FLOW - THE ART OF LIVING WELL

Living Well: The Psychology of Everyday Life by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.⠀This book has a special place in the world of ABSTRAKTOLOGIE. It sums up the reason for painting and creating art, and why being an artist matters.

 "When we are involved in [creativity], we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life."

Mihaly Csikszentmihayli is a leading researcher in positive psychology and has devoted his life to studying what makes people truly happy. In this book, Csikszentmihalyi defines creativity as a central source of meaning in our lives. He is the architect of the notion of 'flow', the creative moment when you are completely immersed in an activity.⠀Watch his TED Talk "What makes a life worth living?".⠀

 

The story behind the book.

This book means so much. It was bought in a second hand store in Australia (the ever lovely Desire Books & Records in Manly). It was the book that helped me reconcile my love for psychology and my love for art. It helped me see how to bring the two together, rather than keep them apart.

“The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times . . . The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).

Being an artist and a psychologist is when I'm being ME. It's not always easy.

But then, embracing difficulty and discomfort can be a good thing.

Interested to know more? Read this article by Kara Cutruzzula from May 2020.

'The key to productivity is tapping into your flow state. Here’s how.' ⠀

Quick Exercise.

Have a think and ask yourself: How can I bring a little more FLOW into my life?