Here in New England, we are in our false spring. The past few days have been in the high 50s, and we had daylight savings, so it’s brighter longer. The feeling of emerging from the dark, cold winter is intoxicating. It almost invites you to lose yourself in the day-to-day. Washing dishes hits different when it’s the first time your windows have been open in months.
A flow state is not something we can force, but it is something I am always chasing. I remember getting into a flow state while sewing back in December, but since then, my only other flow has been a couple of days ago while I was baking. Now that I think about it, something that both instances have in common is that I was making something for someone else. That could be something I lean into for a chance at that flow state on difficult days.
I know in the past I’ve had flow states while hiking, coloring, or cleaning; things that were mainly for me. But I also know those states happened on days of warm weather when I was already feeling in love with life. So maybe that’s part of the mindset needed for getting lost in an activity.
Notably for a voracious reader, I am declining to include reading in this list. While I do become absorbed in a story, any good story creates such large emotions in me that it’s hard to lose myself. I might lose three hours to reading, but I am hyper aware of anytime I kick my feet or sob my eyes out.
I hope that even when winter gives its last push before making way for true spring, we are each able to find something that makes us feel truly alive.
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