Flow Experience...and a reworked version.

This is why it's worth it to buy high-quality watercolor paper. This surface was scrubbed and scraped and dried it with a steam iron, and it held up. And now it's time to move on...

As I said to Andrea and Jean in the comments on the previous post, I seem to need to do a realistic version of a subject before I can start exploring more abstractly. But I also just like the act of painting; it's absorbing, challenging, and fun; the hours go by and I hardly notice them.

What do you like to do that's absorbing in that way? I read an article recently called "12 Things Happy People Do Differently" -- a rather annoying title, since we all do some of these things some of the time -- but most of what it said rang true. Engaging often in "Flow Experiences"-- those activities that really absorb us and take us out of ourselves and our small, worried minds --  was one of the twelve points. For me, art, music, cooking, and gardening can all be like that; skiing used to be too; writing is sometimes, but tends to feel more like work. What are yours?

Here's the list from the article. I'd add another one: "Don't try to change other people."

Express gratitude.
Cultivate optimism.
Avoid over-thinking and social comparison.
Practice acts of kindness.
Nurture social relationships.
Develop strategies for coping.
Learn to forgive.
Increase flow experiences.
Savor life's joys.
Commit to your goals.
Practice spirituality.
Take care of your body.