My Best Self 101 Blog
Do you enjoy what you do? If not, is it rewarding in some other aspect? No one pays me to cook. I genuinely enjoy learning new recipes, even if they are a lot of hard work, because it means I have learned something new that I can use in the future. You don’t even have to feel joy or satisfaction to have flow. In fact, flow isn’t even meant to be fun. It is meant to foster growth.
Do you like to draw, dance, or play an instrument? Did you know that when you engage in creative activities such as those that it can help your mood, emotion, and physical health? Amazing, right? Our lives are full of stress, worries, and so many other things. When we take the time to focus on a creative activity that we like, it can help our overall well-being
When I asked Tara what she loved about ballet, she told me, “I was good. I wasn’t as good as Gelsey Kirkland, but I was good. It was something I was able to have confidence that I could do and I knew I was good at it. I’ve never put that much effort into anything in my life.” Her relationship with ballet was clearly a very emotional and fulfilling one: one that gave her confidence in herself. She described ballet as an art that grounds you and connects you so deeply through your body that you can’t focus on anything else. In other words, Tara experienced flow through ballet.
Flow is characterized by a merging of attention, action, and awareness. Paradoxically, people who have experienced flow describe it as a moment when time stands still but also flies by. It is seemingly effortless despite the fact that one is facing an extreme difficulty. Intensity and relaxation. A feeling that you have lost your sense of self, while simultaneously feeling extremely present.
Learning about flow can help you optimize your performance in a variety of activities, create meaning and fulfillment in your life, and establish healthier habits for yourself. It can help you recognize when you’re performing at your peak level, and understand why some activities involve peak performance.
