LIFE AFTER COVID: Finding your flow again and working out what you should do next
Hey guys!
If you've been following my Instagram posts and stories over the past few weeks, you'll know that I am in an interesting season of life right now. As we all are - I too, am working through my own shit.
You know you guys can always rely on me to be real and raw with you so I wanted to take the time to drop in, give a little life update and share with you what I’m currently navigating, as well as a few strategies I'm using to reconnect with my intuition.
Anyone else here a recovering human doing?
Image of Lauren Kerr on a Podcast
It seriously feels like I've been hustling my butt off for the last 10 years. I went straight from school to university on a scholarship. I was juggling multiple jobs whilst studying Psychology at university striving to get into honours. Next, my focus was on getting a job, but when I got my job in child protection, I enrolled to study life coaching on the side and started my my side-hustle.
Then I spent 18 months pouring all my energy into getting my business off the ground to replace my full time income. I’ve spent the last three years investing in my personal and professional growth, mentoring thousands of women how to master their mindset and create a life on their own terms, writing and publishing my book ‘Life Above Zero' and continuing to pour my soul, sweat and tears into my business in order to duplicate that success and keep the momentum going…
After what might seem online like an ‘overnight success’, is actually 10 years of pushing, striving, pursuing and doing… and now I've been gifted with the time to stop and breathe, and just ‘be’ and enjoy the fruits of my labour and the residual income I have been able to create with the network marketing profession.
It sounds pretty relaxing right?
Well, in theory, it should be. But I'm the sort of person that thrives off doing. I find flow and fulfilment in setting goals and then achieving those goals – all at a million miles an hour. It might sound odd to a lot of you but stopping and trusting in the future, the universe and its divine timing is uncomfortable for me.
Learning to slow down and relinquish control…
Although I'm not very good at it, I realise how important it is to slow down when I need to. I've been journaling a lot during the past few weeks, and it's made me realise that this rest isn't a choice. I'm not sure if I was on the verge of burn out, but I just have no more gas left in the tank – mentally, spiritually and physically.
I think it's quite a familiar feeling among creatives. When you're creating something, whether it's music, writing, art or anything else, you often feel so inspired and driven, that you become all-consumed. Then, when you finish your masterpiece, you're left feeling a little empty, lost and confused.
Babes in Business Podcast
In my case – I've spent what feels like forever working on my book! Then when COVID-19 hit, everything was thrown out. I was no longer in control and could not push anything…shipments got stuck overseas; I couldn't record my audiobook as my flight to record interstate had been cancelled with my publisher, bookstores couldn't order my book and connecting with overseas suppliers was pretty tough.
But here I am learning to trust the universes divine timing and I am excited to announce my audiobook is now available on Audible and launches on the 12th of July, and the book will start popping up in book stores over the coming months.
So now that chapter is done, and out of my control, I'm left asking myself – what do I do next?!
To help with the changing of seasons and to reconnect with my flow, I've been trying something a little different:
My Surrender Project.
The Science of Flow…
You'll hear me talking about flow a lot, and it might sound wishy-washy, but there is actually science behind it.
It's called the Art of Fulfillment and the Science of Flow. I've got a Free Masterclass if you'd like to learn a little bit more about that. Basically, research shows that people need to create specific circumstances in order to feel particular emotions. Being in these situations is also a massive predictor of fulfilment. So, if you're not feeling fulfilment right now, it could be because you're not creating conditions where you can find your flow.
My Surrender Project…
My Surrender Project is about identifying what brings me joy, allowing abundance without the guilt that I am no longer hustling for it and unpacking my own self limiting beliefs around the need to run at one million miles an hour. Here are some of the things that are helping so far:
Every morning ask yourself: What would feel good today? Some days I book my hair in to get done, other days I might swap the gym for a nice walk, and sometimes it's about baking a banana cake and calling my best friend. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time, but it can make a huge difference.
Another thing that has helped me is asking myself these three questions:
a. Do I trust and believe in my big vision? My Free Happiness test can help you find clarity in this goal and identify how you can work towards a goal that you believe in and aligns with your values if you don't feel like you have a vision right now.
b. Are your needs met today? Do you have what you need to put food on the table, have a roof over your head and do you feel safe?
c. If so, then what is the next aligned step? This question has really helped me lean into the actions that feel right and allow me to experience more flow and connect with my gut / intuition / inner truth.
I am a very logical, rational and science-based person (hence why Life Above Zero is about making spirituality science) but I do believe that we're all here because we've got something we're meant to do. Sometimes we make it so complicated because we let what's rational or logical get in the way of taking the next inspired step towards that vision.
So another strategy that has been helping me work out my next move is to ask myself what I can give, rather than what I can receive. Because so often we make decisions and take action based on what we will receive in return for doing it e.g. money, recognition, accolades.
But this strategy flips that on its head and makes you realise you have already received, look around at everything you have been gifted with; life, health, love, relationships etc.
So rather than feeling like you have to do something in order to receive something in return, now you have already received, what would you like to give?
When you come from that space; what would you love to give, contribute or create out of choice, inspiration, flow and alignment?
Putting pen to paper again…
The result of my time of reflection is that I'm spending every morning writing. It feels so good to be connected and in flow again. It could be my next book, who knows!
I'm toying with the idea of calling it "The Surrender Project: The Diary of a Recovering Human Doing" and just share the journey, the inner workings of my crazy mind and the things I'm doing to rewire my workaholic brain, the strategies and activities that I've been exploring and the magic that unfolds from learning how to relinquish control and surrender to faith instead.
Let me know if you guys would love me to share those journal entries with you has I continue to surrender and navigate this next chapter in hope it might help you fellow human doings too.
Until then - Hopefully, these tips serve you and will help you find your flow again and work out what your next move is navigating life after COVID! I’ll keep leaning into My Surrender Project, and following the breadcrumbs.
Keep an eye out for my book too! Make sure you tag me in your photos if you see it in a book store close to you. I have been loving hearing what you guys are taking from the book.
Chat soon,
