One of the founding parents of positive psychology, Dr Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, identified and extensively studied the concept of 'flow,' a highly focussed mental state in which a person is fully absorbed in the activity they are performing. Often referred to as being 'in the zone,' flow is achieved when the activity is challenging but attainable according to the person's skill level, time passes by unnoticed and a positive state of serenity is achieved.
Reaching a state of flow can increase happiness levels by bringing a person into the present moment in a fully immersive way. It helps a person to derive a greater sense of enjoyment and fulfilment from their activity, as well as boosting motivation and skill development. It also supports the growth of positive emotional regulation.
"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.)
I often find myself in a state of flow when I'm writing or painting. My eldest daughter, Ruby, has inherited my passion for painting (although her talent has far surpassed mine!) and I love seeing her lost in the depths of her latest creative endeavour.
On Mother's Day this year, she surprised me with a painting she'd been secretly working on. She knows I love Hawaii and so she painted Haumea, the Hawaiian goddess of childbirth. I was totally blown away by her talent and deeply touched by such a beautiful, thoughtful gesture.
Goddess Haumea, by Ruby
At the same time, it just so happened that the Thrive Senses office had a large wall space that needed to be filled. We've been very careful to create an environment that feels warm and welcoming, with earthy tones and textures that help to support a calm and nurturing experience. We'd been looking for a piece of art that reflected this style but had been struggling to find something that perfectly fitted the bill.
After seeing Ruby's painting it became clear: we should commission her to create a piece for our office! Thankfully, she enthusiastically embraced the idea. We asked her to paint a Pacific Island woman with flowers coming out of her head, to represent beautiful, positive thoughts. We requested natural, muted tones, to match the office aesthetic. Then we left her to it. After a few days of hard work, focus and flow, she finally revealed her masterpiece this week and it was everything we'd dreamt of and more!
She's really happy with it, and so are we! It’s bigger than it looks, 1m x 1.2m, so it took a lot of time and effort, but we're deeply grateful and shall treasure it always.
To me, it represents a wealth of positivity in my life: the love and beautiful nature of my eldest child, her awesome talent and style, our meaningful connection to the South Pacific, the importance I place on nurturing and maintaining a positive mindset, and the development of the Thrive Senses office: a physical representation of my long-standing passion for wellbeing and helping others.
The painting complements the style of the office perfectly and really pulls the space together. It provides a beautiful focal point and one which, I hope, sets the scene for impactful experiences and positive transformation.
Edited to add: After receiving a wealth of positive feedback about the painting, we decided to have it professionally photographed so that anyone else who loves it can simply download it from a link and print it out to adorn their own space. Please visit our shop here to purchase (we are selling this on Ruby's behalf and she will receive all payments).