Finding Your Triggers For A Rich Life: How The Flow State Ignites Intrinsic Motivation
Flow States Make Life Worth Living
I took a six-week online workshop on the flow state. I’ve had a fascination with the delicious dreamy creative state of being since I was a child. I believe the steady presence of flow experiences in my life is the reason for my overall contentedness and satisfaction. Jamie Wheal of The Flow Genome Project, says flow is the source code for intrinsic motivation. In my opinion, intrinsic motivation and curiosity keep life engaging and interesting and therefore fulfilling. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Mee-high Chick-sent-me-high-ee) is known as the father of flow theory. Noting that levels of happiness did not increase with increased personal income, he set out to find out what does bring happiness and satisfaction. Interviewing creative individuals like scientists and artists, he found many of them frequently experienced feelings of losing themselves, timelessness, effortlessness and ecstasy. During those periods they felt they were outside of everyday experiences. Time and movement felt fluid. Certain activities brought about a sense of flow.
Being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost. — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, description of flow
Do Introverts Experience Flow Differently Due To Stimulation Sensitivity?
Flow states, like Abraham Maslow’speak experiences, do not happen continuously. Behind the flow feeling is a cascade of brain chemicals produced by the right mix of challenge and skill in our activities. There is a cycle to flow which requires us to go through different phases such as struggle and recovery. We all have different triggers that prompt us to enter the flow cycle.
As a sensitive introvert, my go-to triggers for flow are mental. I get the feeling of timelessness and spontaneous creativity via deep thinking, solitary, soothing and reflective pursuits. Low stimulation is important. Others may access flow in more adrenaline-fueled highly stimulating activities but times of stillness and repetitive activity allow my mind to wander in a creatively productive and fulfilling way. Reading, writing, meditation and meaningful conversations often set my nervous system at ease and allow flow to enter. This state of mind is addictive and has me seeking quiet time to get the restorative feeling again.
Interruptions and distractions are the enemy of flow state.
As a young woman in my 20s, I worked as an office manager for a small IT recruiting firm in Chicago. I used to love to do repetitive data entry/accounting work. It allowed my mind to meander through meaningful memories or dance through dinner plans. When my boss entered the office each day, bursting through the door, taking huge strides down the center aisle, delegating work to me as she walked, my mindless work and yummy reflective trance were disrupted like a rock thrown into a tranquil pond.
Now as a 40 something trying to work from home, the potential for interruptions is the same. My phone, my children and my own distracted mind pull me away from the contemplative scene necessary for full creative productivity. Writing is the perfect blend of challenge and skill for me. If left alone in stillness I can create sentences I’m proud of. I can slip into the beautiful place where my inner critic is silent and ideas flow.
Flow Not Limited To Solitary Mental Pursuits
Achieving the flow state is not limited to solitary pursuits for me, although they are the most reliable triggers. I also find myself in an other-worldly state while working with my coaching clients, talking with close friends/family or while making love. Again, there is a prerequisite of calm necessary to bring on the flow feeling. Intuitively guiding my clients and fostering their potential is hugely satisfying. It’s just the right blend of challenge and skill to put me in the zone. Conversing with my friends and family about intimate, expansive topics like personal growth and relationships brings on the good, fulfilling state of fluidity too.
Not only is flow achievable through social versus solitary endeavors, it can also be induced by physical triggers versus mental ones. In the past, dancing was the only physical activity that brought about the flow feeling. I think music was a key reason for that. Music taps into rich brain chemicals for me.
Now, I occasionally have epiphanies, heightened creativity and moments of effortlessness while running. This is what many call a “runner’s high” or “being in the zone”.
I also find intensely focusing on the physical sensations and emotional connection during sex opens up the door to the dream-like, oxytocin and dopamine-laden experience of flow.
In both running and making love I am sufficiently challenged, engaged and motivated, which makes them fulfilling, life enriching endeavors. Which makes me want to do them again.
When did you experience flow as a child? When as an adult? Is calm or quiet a prerequisite for flow for you? How has flow influenced your choices in life?
Do you feel like you are stuck in a cycle of negativity? If you’re wondering how to stop cynicism and break free from constant doubt, you’re not alone! Explore 3 simple ways to stop being cynical and start embracing a more positive outlook.
KEY POINTS:
Researchers find that cynicism might cause loneliness, depression, and physical disease.
There are also positive aspects of cynicism, such as moral courage, independence, and the willingness to live a simple, less driven life.
There are ways to let go of habitual cynicism as people look and feel deeper, find inner peace, and work constructively with the human condition.
Are you feeling trapped in a cycle of blame and helplessness? That’s the tricky grip of victim mentality—it keeps you stuck, believing life is happening to you, not for you. But don’t worry—breaking free is possible, and it starts with a few powerful mindset shifts.
When it comes to shadow work, trauma healing, and personal development, it all starts with awareness. The vast majority of your thoughts are happening on a subconscious level, meaning outside of your awareness.
This is true for all of us, yet these subconscious thoughts shape most of our cycles, habits, perceptions, limiting beliefs, and overall experiences. Observing how the overall energy of your life feels will reveal the quality of your subconscious thoughts.
So, if you are stuck in a victim mentality, you might
Have you ever been in situations where you have felt that empathy is not being evenly or fairly shared? That’s what selective empathy is actually, and it might be more common than you think.
We often believe we’re compassionate, but sometimes, without even realizing it, we’re only empathetic towards certain people or situations. It’s a subtle behavior that can affect relationships, leaving some feeling unseen.
In this article, we are going to talk about what is selective empathy, the signs of selective empathy, and how to be more empathetic.
The holiday season is just the time to make cherished memories. But the cold can damper your plans. So, below are 10 winter wellness tips to stay healthy!
From cozy family dinners to parties with friends, the holiday season is just the time to make cherished memories. But shorter days, and bouts of sniffles can put a damper on your plans. So, below are 10 winter wellness tips to stay healthy this holiday season.
Staying healthy on holiday doesn’t have to be complicated, with just a few simple but powerful winter wellness tips, you can feel the magic of the holidays while keeping your well-being at its best.
So, let’s explore some unique and practical winter wellness tips that will keep you glowing inside and out!
Winter is here, and in it comes the temptation of cozying up, indulging in comfort food. But what if I told you that you can turn this season into a personal growth spurt instead? Take a look at the Winter Arc; a 90 day challenge that helps you achieve your goals before the new year even starts!
So What Is Winter Arc Meaning?
If you’re wondering “what is winter arc meaning?”, then we’ve got some insights f
We’ve all been there. You’re chatting away, telling a friend about your crazy weekend, and then—oops—you realize you just dropped way too much personal info. You’ve probably overshared more times than you’d like to admit. Now you are thinking, how to stop oversharing?
Whether you’re spilling the beans at work or on a first date, we are going to talk about learning the art of self control, signs you are oversharing, and most importantly, how to stop oversharing.
So, are you ready to stop overloading people with TMI? Let’s dive in!
We all know that one person in the group who always has to have the last word or jump in with a fact, that no one even asked for in the first place. They will go out of their way to tell you exactly how something works, even if it’s not at all necessary. Well, that’s a know it all personality for you, my friend.
You know what? Being knowledgeable is great and all, but when it starts feeling like a lecture every time you talk to them, it can feel really, really annoying.
Today we are going to discuss in detail what makes a person a know it all, the signs of a know it all, and how do you deal with a know it all.
Let’s start with what makes a person a know it all.
Leave a Reply