The act of playing might not seem like it has a purpose – that's the point, right?! No concerns about work or getting something accomplished – it's just for fun. Often an image of children or puppies might pop to mind when you think about the undirected, stress-free act of Play because it's what they do best. It's a widely accepted fact that being playful is a critical part of learning and developing physically and mentally. So the go-to thought of kids (of any species) at play makes sense.

You’ve heard or may have been told to “just go with the flow” at one point or another. Is this good advice to take? And, if so, what exactly does this mean? The short answer is that, yes, “going with the flow” (and, ultimately, “being in flow”) can help you create a calm and productive life.

By Erica Midkiff.  The idea of flow is appealing, but putting it into practice can be tough. So imagine my surprise when I found inspiration in a very unlikely place…a parenting book called No-Drama Discipline. (Stay with me, even if you don’t have kids.) Imagine a drawing of a river. One of the banks is labeled rigidity and the other chaos, representing two extremes that aren’t ideal. But in the middle is a current that moves naturally down the river, approaching each bank but never getting stuck there.