101. The Transformative Power of AI

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Folks, let’s face it. Our classrooms are going to look a little different this year. AI, specifically ChatGPT, is going to change the way we design learning experiences and assess student mastery. I’ll be honest, when I first explored the ChatGPT platform I was terrified. As I have dug deeper into the technology and its capabilities, I realized that while it does pose significant challenges — it also presents us with some pretty amazing opportunities. In this series, we will explore what AI is capable of, its implications in the classroom, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. Let’s start by examining where we have been, where we are currently, and looking forward to where we are going. Whether this is a trip you wanted to go on or not, the AI train has left the station and it is time for all of us to jump on board. From Card Catalogs to Artificial Intelligence I belong to the micro-generation called Xennial. Xennials are considered to be a “bridge” between Generation X a...
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98: Keys to Well-Being: Finding Your Flow

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This is Part 6 in a series exploring behaviors that increase an individual's sense of well-being. Throughout this series, we will answer the questions:
  • What does it truly mean to be happy?
  • What are some ways that we can increase happiness?
We will answer these questions through the lens of different "keys" to well-being such as meaning and purpose, flow and peak performance, compassion and empathy, religion and spirituality, stress and coping, physical health, and forgiveness among others. For each topic, we will define what is meant by each "key to well-being," explore the research, and identify specific interventions to increase well-being. In this post, we will be looking at peak performance and flow.

When I started this blog way back in 2018, I never intended for it to last 5 years - or span almost 100 posts! My inner critic at the time told me that I was not a writer, that I had little new to offer, and that no one would read it. And my inner critic was right - to an extent. Sometimes no one reads my post and that's okay. Why? Because although I love sharing WITH you, I ultimately write FOR me. There are times when I write that the words flow out and the rest of the world melts away. That feeling, that moment, that experience, is completely addicting. Have you experienced something like this before? It's called FLOW and it is the topic of this post. So, let's dig in and explore the psychological underpinnings of flow, examine how it relates to peak experiences, and discover ways that we can experience more of it!

Flow - Defined
Flow Theory is based in the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (chik·sent·mee·hai·ee). According to Csikszentmihalyi, flow is a state of mind in which an individual becomes so fully immersed in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. Sometimes flow is referred to as being "in the zone." There are six characteristics of a flow experience including a(n);
  • Intense and focused concentration based solely in the present moment.
  • Merging of action and awareness.
  • Loss of self-consciousness.
  • Sense of personal control or autonomy over the activity.
  • Distortion of temporal awareness.
  • Experience that is intrinsically rewarding.
Flow occurs in the pursuit of a goal that is challenging but achievable. In Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl says that "what man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him." It is during times of struggle that we experience the most growth.

Flow -> Peak Experiences
Peak experiences can be a result of flow. A peak experience is often described as transcendent. It is full of positive emotions like joy, elation, wonder, awe and ecstasy. There are three components to a peak experience:
  • Fulfillment: It is an intrinsically rewarding experience.
  • Spiritual: It leads to a loss of temporal awareness and may individuals experience "being at one" with the world.
  • Significant: It leads to personal awareness and can be a defining moment in one's life. 
People typically experience flow when they are having a peak experience but not all of our flow experiences are peak experiences.

Practicing Flow
Flow and peak experiences both involve intense focus on the present moment. How do we create flow in a world full of distractions? Here are some general guidelines:
  • Dedicate a minimum of 10-15 minutes of focused attention towards the task. Put the phones and computers away. Turn off the TV. Eliminate superfluous distractions.
  • Set clear goals. The task at hand should be challenging but within reach. Once mastery is achieved, the goal must then change.
  • Focus on the present. Practices like meditation and mindfulness can help direct attention.
  • The task itself should be intrinsically motivating. This will differ from person to person. Oftentimes people find flow in sports, the arts, gardening, or reading.
The practice of flow will look different for everyone. If you are interested in identifying your "flow style," I recommend that you complete a FLOW PROFILE. This (free) inventory helps you identify your flow superpower. According to this inventory, there are 4 types of flow. You might think that you can identify it based on the descriptors below but I would still recommend that you complete the inventory. I was surprised by mine! Below is a brief description of the 4 flow profiles:
  • Crowd Pleaser: This person typically experiences flow in groups. They get their energy from interacting with others.
  • Flow Goer: This person seeks flow all the time. They tend to look at life as a series of serendipitous events.
  • Hard Charger: This person is the focused go-getter. They run on high octane. They seek challenges and often engage in accelerated training.
  • Deep Thinker: This person thrives when provided uninterrupted time to do what they love. They enjoy things that are creative and reflect. They might also prefer activities that are repetitive in which their mind can wander.
There are a number of benefits to flow including (1) increases in positive emotions (2) increases in performance and commitment to long-term goals (3) positive effects on subjective well-being and psychological well-being and (4) feeling more connected to others. Flow can be an abstract concept - even for adults - but it is such a powerful contributing factor for well-being. I designed the following lesson as a means to introduce high school students to the concept of flow. There are three parts to the lesson; the students will craft a definition of flow, they will compare Flow Theory with the Yerkes-Dodson model of optimal arousal, and they will complete their own flow profile. It should take between 45-60 minutes to complete.


Thank you for joining me for Part 6 of this series. Two more to go! In my next post, we will look at how therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC's) can positively impact our physical and psychological health.

Be Well,
Cori

Other Posts in this Series:
93: Keys to Well-Being: Are You Happy?
94: Keys to Well-Being: What's Your Why?
95: Keys to Well-Being: Got God?
96: Keys to Well-Being: Forgive and Forget
97: Keys to Well-Being: Are You Kind?

Resources:

Lyubomirsky, S. (2013). The how of happiness: A practical guide to getting the life you want. Piatkus. 

Miller, C. A., & Frisch, M. B. (2011). Creating your best life: The ultimate life list guide. Sterling. 

Getting into the flow. Pursuit of Happiness. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/getting-in-the-flow/

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