Repeated Phrase B and Going with the Flow

Have you ever been so absorbed in a task that you lose your sense of self? Maybe you experienced this while playing a sport, painting a picture, or strumming an instrument. You become so engrossed in some activity that everything seems to just… flow.

Neurologically, what’s happening in flow state is that you’ve activated the brain’s reward system; dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, norepinephrine and anandamide (nicknamed the “bliss molecule”) all increase. Your brain is in high-gear, lasered in on a single, challenging objective.

Think of a surfer riding along a giant, barrelling wave. If this is flow, then a steeper wave (anxiety) would cause her to fall, while a flatter wave (boredom) wouldn’t provide enough of a challenge. The flow state exists somewhere at the perfect balance between anxiety and boredom.