What comes naturally to you? Is it drawing? Painting? Sewing? Gardening? Writing? What activity challenges you, yet gives you a sense of satisfaction because you’re able to meet that challenge with an optimal level of skill? Flow, a psychological phenomenon that describes an almost Zen-like state of focus, occurs at the confluence of challenge and skill.
Flow is a positive psychology concept from noted Claremont Graduate University professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (MEE-hy CHEEK-sent-mÉ™-HY-ee). Flow is important to the field of positive psychology because within it is a key to happiness: human beings were created not for inactivity, but rather for productivity. In the state of flow, senses of time, ego, and certainly anxiety slip away, perhaps even to the point that you become so intertwined in the activity at hand that you are (to a certain extent) what you are doing. Therefore, you may be surprised when you realize what you thought was 30 minutes spent on the activity was actually closer to three hours.
Suffice it to say, flow will not happen while you’re watching TV, talking with friends, surfing the Internet, or even taking a walk. All of these activities may be enjoyable, but for most people they’re not challenging and do not involve much skill. Too much challenge and most people will get frustrated and give up; too little challenge and most people will get bored and move on. The trick is to find what challenges you at just the right level. The happy median will be the perfect balance for your current skill level; more than likely, the activities that give you flow will draw upon your natural abilities and interests.
And so a writer must write as a sewer must sew. Life is short; spend it wisely. Find the time to do what you are. Go with the flow.
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