How Does Happiness Change With Age?

I have been focusing lately on the topic of happiness (see my articles: What is Happiness? and Why Chasing Happiness Doesn't Work).

In the current article, I'm focusing on how happiness changes with age.

Happiness as a Teenager vs Happiness as an Adult

According to social psychologists, how we experience happiness changes with age.  

When I was a teenager, happiness meant going out on the weekend with my friends to a noisy dance club.

Happiness Changes With Age

These clubs were known as "juice bars" because they served non-alcoholic drinks for teenagers. 

Since we were underage and not interested in alcohol, we didn't care about drinking.  We were there to meet boys our own age and have fun on a noisy dance floor. It didn't matter to us that the music was so loud that, even when we met someone, we had to go outside to talk.

Before the weekend, we spent all week talking to each other about what we would wear and who we hoped to meet at the club. We would visit each other's homes to help each other choose outfits and accessories--all in anticipation of our Saturday night out.

As compared to my teenager self, my experience of happiness today might involve going to a quiet restaurant with friends and loved ones or staying home to read a book or watch a classic movie.

If my teenage self had been told that my adult self would be going to quiet restaurants or reading a book on a Saturday night, she would have been shocked and disappointed. She also would have thought I had become "boring." 

But my current adult self can look back on those dance club nights with nostalgia as having been fun and exciting for the time. I'm glad I did those things at a time when they were new and exciting to me.

When I talk to friends in my age group now, they agree that who they are now and what makes them happy is a lot different from what made them happy as teenagers. 

How Does Happiness Change With Age?

Researchers from Northwestern University have used the term "promotion mindedness" to describe experiences of the young. 

Happiness Changes With Age

It's a time for focusing on hopes and dreams for the future before you have a lot of responsibilities. Even though you know intellectually that you're not immortal, you feel immortal and you hink you can do anything. 

As you get older and you have more responsibilities, these illusions change. Instead of dreaming about endless possibilities, you're trying to maintain what you have worked so hard to achieve, possibly a marriage, children, a house or a career.  So, your priorities change as you get older and what makes you happy also changes.

Teenagers and young adults are typically looking for excitement--like their first experience of sex, finding love and dreaming about a successful career. 

But by the time you become a mature adult, you have achieved many of those things and, aside from maintaining what you have achieved, you want to feel peaceful, relaxed and calm. Dance clubs and raucous parties are probably not high on your list.

What is the U-Shaped Curve of Happiness?

Over the lifespan, happiness follows a u-shaped curve.

Based on psychological and economic studies, the u-shaped curve indicates that happiness tends to be greatest during youth and old age:

• The Youth Peak (early 20s): Young adults typically start with high levels of life satisfaction which is fueled by optimism, fewer responsibilities and freedom to explore.

• The Midlife Low Point (40s to early 50s): Generally, life satisfaction tends to steadily decline, bottoming out at around ages 47 to 49. This slump is usually driven by peak career stress, financial burdens, childcare, caring for elderly parents and unfulfilled youthful expectations.

• The Golden Rise (50s to 70s): After age 50, happiness tends to rebound for most people. Many studies indicate that age 70 is the pinnacle of lifetime satisfaction. Many of these individuals report fewer stressors or career anxiety and greater emotional stability.

Why Do Older Adults Score Higher in Happiness Studies?

According to studies, all other things being equal, emotional well-being thrives in later life for the following reasons:

• The Positivity Effect: According to neurological and psychological studies from institutes like the Stanford Center on Longevity, older brains naturally filter out negative stimuli, choosing instead to focus on positive memories.

Happiness Changes With Age

• Socioemotional Selectivity: Realizing that time horizons are short, older adults tend to let go of superficial social networks and focus more on high-quality, meaningful friendships and family bonds.

• Emotional Regulation: Most older adults have decades of life experience so they usually develop better coping skills as compared to when they were younger. This helps them to handle stress and daily anxieties much better than teenagers or young adults.

All of these findings assume that basic needs like food, shelter, good health and the other necessities of life are taken care of which isn't the case for everyone.  

For instance, these days there are more retirees who are returning to work in order to have the basic necessities of life. 

In addition, if you live in an expensive city, like New York City or San Francisco and you weren't a high earner, your life satisfaction will be different from people who are more financially secure.

Conclusion

Happiness changes with age and, for most people, it tends to develop in a u-shaped curve with happiness being at its highest levels in youth and old age.

So, if you're young, enjoy the excitement and time of new discovery during this phase in your life. If you're older, you can still be open to new experiences and approach life with a sense of wonder and curiosity, but your interests might be different from when you were younger.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT couples therapist, IFS, Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples of all ages over the years.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Also See My Articles:

Why Are Close Friends Important? 

How to Develop a Healthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure

How to Develop a Curious Mindset 

Striving to Be a Lifelong Learner

Seeing Small Wonders All Around Us If We Take the Time to Notice

What is Happiness?

In a prior article, Why Chasing Happiness Doesn't Work, I discussed why happiness remains elusive for so many people who pursue it relentlessly. This raises the age old question: What is happiness?

What is Happiness?

Rather than being a permanent state of euphoria or the complete absence of pain, happiness is a subjective state of well-being. It's characterized by a combination of frequent positive emotions, overall life satisfaction and a deep sense of meaning and purpose.

What is Happiness?

Psychological experts who study happiness see it as an ongoing balance where positive feelings outweigh negative ones and includes a sense of optimism.  

What is the Psychological Breakdown of Happiness?

Positive psychology researchers use the term "subjective well-being" instead of the word "happiness".  They break this down into three main areas;

• Enjoyment: The passing moment-to-moment feelings of pleasure, joy or fun in daily activities.

What is Happiness?

• Satisfaction: The cognitive evaluation of your life as a whole including how well you feel you are progressing towards your goals and values.

• Meaning: A sense of purpose, feeling connected to something larger than yourself and believing your life matters.

Two Philosophical Paths

The debate about what makes a good life goes back at least as far as the ancient Greeks. The two philosophical paths are:

• Pleasure: Pleasure is often derived from what feels good in the moment. It includes indulging in sensory pleasures, self care and immediate gratification. Although the feelings are pleasurable, they are often short lived.

What is Happiness?

• Meaning: Meaning making includes aligning your values, thoughts, choices and actions as well as a sense of purpose in your life.

What is the Connection Between Happiness and Health?

Physical health is directly influenced by your emotional well-being and, at the same time, your well-being influences your physical health.

Medical data from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public health indicate that emotional well-being acts as a protective shield for your health and chronic negative emotions place a heavy toll on your major organs.

Health and Happiness

In terms of longevity, happiness can actively protect your heart, decrease stress-induced damage and promote healthy daily choices. As a result, it is a major driver of a longer life. 

Data collected over decades has revealed that, in general, happier individuals have a lower risk of premature death.

How Can You Live a More Meaningful and Purposeful Life?

Happiness researchers have found that long term well-being is influenced by how you structure your daily routine, nurture your relationships and how you respond to stress:

Nurture Deep Social Connections

According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, deep, high quality social connections are the strongest predictor of life-long happiness and longevity. This includes:

• Practice Helping Others: Spending time and resources on helping others trigger your brain's internal reward system. 

What is Happiness?

• Perform Random Acts of Kindness: The term "random acts of kindness" was coined by Anne Herbert in 1982. Random acts of kindness are selfless, unexpected gestures you make toward others without prompting, expectation of reward or ulterior motives. These gestures can be made towards loved ones, acquaintances or strangers as a way to brighten their day (see my article: What is Kindness?).

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT couples therapist, IFS, Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples over the years.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

 

Why Chasing Happiness Doesn't Work

People often feel discouraged in their pursuit of happiness because the more they chase it, the more elusive it feels.  

Chasing Happiness Doesn't Work

Chasing happiness creates an emotional paradox which often pushes true well-being away. 

Psychological research reveals that transforming happiness into a rigid, primary goal often creates stress, disappointment and exhaustion instead of fulfillment.

The Illusion of a Final Destination to Happiness

• The Hedonic Treadmill: People often assume there is a fixed finish line--like achieving a specific career rank or purchasing a luxury item. But the truth is that once this kind of goal is achieved, the brain quickly adapts to the new baseline. This, in turn, can spark never-ending desires in the hopes of achieving happiness.

• Time Scarcity: Actively working toward a vague goal of "being happy" makes people extremely aware of time. This causes people to feel they never have enough time in the day which can cause panic and dissatisfaction.

• The Perfection Standard: Treating positive emotions, like happiness, as the default sets unrealistic and unmanageable expectations. When life inevitably brings real challenges, an "expectation gap" forms leading to severe disappointment and discouragement (see my article: Coping With Life's Inevitable Ups and Downs).

Flawed Emotional Management

• Constant Self-Monitoring: Chasing happiness forces people into a constant state of internal evaluation. Constantly asking, "Am I happy yet?" pulls people out of possible immersive, joyful experiences--also known as a flow state (see my article: What is a Flow State?).

Chasing Happiness Doesn't Work

• Suppression of Reality: People often mistakenly try to push negative emotions under the rug. But natural human experiences, like grief, sadness and frustration, are meant to be felt. Trying to suppress these feelings creates an unstable, exhausting psychological foundation.

• The Achievement Deficit: High achievers frequently replace true life enjoyment with strict struggles to achieve success. They treat hobbies or relaxation as a waste of time, which leaves them feeling empty.

Evolutionary Hurdles

• Survival Over Satisfaction: From an evolutionary standpoint, the human brain didn't evolve to be constantly happy. It evolved to survive, reproduce and scan the environment for threats.

• An Inability to Predict What Will Create Happiness: Researchers have discovered that humans have an inability to accurately predict what will make them feel fulfilled in the long run.

A Shift in Focus
To reduce a sense of discouragement, shift your focus away from direct happiness. Instead aim your focus on meaning, resilience, gratitude and deep emotional connection which can allow contentment to happen naturally.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), IFS, Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples over the years.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Also See My Articles:

What Are Peak Experiences?  

A "Happy Life" vs a Meaningful Life 

Becoming Your True Self 

How to Develop a Healthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure

Developing a healthy relationship to joy and pleasure can be challenging for many people for a variety of reasons which will be discussed in this article.

Developing a Healthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure

What Does It Mean to Have an Unhealthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure?

Before we look at what it means to have a healthy relationship to joy and pleasure, let's take a look at what it means to have an unhealthy relationship.

An unhealthy relationship to joy and pleasure often involves seeking external validation and engaging in unsustainable or damaging behavior:

• Dependence and Compulsion includes:

• Intermittent Reinforcement: Unhealthy relationships often include intermittent reinforcement of intense pleasure which are used to tolerate ongoing toxic and or manipulative behavior creating a cycle of dependency.

• Chasing the "High": Compulsive seeking of intense short-term pleasure which can lead to shame, guilt and other negative consequences.

• Imbalance and Exploitation includes:
• Using Others For Pleasure while neglecting their wishes and boundaries

• A Tendency to Prioritize Pleasure While Neglecting Emotional Intimacy and Genuine Connection: There is a tendency to avoid emotional intimacy which results in superficial relationships. The pursuit of pleasure offers only a temporary boost in happiness which creates an ongoing cycle of this dynamic. This creates emotional distance, possibly emotional numbing, loneliness and difficulty expressing emotions and only short term or casual relationships.

• Imposing Control and Having a Sense of Entitlement: Feeling entitled to pleasure without respecting a partner's wishes or boundaries

• Feeling Guilt and Shame: Guilt and shame get in the way of experiencing joy and pleasure

What Does It Mean to Develop a Healthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure?

Developing a healthy relationship to joy and pleasure includes conscious practices including appreciation and presence:

• Practicing Mindfulness: Learning to savor joyous and pleasurable moments--no matter how small (see my article: The Mind-Body Connection and Mindfulness Meditation).

• Cultivating Gratitude: One way to cultivate gratitude is by keeping a gratitude journal.

• Making Meaningful Connections: Finding joy in helping others and investing in meaningful relationships rather than only seeking immediate gratification (see my article: Why Are Close Friendship Important?).

Developing a Healthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure

• Celebrating Small Wins: Acknowledging wins, no matter how small, including a completed task or a delicious meal, which can reinforce your experience of pleasure (see my article: Celebrating Small Wins).

• Balancing Joy and Purpose: Recognizing that, rather than seeing joy as a fleeting state, it can also be a deep, more resilient state of being connected to your purpose and values. 

Developing a Healthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure

• Developing Meaningful Connections With Others: Nurture connections rather than focusing on immediate gratification.

• Self Love and Self Care: Take responsibility for your own happiness. Prioritize your physical, emotional and psychological health.

• Emotional Resilience: Finding moments of happiness even during stressful times--not just in external circumstances (see my article: Developing Resilience).

Why Do Some People Struggle to Have a Healthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure?

Many people feel guilty about allowing themselves to experience pleasure for various reasons including:

• Ingrained Cultural Beliefs About Joy and Pleasure: Many cultural beliefs link joy and pleasure to laziness, selfishness, and personal beliefs about feeling like they don't deserve to experience pleasure.

• Learned Beliefs: There might be learned beliefs from family history that links pleasure to selfishness and childishness, which makes the pursuit of pleasure seem wrong.

Developing a Healthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure

• Guilt and Shame: For many people pleasure feels like a dereliction of their obligations and responsibilities which engenders guilt and shame (see my article: Overcoming Shame).

• Lack of Self Worth: Many people feel they are not worthy of experiencing pleasure because of their own traumatic history (see my article: Overcoming the Emotional Pain of Feeling Unlovable).

• Fear of Being Judged: Some people fear that if they experience pleasure, others will judge them for it, but it's often their own internal critic that is involved  (see my article: Overcoming the Internal Critic).

• Other Personal and Societal Reasons: A variety of other reasons both personal and societal

How Can People Overcome Shame and Guilt About Enjoying Pleasure and Joy?

Working on overcoming shame and guilt about enjoying pleasure and joy can be challenging.

• Start By Identifying the Root Cause: Ask yourself what might have contributed to your negative relationship with pleasure and joy. Is it related to cultural issues, familial messages or other sources?

Developing a Healthy Relationship to Joy and Pleasure

• Question the Story You're Telling Yourself: If you know the root of your problem, question your assumptions to see if they hold up in the light of day. Ask yourself what you would tell a loved one who struggled with this problem.

• Separate Self From Behavior: Move from self criticism to an objective assessment of your relationship with joy and pleasure.

• Seek Help in Therapy: If you have been unable to change a negative relationship with joy and pleasure, seek help in therapy.

Get Help in Therapy

An unhealthy relationship with pleasure and joy can be deeply rooted in your history and this problem can be difficult to overcome on your own. 

Getting Help in Therapy

A skilled psychotherapist can help you to overcome the obstacles that are getting in your way.

Rather than struggling on your own, seek help from a licensed mental health professional so you can lead a more meaningful life.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I work with individual adults and couples and I have helped many clients to develop a healthy relationship to joy and pleasure.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Also See My Articles:

How Glimmers Can Give You a Sense of Ease, Safety and Joy

Discovering Your Happiness Triggers

Savoring Pleasure

Sexual Self Discovery and Pleasure Mapping

Keeping an Erotic Journal For Sexual Self Discovery

Why Are Close Friendships Important?

According to a 2021 American Perspectives Survey, Americans tend to have fewer close friends in recent years than they did in years past (see my article: Overcoming Loneliness and Social Isolation).

The survey also found that Americans talk to friends less often and rely on friends less for emotional support than they did in the past (see my article: Emotional Support From Your Family of Choice).

Close Friends Are Important For Your Overall Well-Being

According to the survey, there are reasons for this, including:

• Americans are more mobile than they were before so this makes it difficult to maintain friendships with the consistency that these relationships need.

• Americans are working and traveling more for work which doesn't leave time to develop and foster friendships.

• American parents are spending more time with their children than previous generations so this doesn't allow much time for friendships.

Why Are Close Friendships Important to Your Mental Health?

Close friendships can improve mental health because friendships:

• Reduce Loneliness and Social Isolation: Spending time with friends can help prevent loneliness and social isolation which can have mental health benefits.

• Provide Emotional Support: Friends can help with getting through difficult times and to cope with anxiety, depression, stress and major changes.

Close Friends Are Important For Your Overall Well-Being

• Improve Self Esteem: Positive interactions with friends can improve self esteem.

• Foster a Sense of Belonging: Close friends can increase feelings of belonging and community which can help with feeling connected and supported (see my article: The Need For Emotional Connection and a Sense of Belonging).

• Increase Happiness and Satisfaction with Life: Close friends can contribute to overall happiness and satisfaction with life.

• Help With Personal Growth: Friendships can challenge you to learn, grow and become a better version of yourself.

• Provide a Sense of Purpose: Close friendship can contribute to a sense of meaning and purpose in life (see my articles: A Search For a Meaningful Life and Living a Meaningful Life).

Why Are Close Friendship Important for Your Physical Health?

Close friendships can improve your physical health benefits because friendships can:

• Improve Cardiovascular Health: Having supportive friends can contribute to having healthier blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Close Friendships Are Important to Your Overall Well-Being

• Enhance Immune Functions: Social support from friends can potentially enhance immune functions which reduce the risk of illness.

• Help Increase Life Expectancy: Studies have indicated that people with strong social connections tend to live longer.

Future Articles:

I'll continue to explore the importance of friendships in future articles.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), Somatic Experiencing and Sex Therapist.

I have over 20 years of experience helping individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Discovering Your Happiness Triggers

I'm discussing  triggers from a different perspective than how I usually discuss them as a trauma therapist (see my article: What is a Trauma Therapist?).

What Are Triggers?

Therapists, especially trauma therapists, tend to focus on trauma triggers because it's helpful for traumatized clients to know how to recognize and cope with triggers. But it's also important to recognize happiness triggers to add to the quality of your life.

Although the word "trigger" tends to have a negative connotation, psychologically speaking, triggers are neither negative or positive. Triggers are experiences that evoke memories. 

What Are Happiness Triggers?

Happiness triggers refers to rituals and routines we engage in to tap into positive memories and cultivate positive experiences.

Discovering Your Happiness Triggers

The term "happiness triggers" is usually associated with Valorie Burton, life coach, author and motivational speaker.

What Are the Benefits of Discovering Your Happiness Triggers?

Discovering your happiness triggers can be a way of starting new positive habits because these triggers are associated with positive experiences and they can motivate you to develop positive habits.

Happiness triggers can also serve as an anchor in your life.

When happiness triggers evoke positive experiences, they access positive memories that are neurochemically wired in your brain.  

Happiness triggers can also help to pull you out of a funk when you're feeling low.

How to Develop Happiness Triggers

Happiness triggers are based on individual experiences, memories, needs, interests and values so they will be unique for each person.

Discovering Your Happiness Triggers

To discover your own unique happiness triggers, start by thinking about the small things in your life in the present or in the past that lift your mood and energy. It can be as simple as the ritual of having your morning coffee or tea, listening to your favorite podcast, taking a walk in the park and so on.

If you're still unsure, practice being present in the moment to experiences that bring you joy. Pay attention to your bodily experiences when you experience memories that were joyful or  evoke a sense of well-being.

Happiness Triggers Require Practice

Once you have discovered your unique happiness triggers, you need to practice them over and over again in order to develop them into positive habits.

These new habits can include behavioral, cognitive (thinking) or emotional triggers.

Behavioral Happiness Triggers

Behavioral happiness might include:

• Exercising

• Yoga
  

Discovering Your Happiness Triggers

• Going for a walk in nature

• Dancing

• Listening to music

• Performing an act of kindness for someone

• Reading a favorite book

• Engaging in a favorite hobby

Cognitive (Thinking) Happiness Triggers

Cognitive happiness triggers might include:

• Reframing negative thoughts with positive self talk or affirmations

• Making friends with your inner critic

• Recalling and re-experiencing positive memories and experiences

• Practicing mindfulness meditation
  

Emotional Happiness Triggers

• Practicing gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal

• Practicing acceptance and self compassion

Discovering Your Happiness Triggers

• Engaging your five senses (sight, sound, taste, smell and touch)

• Getting a massage

• Getting a manicure

• Playing a sport

• Connecting or reconnecting with a friend or loved one

Conclusion

Developing and practicing happiness triggers can increase your sense of joy and well-being.

Discovering Your Happiness Triggers

You can also discover happiness triggers by connecting to your inner world and connecting to a loved one to discover what is most meaningful and fulfilling to you.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), Somatic Experiencing and Sex Therapist.

I have over 20 years of experience helping individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

What is a Flow State?

The Flow State has also been described as being "in the zone" or "in the groove."  

When  people are in a Flow State, they are so immersed and focused on whatever enjoyable task they're doing that they don't notice time is passing. 

A Flow State

This article will focus on:

• Defining the Flow State
• Positive Psychology and the Flow State
• The Benefits of the Flow State
• How to Enter into the Flow State

What is the Flow State?

The psychological Flow State is a state of being completely absorbed, focused and involved in an enjoyable task for its own sake.

A Flow State

The Flow State is similar to mindfulness in that a person who is in that state is in the present moment.

Tasks that allow for a Flow State include (but are not limited to): 

• Sports 
• Yoga
• Dancing 
• Reading
• Gardening
• Crafts
• Painting
• Drawing
• Video games
• Listening to music
• Playing an instrument
• Sex 

These tasks can be anything that is enjoyable, rewarding and at just the right level of challenge for a person's particular skill set.  

A Flow State

The tasks aren't so tough that they're overwhelming and they're not so easy that they're boring.

What is the Connection Between Positive Psychology and the Flow State?

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian-American psychologist who was a leader in the Positive Psychology movement, popularized the concept of the Flow State.

The Positive Psychology movement was developed in the late 20th Century as an alternative to the psychological perspective at the time that focused on psychopathology.

In his book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Csikszentmihalyi indicated that people are happiest when they are in the Flow State.

He characterized nine components of the Flow State:

• Challenge-skill balance
• Merging of action and awareness
• Clarity
• Immediate and clear feedback
• Concentration on the task
• Paradox of control (the more you try to control something the more. you lose control)
• Transformation of time
• Loss of self consciousness
• Autotelic experience (performing tasks that are intrinsically rewarding)

What Are the Benefits of the Flow State?

• Better performance
• Fewer distractions
• Less self judgment
• Increased motivation to complete a task
• Great ability to spend a longer time on a task
• Increased skill and sense of self competence

How Can You Enter into the Flow State?

People often get into the Flow State without realizing it, but you can also try to induce a Flow State.

If you want to induce the Flow State, you can:

• Think about the times you were able to get into the Flow State in the past

A Flow State

• Engage in enjoyable activities where you can get immersed

• Eliminate distractions, interruptions and multitasking so you can focus on one activity

• Allow enough time to enter into a Flow State (a longer time is more conductive to Flow)

• Practice mindfulness

Conclusion

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's work emphasized that the Flow State can induce a feeling of happiness and a sense of meaningfulness.  

He also stressed the importance of the balance between the challenge of the task and the skill involved to be able to enter into a Flow State.

You can explore different tasks to find the ones that enable you to enter into a Flow State and derive the benefits of Flow.

About Me

I am a licensed New York City psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT, Somatic Experiencing and Sex Therapist.

I am a sex-positive therapist who works with individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.