“Mindfulness” has become a real buzz word in personal growth, self-care and psychology circles.
But what is mindfulness? It is all about being present – using all of our physical senses to be fully present with what is occurring for us at that precise moment.
While it’s certainly not a cure-all, practising mindfulness in our daily lives means that we would be less likely to:
- fret or worry about the future
- dwell too much on the past, particularly our mistakes.
“Flow” may seem the opposite – it’s another state of consciousness, which is where we are intensely focused and immersed in what we are doing.
Have you ever lost track of time as you were engrossed in a process such as cooking, writing, playing an instrument, or similar? You were in a state of flow, where instead of concentrating on external stimuli as in mindfulness, you did the opposite – blocked them out.
Both are valuable psychological states which may operate in tandem, with potential benefits for the individual.
When Mindfulness and Flow Combine
According to Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, when the flow of life and experience seamlessly unfold from moment to moment, it leads to:
- The merging of action and awareness;
- Loss of reflective self-consciousness (that little voice in your head!);
- Experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding – the end goal is just an excuse for the process.
Contact us to make an appointment with a psychology or counselling professional, if you would like to learn more and discover the benefits on mindfulness and flow for yourself.
To make an appointment try Online Booking. Alternatively, you can call M1 Psychology Brisbane on (07) 3067 9129.
References:
- Nakamura, J., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2009). The concept of flow. In Snyder, C. R., & Lopez, S. J. (Ed.). Oxford handbook of positive psychology. Oxford University Press, USA. 89-105.