Campfire Notes

Be You: Find Your “Flow”

Be You: Find Your “Flow”

BE YOU Week 2: Find Your “Flow”

“If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
– Roald Dahl

This week for our BE YOU theme, we’re focusing on finding activities that get you into a state of “flow.”

Flow is a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi (pronounced “cheeks sent me high”) that refers to a state of optimal experience and involvement in an activity during which we are performing at our best.

Watch Dr. Csikszentmihalyi talk about flow in his TED Talk, “Flow, the Secret to Happiness.”

 

When we’re in “flow,” we are doing something we really, really enjoy. We can’t wait to do the activity again, and we feel a lot of positive emotions while participating in the activity. We can stick with it for hours without even noticing the time going by. In fact, when we’re in flow, it’s hard to stop whatever we’re doing. Flow is different from pleasure – simply doing things that are enjoyable like watching TV, scrolling on social media, or shopping. Instead, flow activities usually are demanding and take our full attention and concentration.

People achieve flow in all different ways, including while playing a musical instrument, playing a sport, writing, painting, attending a concert, bird watching, riding a horse, or running, to name just a few. Often we cannot relate to the passion others have for their personal “flow” activity, since their enthusiasm and passion seem inordinately high. For the lucky ones among us, we find flow in our daily work.

The younger you are, the more likely it is that you’ve been in flow today. Young children excel at getting into a state of flow, usually during unstructured play time. As they create their pretend worlds, “cook” in the sand box, build a fort, or swing high on a swing, they are joyful and time flies by for them. Young children are experts at happily living in the moment. As we get older, however, we need to be more aware of getting ourselves into that engaged, amazing state that we enjoyed when we were younger.

Here’s an official definition of flow:
Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does.

And here are some ideas of possible flow activities from Deann Ware, Ph.d:
Physical activities such as sports, yoga, dance, and martial arts
Outdoor challenges such as hiking
Music–writing, playing, mixing
Art–painting, sculpture, mixed media, pottery
Photography
Woodworking
Do-It-Yourself projects, such as home improvement
Working with animals
Gardening
Cooking and baking
Software development/coding
Scrapbooking
Writing
Needlework–sewing, knitting, cross stitch
Horseback riding
What you do for work (hopefully!)

This week’s #GACbeyou challenge

What activities get you into flow? When have you been doing something that you are so engaged that you’ve completely lost track of time? That’s a fun thing to explore as we continue to delve into our “BE YOU” theme. Flow states are a great clue as we figure out who we are and what makes us our best self!

What are new activities you want to try this summer?

What makes your heart “sing?”

Sometimes, we need to explore different activities before we figure out which activities get us into that awesome state of flow. Don’t worry if you haven’t found that awesome, engaged state yet. Sometimes, it takes awhile to explore, and many adults haven’t even figured it out yet! So start now, while you have some free time, exploring different activities – creative, athletic, academic, etc. – and find your flow!

GACspiration

Want to be inspired? Print out this week’s GACspiration and post it on your bathroom door or mirror (just like at GAC)!

Activity Ideas

Make a list of different possible flow activities that you want to explore. Consider different hobbies, sports, and music you have some interest in learning more about.

Try one new activity from the list you made.

More Flow activity ideas:
positivepsychology.com
dailyshoring.com

From Designing Your Life:
Energy Engagement Worksheet

Good Time Journal Activity Log

Resources

Be You!

Read more about flow in this post on Sunshine Parenting.

Helping Kids Find Flow

Ways to Teach Kids Flow

Learn more about FLOW.

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Be You: You’re One of a Kind!

Be You: You’re One of a Kind!

BE YOU Week 1: You’re One of a Kind!

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have you ever thought about how amazing it is that there is no one else who is exactly like you? You are unique, original, and one of a kind!

This week for our BE YOU theme, we’re focusing on what you like best about yourself. It may sound strange to think and talk about what you like about yourself. It may sound like bragging or being overconfident. But it’s really important that instead of always telling ourselves and thinking about our faults and what we don’t like about ourselves that we take time to think about what we do like.

Watch the challenge online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8tPrYhEoHQ

This week’s #GACbeyou challenge

Journal or share with someone else (can be a parent, sibling, or friend) your answer to this question:

Focus on your the inner qualities — personality traits and talents — that you like best about yourself.  

Here are some examples of personality or character traits that you might especially like about yourself:

Kindness – You think about others and do acts of kindness.

Enthusiasm – You get super excited about things – and get other people excited, too.

Grit – You stick with things even when it’s hard.

Sense of Humor – You make people laugh.

Gratitude – You thank others and think about things you’re grateful for.

Honesty – You tell the truth, even when it’s hard or you get in trouble for telling the truth.

Brave – You courageously speak what you believe, even when your opinion is unpopular.

Compassionate – You think about others, feel pain when others are hurt, and take action to help.

Leader – You influence others to act in a positive way.

Loyal – You stick by the side of your family and friends and stay loyal even when people are going through hard times.

These are just a few examples of character traits you might really like about yourself. There are many more!

Here are a few talents you might really like about yourself. How would you finish this phrase: “Something I like about myself is that I’m great at ……”

Music (playing an instrument, singing)

Sports (playing soccer, running, ping pong)

English, science, history, or another subject

Painting, photography, drawing, sewing, making friendship bracelets.

Writing

Reading

Doing magic tricks, riding a unicycle, playing chess, etc.

There are so many different talents and skills each person has. What is something you are good at that you really like about yourself?

GACspiration

Want to be inspired? Print out this week’s GACspiration and post it on your bathroom door or mirror (just like at GAC)!

Activity Ideas

• Get together (in person or online) with your family or a group of friends. Give everyone a chance to share one thing they like about themselves.

• Create a longer list of 10 (or more) things you like about yourself. You could make a list of as many things you like about yourself as how old you are. So, if you’re 14, write 14 things you like about yourself.

• Share with one of your parents, siblings, or a friend something you like about them and ask them to share something they like about you. You’ll both feel happier after the conversation!

Resources

Be You!

#GACkindness: 30 Days of Kindness

Will Kellogg on Growing Grit and the First Attempt In Learning

Celebrating Strengths

Sunshine Parenting Podcast Ep. 28: Focusing on Our Kids’ Strengths

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