THE FLOW FACTOR
NO MATTER WHAT INDUSTRY YOU WORK IN, STRIVING TO BE YOUR BEST SELF IS A LIFE LONG JOURNEY.
By Dana G Smith
It involves, not only your career, relationships, health, and finances, but an inner journey into your values, morals, and your overall reason for being. This affects all areas of your life.
DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU ARE UNDER STRESS, YOU ARE NOT IN FLOW?
When we are under stress, our immune system reduces, not only affecting us physically, but emotionally as well. Mental health issues are the number one crisis in the twenty first century. On any given day, 1 in 5 people will personally experience a mental health issue, and is costing the Canadian economy billions of dollars a year in lost productivity (*source). We all struggle from time to time with various things and are reluctant to reach out for help, but it’s important to note that there is always someone who will listen and is there to help you.
WHAT KEEPS US FROM REACHING OUT?
Fear, doubt, shame, are a few reasons. It took me many years to reach out myself. Like a lot of people, I too struggled with mental health issues over the years. Everything from divorce, depression, failed businesses, bankruptcy, to injuries and chronic pain, all while working in the trucking industry.
With over 30 years trucking throughout North America, I was privileged to be able to see some interesting sights and meet some cool people. Would I change that, not a chance! During those 30 years, I became a tractor trailer training instructor, and also owned & operated my own trucking company. The last 11 years of my driving career were spent operating Long Combination Vehicles (LCV’s) and through that time, faced many challenges. I love the trucking industry, meeting the people, and being able to see this beautiful country, we call Canada.
During the last few years of driving, the experience of chronic pain was increasingly frustrating and was making me unhappy everyday. There are many avenues to choose to deal with pain, but nothing seemed to give me any long term relief. It wasn’t until I discovered about flow and found what my true gifts, strengths, and passions really were, that things started to change. The realization that pain is really buried potential stored in our bodies, made me think differently. Pain was the message to tell me to stop ignoring what matters most. This was an opportunity to set me on a path of self discovery.
It was then that I set out to find those gifts, strengths, and passions. This led me to discovering Roger Hamilton and his Wealth Dynamics program which helps people find their flow. I knew there were other people having the same issues out there in many different careers, and wanted to share what I had found with everyone. Being called to do this, set me on a mission to do just that. Through that experience and becoming a certified relationship coach through Robbins Madanes Training, trucking and coaching were brought together. This is where The Mindful Trucker Institute came in. To help the driving force have better connection, communication and flow in the transportation industry.
Everyone is a genius. We all have gifts, strengths and things we are naturally good at doing. One persons’ strength is another persons’ weakness. The things that you dislike doing, might be something that someone else loves doing. Imagine having all the tasks that you dislike doing handled by someone on your team and that person absolutely loves and is skilled at that task. This takes your stress away, freeing up your time to do the things you love. You may think that’s not possible. But that is actually the mindset that needs to shift. (See below for how to make that shift).
This mind shift will enhance relationships, health, finances, and even your career. Whether you are one person, a couple, a team, or a company with multiple teams, The Mindful Trucker Institute and Wealth Dynamics can show you how to communicate, connect, and get into flow, with whom, or whatever the driving force is in your life.
SO, LET’S EXPERIENCE A MIND SHIFT:
Remember a time in your life when you were in flow?
Flow is experienced when we find a challenge that drives us with excitement. Like driving in a vehicle that we love, on a road that we like to drive on, in the way we like to drive. Time passes in the blink of an eye. This is the flow state.
HERE ARE 3 TIPS TO HELP FIND FLOW:
Discover your gifts and strengths. There are many resources such as: Strengths finder, Myers Briggs, Disc, and GeniusU as examples.
Keep your destination in mind: If the world was ending today, what would you invest your time and energy into that would be of value to you? Keep a journal.
At the end of the Road: Who are you when you arrive? Better or worse for the mileage? Imagine what life would be like if you arrived valued for using your gifts, strengths, and passions. What would that be like for you?
Give it a try! You may be surprised where it will take you. It might just upshift your life.
Following these 3 steps will help you, just like they helped me. If you would like to know more about how The Mindful Trucker Institute can help you, your team, or your company, please reach out.
The Mindful Trucker would love to hear from you, tell us your story and why you do what you do, info@themindfultrucker.com.
