When Flow become reality, not a concept

Image via WikipediaWe talked about Csikszentmihalyi's concept of flow and how it envelops people who are in the activity. I can relate to this when I am free running. When I am running I do not feel like the gaze of people watching me, the awkwardness of misunderstanding, or the fatigue that comes from pushing myself, I only feel the activity. At times I will be so involved in parkour that I don't even realize where I am going, I will go to take a break and realize that I am in a section of town I have never been to before.



This feeling is amazing because you can just let go of every in the world except yourself. You aren't worrying about your text next week, what your friends or doing, or what you are going to do next weekend; you only think of whats in front of you and how you are going to get to the next obstacle. After experiencing this, you start to put your life in perspective. You start to think of how much you worry about small things and how to relinquish that. You got an 86 on that exam you wanted an A on? no big deal. Four points on a test will not change your life, do not waste your time thinking of what could have been or how you will never get your dream job because that teacher put a tricky multiple choice.
In the end, you have yourself; not your money, not your career, yourself. Take the time to enjoy life and do what you are passionate about.