The Happy Podcast: exploring ‘flow states’ and getting in the zone

In this episode of Woo’s Happy Podcast, Moya Mawhinney and Kit Williams focus on how being present can positively impact our life. Joined by Pro Sound Maker Pauli and Embodiment Coach Elle Bower Johnson, our hosts dive into the power of ‘flow states’.

In positive psychology (that is, a strain of psychology that’s all about making life feel full, happy, and worth living), a ‘flow state’ is the mental state where a person performs a kind of activity or action, and is so fully immersed it what they’re doing they feel energised, focused, fully engaged and a feeling of content. Basically, it’s being so thoughtfully absorbed in what you’re doing, like getting into the zone – where time flies when you’re having fun!

For some people, that’s making music (think of a saxophonist jamming and improvising some jazz), or maybe it’s just chopping vegetables for a dinner, or playing a mentally challenging sport or game like tennis. This episode explores a plethora of different flow states with one common ground: a focus on the present moment to increase happiness levels.

Make sure to check back on our first episode of the Happy Podcast, where Moya and Kit met professional happiness investigator Lottie Jeffs, philosophy expert Dr Catherine Sophia Bell, and hypnotherapist Michele Occelli to share their takes on how to find and feel happiness.