My name is Mathi and when I was young I used to practice gymnastics and enjoy outdoor activities. After completing my master in France, I moved to Chile and started a corporate career. Amidst work and social life, I neglected sports, leading to fatigue. Rediscovering my love for sports in a Zumba class sponsored by my company, I vowed never to neglect it again. Despite a busy role as a wine brand manager, I devoted time to gymnastics and even explored pole dancing. The artistic nature of aerial dancing appealed to me, and I eventually fell in love with aerial hoop while I was moving to Spain.
Now, I blend my role as a fitness coach with my artistic projects. Witnessing the growth of my trainees and my own journey as an artist brings me immense joy. Every day isn't a seamless flow, but over the years, I've steadily built my path to inner flow. My physical strength has grown by listening to my body, training with joy, learning alongside beautiful and talented individuals, expanding my mindset in the process.
“My mind isn’t wandering. I am not thinking of something else. I am totally involved in what I am doing. My body feels good. I don’t seem to hear anything. The world seems to be cut off from me. I am less aware of myself and my problems.”
We've all experienced such highly pleasurable moments with certain activities—feeling in control yet surrendered, present, and connected.
“The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”
For me, achieving this state happens when flying with the hoop, controlling movements effortlessly, accompanied by the vibration of music. My goal is to achieve harmony in movements and sounds, focusing on learned tricks and transitions. Feedback from the audience and environment plays a crucial role in nurturing this state.
Flow is applicable to any activity, not just sports and arts but also in the workplace. Key elements of flow include:
A challenge that we perceive reachable with our current skills.
Clear goals and instant feedback to be aware of the progress and adapt accordingly.
Breathe…
No distraction! Cut off the more you can and concentrate on your goal(s).
Spontaneity and effortlessness… It is supposed to be a pleasurable experience.
Preparation, preparation and more preparation, will create the space to flow.
A “before” and an “after” in our personal histories.
Another accurate description from the book "Designing Presence, Entering Towards Vivencia" by Jorge Crecis and Bridget Lappin is:
“A distinctive experience consciously lived by an individual as a result of an extreme awareness of themselves, their actions, and their environment during that continuous present moment.”
Moving to a broader perspective, flow, to me, means freedom—the freedom felt while navigating through different professional activities, understanding and accepting cycles and changes.
Three Key Ingredients for Flow
I believe three key ingredients are essential to create a life flow, drawn from my journey to grow my new career.
1 - Elevate the energy with ENTHUSIASM.
The word comes from "entheos" in Greek, which means the god or spirit within. It is the “power inside us to pursue our highest dreams, to create and paint our extraordinary future, and face the most challenging of obstacles with optimism” (The Spartan Way, Joe De Sena). With this power, we create more positive experiences, become more efficient and creative, and eventually grow our skills more easily. This behavior is what I have observed in some of my coaches and instructors, who now inspire me to cultivate this enthusiasm.
2 - Through DISCIPLINE comes freedom.
Discipline is a value I especially gained from gymnastics. I understood what it means to repeat an exercise hundreds of times until mastering it, the time and energy needed to push the limits step by step, and to stand up after falling and falling again and feeling sore...It is part of the game, with the condition of enjoying the entire path despite the efforts. Discipline is when you look back and see you’ve suffered, grown, and enjoyed at the same time! Self-control is like a muscle that you train by delaying gratification of instant temptations and distractions.
3 - COURAGE does not mean fearlessness.
The courageous person is able to put their fears and failures aside to face the unknown and move forward. I remember a moment at the beginning of the transition when I felt vulnerable and touched deep down due to all the fears and weaknesses I could see in myself. However, later I realized that being aware of them and accepting them, with the help of supportive friends, allowed me to trust the uncertainty of changing careers and take the risks to act accordingly. I also started to be more compassionate with myself. Living with courage means living with your heart, building your own way to reach your presence at the highest level and impact.
The key takeaways:
Enthusiasm and discipline, coupled with the courage to live in harmony with your heart, are powerful ingredients to sprinkle into your days. These elements have helped me flow and persevere toward my purpose.
To learn more, watch also the 16’ interview with Montse Lorente.
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