by Suzanne Lieurance
Writers often talk about “flow,” that elusive state when words seem to write themselves. It feels magical, but it’s not just a mystical experience—it’s a measurable shift in your brain and body. Science now backs up what so many creatives already sense: when you relax, open up, and allow, your brain literally becomes more creative.
Let’s look at what’s really happening when you step into the energy of receiving.
Your Brain on Resistance
When you sit down to write and feel blocked, your brain’s amygdala—the part that processes fear—lights up. It interprets uncertainty (like a blank page) as danger. This triggers the fight-or-flight response, sending stress hormones like cortisol rushing through your body.
In this state, your prefrontal cortex (the part of your brain responsible for problem-solving and imagination) goes quiet. That’s why it feels impossible to come up with fresh ideas when you’re anxious or forcing creativity.
You’re not lazy. You’re just in the wrong brain state for flow.
The Physiology of Allowing
When you shift into openness—through gratitude, meditation, or even a few deep breaths—you calm your nervous system. Cortisol levels drop. Your parasympathetic nervous system activates, signaling safety.
This switch allows your brain to access alpha waves—the frequency associated with creativity, daydreaming, and flow. Neuroscientists call this “the incubation phase,” when insights form below the surface of conscious thought.
In other words, when you stop trying to force the answer, your brain can finally deliver it.
The Role of Dopamine: Your Brain’s Reward Signal
Every time you anticipate something good—finishing a chapter, submitting a piece, or receiving praise—your brain releases dopamine. It’s the neurochemical of motivation and pleasure.
But here’s the catch: dopamine doesn’t just reward outcomes. It also rewards expectation.
That means you can trigger creative motivation before success even arrives, simply by imagining positive results.
When you visualize your writing career unfolding beautifully—readers loving your stories, your book launch going well—you’re not indulging in wishful thinking. You’re literally training your brain to associate writing with reward, not stress.
Gratitude as a Neural Shortcut
One of the fastest ways to move into a receptive state is gratitude.
Studies from UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center show that regular gratitude practice strengthens neural pathways linked to joy and reduces the activation of fear circuits. Gratitude rewires your brain to expect good things—and therefore notice them when they happen.
Try this quick practice: before you write, list three things you’re grateful for in your creative life. They can be small—like the smell of coffee, a favorite pen, or the fact that you have time to write at all.
You’ll feel a subtle shift almost immediately.
Why Writers Thrive in “The Flow State”
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the term flow to describe a state of total absorption in a task. In this state, your inner critic quiets, time dissolves, and your writing feels effortless.
Research shows that flow occurs when:
· You’re challenged but not overwhelmed.
· You’re fully focused on one task.
· You feel safe enough to lose self-consciousness.
That’s why receiving—trusting, allowing, softening—is essential. You can’t enter flow through tension. You enter through surrender.
Openness and the Creative Brain
In personality research, the trait most strongly linked to creativity is openness to experience.
Openness means curiosity, imagination, and the willingness to explore new ideas without judgment. It’s the mental version of receiving.
Writers who cultivate openness see connections others miss. They ask, “What if?” instead of “What’s the point?” They stay flexible, letting inspiration shape their process rather than clinging to control.
When you’re open, you become a conduit for creative energy—not its gatekeeper.
The Simple Science of Surrender
You don’t have to understand neuroscience to benefit from it. You just have to practice what science already knows works:
Breathe deeply before you write. Oxygen increases clarity and calm.
Visualize success. Dopamine rewards the expectation of good things.
Practice gratitude. It lowers stress and primes your brain for flow.
Trust timing. Creativity follows rhythm, not pressure.
The science of receiving is really the science of letting yourself feel safe enough to create.
Next time you feel stuck, remember—your brain isn’t the enemy. It’s waiting for you to relax.
So, take a deep breath, unclench your shoulders, and whisper to yourself: “I am open. I am receptive. I am ready to receive inspiration.”
Science agrees—you’ve just told your brain it’s time to create.
Suzanne Lieurance is an author and a Law of Attraction coach for writers at writebythesea.com
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