Sailing Through Flow: Lessons from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Learning to measure, learning to stay in flow, learning to sail, learning to let go.

Oh I can almost hear the little voice saying, "Hey, Brenley, shouldn't you be posting this during the 'most opened blog times'?" That dreaded word "should." I'm throwing convention to the wind (literally, in the case of sailing) and sharing this when it feels right because for me, life's not always about hitting those peak posting times; it's about sharing the real, unfiltered moments.

Maybe you're catching this at the crack of dawn or the stillness of midnight, I hope it brings a little slice of joy to your day.

I was just about to share this on my Instagram page farmerbrenley, but then I thought, why not share a bit more about it here? So, grab a comfy seat and join me in a little tale about finding joy in the present moment, skillfully navigating challenges, and yes, a touch of sailing adventure in the Dominican Republic! 🇩🇴⛵

A few years back, I stumbled upon a book that has since become a little star I use when I need guidance through the ebb and flow of life – "FLOW" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. “Me high” is how you pronounce his first name. (No I’m not  high at the moment) and his surname is pronounced, “Chick sent me high”. Here’s a link to vet my pronunciation. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Because let's be honest: before sharing information, it's crucial to engage in fact-checking, particularly with sensitive news. While this may not be the case here, if it were, it could potentially lead to significant issues between us. You see, a good friend of mine frequently shares unsettling information with me in the links and headlines he sends me, and honestly, I find myself at a loss on how to handle it. On one hand, if the information holds truth, it instills a sense of fear within me. On the other hand, I question whether I want to invest the time, energy, and emotional commitment to verify its authenticity. So I either share it with another friend who has the skillset and connections to vet the information and provide clarity and a more informed perspective or… it’s just a plain old delete. Ok, I got a little sidetracked there but I’m just leaning into wherever my mind is taking me.

What I really wanted to get to is that I LOVE TO LEARN NEW THINGS. Learning brings me joy and reading this gem of a book has taught me that happiness or actually, not happiness but that feeling you get where time just slips away and you just feel relaxed and deeply engaged, is found in the sweet spot where your skills meet the challenges at hand. Too hard, and frustration sets in; too easy, and my interest wanes. It's a delicate balance, much like navigating the waves on a Hobie Cat.

Speaking of which, two days ago, I spent my day brushing up on my Hobie Cat sailing skills here in the Dominican Republic. There's something truly enchanting about navigating the wind and the feeling of being one with the sea. It's a subtle dance, a flow, and a constant reminder that my true – there I go again, searching for a word other than happiness – bliss often lies in losing myself in the present moment. Speaking of bliss, my first original band, before Madison Violet is zoebliss. I don’t think there is a digital record of my old band online but if you’re interested maybe I can hook you up with a few tracks.

Back to learning .. today, I'm delving into the art of finding the midpoint between two points, a skill I'll soon put to the test back home .. I'm rehanging acoustic panels in my Airstream and these panels aren't all cookie-cutter; they each have their own unique dimensions, making the task a bit tricky.

Here’s a little video I made and please ignore the editing … I effed it up here and there but ya know what, I fell out of Flow while editing and lost interest in perfecting it so it is, what it is. Well done Brenley, you let it go.

Cue the lessons from Csikszentmihalyi (Chick sent me high)! Much like sailing, finding the flow in rehanging these panels involves skill, precision, and a touch of creativity. To ensure utmost preciseness… something that doesn’t come naturally to me, I'm crafting a template – a little something to guide me through the process and ensure each panel hangs just right.

So, whether you're solo sailing a Hobie cat or navigating the challenges at home, remember this: happiness is found in the delicate balance between your skills and the challenges you take on. Embrace the present, lose yourself in the moment, and find your flow. Happy Saturday folks and thank you for dropping by.

PS.. I’m inviting you to suggest the kind of content you might want to see here… I’m curious!