Flow like a Swan

In our creative lives, we’ve all had “ugly duckling” moments—those awkward, uncertain times when we feel out of sync with the pond around us. Alli, the ugly duckling, is searching for belonging. She doesn’t yet know where she’s headed—only that being stuck in the muddy farmyard isn’t where she’s meant to stay.

That’s often how flow begins. It’s not about perfecting your surroundings or fitting neatly into expectations; it’s about recognizing the moments when your best self aligns naturally with the world around you. Flow doesn’t emerge from still water—it stirs when we begin moving toward work that feels true, even if it means leaving behind the familiar edges of the pond.

When Alli finally takes flight, she realizes the flow she’d been chasing wasn’t something outside herself—it had been within her all along. It just needed time to take shape. The same is true for us as solopreneurs and creators: when we stop forcing ourselves to fit, we find our own rhythm, guided not by expectation but by purpose.