If I Were You, I'd Go With The Flow

What is Happiness? It's an age-old question that throws up so much debate.

Hungarian psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi asks, "What makes a life worth living?"

Having contributed pioneering work to our understanding of happiness and human fulfilment, Mihaly noted that neither money nor material goods can make us happy (see chart below) so he looked to those who found extreme pleasure and lasting satisfaction in actions that bring about a state of "flow" - a state of heightened focus and immersion in activities such as Art, Sport and Work.

After many years of study Mihaly found that when a human being is in "flow", they are in a truly happy state. Therefore "flow" contributes hugely to a person's ability to experience happiness. The chart below illustrates where the "flow experience" exists.

One very interesting observation he makes is the differential between experiencing pleasure and "flow". Pleasure is described as primarily a passive state such as watching a movie, having a massage or receiving a gift, whereas "flow" is created as a result of an active state that is completely within an individual's control such as playing sport, running, painting, dancing etc.

"Flow" can contribute a far greater impact on our happiness since the state can last much longer than pleasure, which can reach its peak of intensity in a relatively short period of time.

A Game Changer says...

When a person is in a "flow" state, their brain function is almost entirely focused on the activity itself leaving no room for distraction, self-talk or even a perception of time.

It is a wonderful, magical place often referred to as "the zone".

The zone is effectively a trance state where our alpha brainwaves are at their strongest. A good example of this, which most of us have experienced at some time or other, is when you are driving a car down the motorway and you suddenly realise that you've gone 20 miles in a flash without even noticing. So much so that you wonder if you've even missed your exit!

During this time you are actually driving at your most effective because you are driving without distraction and you are totally absorbed in the task.

So, when you are next frustrated or feeling unhappy don't just wait around for someone to cheer you up or offer you some words of encouragement, get out there and activate one of your favourite pastimes or hobbies. Immerse yourself in whatever you love doing the most and watch the happiness filter its way back to you :-)