Objective: Learn how to ‘let go’ and flow.

What are emotional blockages? I think we can all answer that question with a variety of responses from our direct experience.

How might we learn from them?

Here I’ll present some interesting and possibly new points of view you may not have thought about before now. Some things may be just refreshers of what you already know. Hopefully you’ll gain some new tools to apply in your daily living.

Definition of terms:

Attachments to outcome: Holding an emotional charge or feeling for a desired result.

Bottleneck: A stage in a process that causes the entire process to slow down or stop; Incongruent energy that creates a restriction of flow that impedes progress.
Flow: To move or run smoothly with unbroken continuity, as characteristic of a fluid.

Observer Self: One who is aware, through the senses, yet remains detached from them in order to observe.

Fulfillment is accomplished through the synergy of mental discovery, visual imagery and purposeful passion directed toward your plan for achievement. We want to create a daily life that empowers this process.

We are phenomenally functional creatures when our ‘energy’ flows without restriction. Flow is the harbinger of fulfillment. Can we create flow by choice? Absolutely! The instruction manual seems to agree.

Bottlenecks, elements or processes restricting output of the production system in a factory, were Eli Goldratt’s nemesis in his book The Goal. Once identified through analysis, changes were implemented to maximize flow, or throughput, within the system. Imagine a laser focus to get through the eye of the needle and then having a pressure wash on the other side.

As it turns out, Goldratt’s analysis of bottlenecks can be applied to the human ‘system’ as well. Consistent with energy systems, emotional bottlenecks impede the flow of fulfillment, happiness and manifestation of our desires. We seek to minimize these bottlenecks in our life. I challenge you to engage them, get to know them intimately and learn to manage the gatekeeper - you.

We can analyze our emotional system to determine where our bottlenecks lay, but that is just the beginning. There is much more. Oftentimes we tend to focus on the bottlenecks, the incongruent energy, rather than focusing on creating a flow. We give power to the farce rather than the force.

This is a common undesirable use of attention. According to mystics, quantum physicists and spiritual teachers, what we focus on, grows. What do you want more of in your life? How do you balance personal and social responsibility? What is your destiny that is wrapped up in your soular blueprint and currently inhibited from presenting itself because of your belief?

Therefore, the objective would be to identify the bottlenecks so you can remove them in order to focus on creating flow. Once the constrictions are identified, you need to understand how to change them so your attention is on the objective, not the bottleneck. Every question has an answer. Are you asking the right ones in your quest for congruence and truth?

More than likely if you are reading these words you have experienced a moment of flow now and again. Remember how it felt? Recall the experience and focus on it for just a moment. Was it easy to recall? Cosmic coincidences are never by chance.

How can we become conscious of bottlenecks? We can train ourselves to recognize when our body constricts, feels tight or our breathing changes dramatically as a result of a situation. We can then embrace them, forgive the cause, and then let go of our attachment to the outcome. Putting it into practice is what we call discipline. That sounds so simple, doesn’t it?

It really is simple when you know how to do it. Knowing how still requires the action of releasing attachments to outcome in order to be effective. The information and exercises contained in this workbook will assist you in eliminating many bottlenecks.

It is up to you to apply the knowledge daily, sometimes removing emotional blockages moment by moment, in order to get the best results possible for you and others. Your personal, company, organizational or global mission may hinge on it, too. I trust it will all make sense soon.

Author's Bio: 

Zen Benefiel holds Master’s Degrees in Business Administration (Project Management) and Organizational Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Finance. He is Certified as a Partnering Facilitator, Secondary Teacher, Transformational Life Coach.

He has done partnering sessions for the DOD, Homeland Security, Port Authorities, National Park Services, Federal Highways Administration and State/County Departments of Transportation. He specializes in coaching (personal and business), partnering, team building, customer service, surveys, quality improvement, employee involvement, and strategic planning.

His workbook, Transformation: A Guide for Change, draws from life’s trials and tribulations in the journey toward success on personal and professional fields of play.