for most of us - self-doubt. So you're self-assured. You know that you're moving in the right direction. It’s a neurological experience, but over time, it’s also something you start to feel in this integrated way — even in your conversations.”
As she spoke, I realized how different this understanding of Flow is from the way many of us have been conditioned to think about achievement and success. We’re often taught that peak performance comes from relentless effort — from grinding, hustling, and constantly pushing ourselves to do more, be more, achieve more. But what struck me most in our conversation was how radically different Flow is from what hustle culture teaches us.
Flow isn’t about pushing harder or doing more. In fact, Dr. Julia notes: “If you chase peak performance every day, you’ll inevitably burn out. Most of us need between one and two days a week — but not seven days a week.”
And perhaps just as importantly, Flow isn’t about proving yourself. It’s about connecting to yourself and immersing yourself in work, creativity, caregiving, or play that feels inspiring to you - so completely that the need to impress anyone else quietly fades away.
In Flow, you’re not chasing merit badges. You’re not performing for status or angling for applause. Flow invites us to trade hustle for meaning. It reconnects us to what truly matters — not what looks good on a résumé.
And the beautiful irony is, the more we live and work from Flow, the more our work naturally shines. Real merit emerges from meaning - not the other way around.
Fortunately, Dr. Julia shared that Flow doesn’t require a sabbatical or a silent retreat. It might look like:
A three-hour window on a quiet Sunday afternoon
A solo walk in the rain
A playlist that activates your senses
A project you dive into purely for the joy of it
How we tap into flow is deeply personal and incredibly flexible, and she provides tips on understanding our activators and indicators of flow.
And perhaps most importantly, Flow is regenerative. Maybe that’s why it matters now more than ever.
As we navigate economic uncertainty, political tension, and environmental crises, so many of us feel too overwhelmed to even consider Flow. But Dr. Julia offers a powerful reframe: When life is most chaotic is when we need Flow the most. Not to escape, but to reconnect — to ourselves, to presence, to clarity, to creativity.
If you’ve been feeling like you’re falling behind, or not doing enough, or not Special enough… consider this:
Maybe you’ve just been chasing the wrong kind of Special.
I hope you’ll listen to the full episode (below). If you enjoy it, please remember to share it with friends, let us know your thoughts, and rate and review it!