In The Zone

Sometimes I feel like this teaching gig is too much work (and I don't make enough money). I'll see if I can squeeze out as much as I want out of it, but I'm not sure it's 'it' for me. I feel that I haven't found my sweet spot yet. However, I had a really good day last week at work. I was doing what I do without constraint and felt myself using my gifts and abilities; it felt good to be able to be in that zone.

It's like in sport. There is a zone where the familiarity and instinct feel transcendent... like home. I remember games like that... wonderful....

It's similar to flow. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian psychologist, recognized and named the psychological concept of flow, a highly focused mental state. I studied the concept of flow back in 2009, as I followed students around seeking to catch them in flow while learning at school. It was surprisingly difficult and I came to the conclusion that school is not very conducive for being in flow - being in the zone while at school is tough. If it's tough for students, I am now seeing how tough it is for teachers.

When I was younger, the court - basketball, volleyball - was my passion. Coaching has captured some of that now; I have a few coaching experiences where I've made all the right decisions and it turned out perfect and felt amazing. That feeling, that zone, is hard to match. So many of us struggle to find that passion, and many unfortunately, have never experienced it. As I get older, I want to create more of it not because I'm seeking the memories of my youth, but because I see how that is what will help me to maintain the ability to enjoy my work, my life, to the fullest.

I have found many alternate places where I am in the zone; paddle boarding, kayaking, hiking, swimming in a lake, prayer, singing, listening to music, dancing, camping, staring up at the moon and the stars, coaching (especially with my partner Jen Farano), teaching (in the right conditions), a good glass of wine, spending time with friends in my favourite places, and working collaboratively with others.

I am seeking to find more opportunities to be in the zone and experience flow. I'm on a journey to let all else fall away that keeps me from it. I feel like it is a Kingdom pursuit; seeking to bring more of the Kingdom of Heaven here; live the life that Jesus has set aside for me. Seeking to work in that transcendent place where I am home. Not because it's easy all the time, but because its in that place I can feel His pleasure.

*some of the words in this blog were borrowed from a wise man who is also on a journey to find his way back to his zone of passion and flow.