What activities do you lose yourself in?

Have you ever experienced “flow”, a state of optimal engagement where you are entirely focused and immersed in what you are doing? Psychologists say that flow can happen in any activity that matches your skills and interests, such as sports, music, art, or work. For me, writing and gaming are two sources of flow. They allow me to express myself creatively and emotionally, challenge myself intellectually and strategically, and escape from reality into different worlds.

One reason why writing gives me flow is because it helps me express myself creatively and emotionally. Writing allows me to explore different genres, styles, and formats of expression, such as poetry, fiction, essays, or blogs. I can experiment with language, imagery, tone, and voice to create unique and original pieces of work. Writing also helps me cope with my feelings and emotions in a healthy and productive way. I can write about my experiences, challenges, and goals in a journal or diary or create fictional characters and stories that reflect my inner world. In essence, I can exorcise my demons unto the page. Similarly, gaming is another source of flow for me because it stimulates my mind and skills.

Gaming is another source of flow for me because it challenges me intellectually and strategically. Gaming involves solving puzzles, making decisions, and applying logic to different scenarios. I enjoy games such as Sudoku, Tetris, and chess, which make me think critically, creatively, and analytically. Gaming also involves developing strategies, skills, and tactics to achieve goals and overcome obstacles. I also like games that challenge me to improve my performance, coordination, and reaction time, such as racing games, shooting games, or sports games. But never as much as a good strategy game or a role-playing game ripe with choices and consequences. In addition to challenging me intellectually and strategically, writing and gaming also help me escape from reality into different worlds.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing and gaming is that they allow me to escape from reality into different worlds. Writing enables me to create my own worlds with my own rules, characters, and stories. I can invent fantasy worlds with magic and dragons, sci-fi worlds with aliens and spaceships, or historical worlds with kings and queens. Gaming allows me to explore existing worlds created by other people or by myself, though with age, I’ve grown tired of game editors. I can visit virtual worlds that simulate real places or events, such as New York City, World War II, or ancient Egypt. I can also enter fictional worlds that are based on books, movies, or comics, such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, or Marvel.

In conclusion, writing and gaming are two activities that give me flow because they help me express myself creatively and emotionally, challenge me intellectually and strategically, and allow me to escape from reality into different worlds. Flow is a state of mind that makes me feel happy, fulfilled, and engaged in what I do. Writing and gaming are not just hobbies for me; they are passions that enrich my life.