FLOW

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I COULD TAP INTO A FLOW STATE AT WILL—CREATIVITY WAS IMMEDIATE, UNFORCED. BUT AS I WORKED TO ESTABLISH A MORE STRUCTURED PRACTICE, I TOOK ON A MORE INTELLECTUAL FRAMEWORK, DELIBERATELY SETTING A COURSE FOR WHERE I WANTED TO GO. IN A WAY, I WAS FOLLOWING THE PARABLE OF THE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON ROCK, ENSURING THAT WHAT I BUILT HAD A SOLID FOUNDATION.

AS A BYPRODUCT OF THIS PROCESS, HOWEVER, I NOW FIND MYSELF OVER-SCHEDULING MY WORK. WHAT BEGAN AS A NECESSARY STRUCTURING HAS, IN SOME WAYS, RESTRICTED THE SPONTANEITY THAT ONCE DEFINED MY CREATIVITY. IDEAS THAT ONCE FELT INSPIRING IN THE MOMENT LOSE THEIR ENERGY WHEN PLACED ON A RIGID TIMELINE.

I RECOGNISE THAT THIS STRUCTURING HAS BEEN ESSENTIAL—IT HELPED ME BUILD THE FRAMEWORK OF CODE-SWITCH. BUT NOW, I NEED TO RECONNECT WITH THE INTUITIVE WAY OF OPERATING THAT ONCE CAME NATURALLY. CODE-SWITCH WAS NEVER MEANT TO CONSTRAIN FLOW, BUT TO SUPPORT IT. THE CHALLENGE NOW IS STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE—WHERE DISCIPLINE AND STRUCTURE SERVE AS A FOUNDATION, NOT A LIMITATION.