01/06/2026
For a long time, I misunderstood what people meant when they talked about “being present.” My mind was almost always elsewhere: thinking ahead, analyzing,
replaying conversations... And then I noticed something strange while making art mindfully > I found moments where the noise stopped.
People often assume art is relaxing because it’s “creative.”
But I think part of the relief comes from something deeper: for a moment, the nervous system is no longer trapped in constant self-monitoring, and attention moves into sensation.
This is why I use different medium in my workshops specifically: the unpredictability of the medium makes it very hard to be in your head at the same time as your hands. You have to choose one. The art makes the choice easier.
For many people (especially perfectionists or anxious minds) that experience is incredibly unfamiliar, and maybe that’s why flow feels less like escape…and more like returning to yourself?
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Source:
Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.
