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Tag: flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

FIVE things for a HAPPY LIFE
Daily writing prompt
What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?
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Which are those five things that lead to happiness?

Five things for a happy life have been enlisted below based on my own experience. These when practiced regularly can lead to a fulfilling life.

These five things, listed below, is what I have learnt from books and validated from my personal experience.
1. Run your own race -> NOT COMPARING with OTHERS and doing your BEST at WHAT you are passionate about.
2. Being Optimistic -> Having full FAITH in GOD, TRUST the value system indeed works and hence be PATIENT with whatever we have.
3. Stay away from Negative people -> TURNING a DEAF EAR to NEGATIVITY and NEGATIVE PEOPLE and maintain self belief.
4. Remove the worry habit -> Overcoming FEAR by looking at FEAR eye to eye.
5. Power of self compassion -> Being GOOD with Oneself if you have done my BEST, EXPECTING nothing in RETURN.
In addition to this if you want to remain in flow by doing the work that you love, adhere to these five principles.
April 12, 2026
Define your Flow state

Daily writing prompt
What activities do you lose yourself in?
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Remain in a state of Flow

If you know how to define your flow state, you will know those moments when you remain engrossed in activities you like the most.

The state of flow is a moment when the arousal is just about right to enable you reach peak performance.

This is when you focus on the present moment without fearing about the future or regretting of the past.

Every person is ware of those activities which we enjoy doing even when no one is watching. It may be blogging, cooking, music and the like.

As shown in the below snapshot, when skills meet the right challenges and we operate at A4, we are believed to be in a state of flow.

For another interesting insight around the same topic, please read below:

https://viewpointsunplugged.com/being-in-flow-leads-to-happiness-how/

To know more about this state, visit this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)

March 8, 2026
Successful Writing and Flow

Isn’t successful writing all about flow?

Successful writing and flow are related. Anne Lamott highlights the same in her book Bird by Bird.

The author inspires an aspiring writer to focus on getting a first draft by getting over the resistance of the limbic brain.

The start is what matters the most. She goes at length and mentions that very often good writers don’t realize the journey till they have generated the final draft.

This is because they are so engrossed with the process that the product hardly matters.

The same has been highlighted in this insight from the same book:

For another insight from the same book, please visit this link:

https://viewpointsunplugged.com/approaching-a-problem-bird-by-bird/

To know more about Anne Lamott please visit this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Lamott

October 19, 2025
Life without Music is a Mistake

Why is Life without Music unthinkable?

For a music lover like me, I feel life without music is a mistake and is simply unthinkable. Read this blog post to know about the benefits of listening to music.

Research has proven that listening to songs stimulates right brain thinking, reduces psychic entropy and anxiety. This has also been proven to induce flow experience for leading fulfilling lives.

Music activates right brain regions of the brain such as auditory cortex, thalamus and superior parietal cortex.

Read this insightful post from the book Flow that highlights how we can conquer anxiety via this therapy.

For another insightful post around the same topic please visit this link:

https://viewpointsunplugged.com/why-is-music-the-best-therapy/

For more evidence on why you should start listening to music, please visit this link:

https://www.southwesternmusictherapy.com/post/scientists-find-15-amazing-benefits-of-listening-to-music

September 18, 2025
Why is MUSIC the best THERAPY?

Did you know that MUSIC is the BEST THERAPY?

The best way to relax is listening to soothing music. Read this blog post to know what research has to say on why music is the best therapy.

Research has proven that listening to music can stimulate certain regions of the brain like auditory cortex, thalamus and superior parietal cortex that can help in pattern recognition and taking decisions around what to pay attention to and what to ignore.

All music lovers will appreciate the fact that music is a therapy. Music has been proven by research to stimulate right brain thinking and induces flow experience.

This helps us unwind whilst in the middle of stressful work.

For another insightful post on the importance of music for relaxation please visit this link:

https://viewpointsunplugged.com/the-therapy-of-music-to-unwind/

To know more about Charles Duhigg Rock and his book The Power of Habit wherein benefits of music has been mentioned, please do read this book:

https://www.amazon.in/Power-Habit-Why-What-Change/dp/1847946240

September 6, 2025
FAMILIES in FLOW do THIS

Characteristics of Families in Flow

My definition of an ideal home is a happy family. Families in Flow do this to remain fulfilled in their lives.

From the perspective of a family, differentiation is is with respect to the fact that each family member gets to follow his or her passion.

Integration happens when all of the members unite for a common purpose larger than themselves.

Flow experience is very energizing and a family is in full flow when we are able to combine differentiation with integration to unleash a flow experience, as mentioned in this wonderful insight.

For another such interesting insight from the book Flow, please visit this link:

https://viewpointsunplugged.com/flow-experiences-enliven-us/

To know more about the flow experience please visit this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)

September 2, 2025
Fall in Love with Flow

Daily writing prompt
What activities do you lose yourself in?
View all responses

Whether you realize or not, there will be certain activities which you are passionate about that will make you fall in love with the state of flow.

When you fall in love with the state of flow, your focus and performance reaches its pinnacle and you are able to unleash your best self.

This is because in this state you fully focus on the present and exhibit a state of NO MIND.

I myself have realized this when I do activities which I am passionate about.

Read this blog to know the scientific truth about the state of flow.

https://viewpointsunplugged.com/flow-experiences-enliven-us/

If you have not yet grabbed a copy of this book Flow, please do it today and understand the science behind the state of flow for long lasting happiness.

https://www.amazon.in/FLOW-Mihaly-Csikszentmihalyi/dp/0061339202/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=137442475436&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.DfAwUgXdqmLmWo6YqwCS17i2lR73nXw8gq5hre99YMs0XNHkztU1Ql_TidPaIMkZrv0j2RYtX_HDJmQUf13qF9x2L-YC36DnWJ_2bUYkN1kBfTXNHRBLfk0XTJkNiJ7oJO3q5-l85EsQzTMI4HcsTThUmQqZ3-_T0-pvIpa8sLwf6-DMCOJ2xCJn9dnd6oIraMlnxdAuaR9ImZr2tozj0NZp3o7U9–lsgGpUIHb9Kc.c1pr7ur2VQX9zjoHNCfaUOtmPOOfmpEZtfNiDDwmh5M&dib_tag=se&ext_vrnc=hi&hvadid=678222852143&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9062077&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16479288132123149318&hvtargid=kwd-951317972064&hydadcr=23577_2222206&keywords=the+flow+by+mihaly+csikszentmihalyi&qid=1741949339&sr=8-1

March 14, 2025
TRUST your INTUITION for FLOW

Why should you Trust your Intuition for state of Flow?

Listening to your gut and trusting your intuition can enable to unleash a state of flow in your lives.

This is a state wherein we get the best out of ourselves since we are is a state of NO THOUGHT.

This insight cited below has been inspired from Joseph Nguyen’s book Don’t Believe Everything you Think.

For a similar insightful post from the same book please visit this link:

https://viewpointsunplugged.com/characteristics-of-goals-via-desperation/

If you have not yet read this wonderful book, I encourage you to grab a copy of the book today and start reading.

https://www.amazon.in/Dont-Believe-Everything-You-Think/dp/935543135X

March 9, 2025
Dream Home in Full Flow

Daily writing prompt
Write about your dream home.
View all responses

A dream home is one where all the members are in full flow. Read this post to understand how an ideal home has the subtle combination of differentiation and integration.

By differentiation all members are encouraged to try out novel ideas based on their acquired career capital.

Whereas integration would mean all members unite and integrate to achieve common and critical goals for the family as a whole e.g. taking care of a minor during ill heath.

This fine balance of differentiation along with integration would enable the family members to remain in full flow, making it a delightful place.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi enlightens us on this wonderful insight in his best selling book named Flow.

For a similar insightful post from the same book please visit:

https://viewpointsunplugged.com/can-solving-crossword-puzzles-enhance-flow/

To know more about the author please visit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihaly_Csikszentmihalyi

February 11, 2025
A Week spent in Full Flow

Daily writing prompt
Describe your ideal week.
View all responses

An ideal week is one wherein the week is spent in full flow. Flow experience would not only energize us but make us fulfilled as well.

To unleash a FLOW experience in your life, this blog post would be of great help:

Unleash FLOW in your LIVES

Returning from work fulfilled is a human right which very few of us are entitled to in the modern era.

The CONSTRUCT of a FULFILLING DAY.

September 8, 2024