Flow

When I think of the writing process, I am in the zone. What do I mean by that? This is what you call being in the zone. Or the flow. This is what psychologist Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi has been researching. In a recent class we were discussing the concept of flow. We discussed a TedTalk by this psychologist and I continued with my own research. Mike Oppland, BA, MBA defines flow in the article, 8 Traits of Flow According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi as; “Flow occurs when your skill level and the challenge at hand are equal.”

Skill level ~~~ Challenge at hand = Flow

This means that skill and the difficulty of what you are doing coincide. Like when I am writing. When I am writing off the top of my head and letting it come to me naturally. When I am not overthinking it. This happens when I am writing about something I am passionate about or when I am excited about a new thing I have learned.

Mike goes on to say, “The experience of flow is universal and has been reported to occur across all classes, genders, ages, and cultures, and it can be experienced during many types of activities.” Looking at the idea of flow through this perspective, it makes sense to me how I was able to write my books. I was in the flow. My suggestion is to find your flow. If something comes naturally to you, lean into it and that might be your flow. You want to find something that you are good at but you also want it to give you a challenge. You need the right balance of going with the grain and against the grain. 

Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi asks in his TedTalk, "What makes a life worth living?" Noting that money cannot make us happy, he looks to those who find pleasure and lasting satisfaction in activities that bring about a state of "flow." A person's flow is not something you can purchase at the store. Like I said you have to find the thing that gives you flow. I think about sports and people that are good at them. They don't have to really think about what they are doing. It comes naturally. That being said, they are still pushing themselves. They are working to be better than they were the last time. 

So go out there and find your flow. If you are one of those people that sit and watch TV all day you are not going to find it. Get out of your comfort zone and find what brings you happiness, excitement, and peace. 
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You can learn more here about “flow”: https://positivepsychology.com/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-father-of-flow/#google_vignette Or watch the full TedTalk: http://www.ted.com

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