When do you find yourself truly happy with an activity you are doing? Have you ever thought about that? There was a famous psychologist and professor who did some research on artists and was amazed at how they could paint for hours on end and two hours was like ten minutes. Even though the term "flow" has been around since the beginning of time, it was this psychologist who helped explain this concept to people. He explains that people are happiest when they are in the moment, in the here and now, and totally involved in an activity. He explains that people who get in the flow enjoy what they are doing, there is some challenge, there is a clear goal, and the person has some control over the outcome. Typically when this happens, time flies by. You are so involved in the activity that an hour feels like ten minutes. That is the kind of life skill we need to have each and every day, being totally here in the present. It is good to prepare for the future, to have a plan, but then we need to put our anxiety aside and work the plan, be in the moment instead of always thinking about what will happen. We should be focusing our attention on what is happening. When you apply this principle of flow, you will see a greater enjoyment in your everyday life, from work to family to recreation.
McCain, Daniel. (2015) Tennis Pro Magazine. Professional Tennis Registry.
Tag words: flow, Mihaly Czikszentmihaly
