Life is Found in Meeting the Challenge

When a person comes to me feeling a sense of lifelessness, I either think they are doing too much and are genuinely burnout, or that they lack stimulating challenges. Take for example what Claes Oldenburg says here: "All the fun is locking horns with impossibilities." What he says is true! There is innate fun that is had when you are face-to-face with things that push you to grow. I remember when I had first learned about the concept of flow in a positive psychology class, where it was basically put that we find happiness in flow, and to get into a flow state, you need to experience something that challenges you right at the level of your capabilities. If the challenge is too hard, you feel powerless. If the challenge isn’t enough, you feel bored. So, one essentially finds happiness in the process of growth. Next time you feel dull and like your life is lacking, consider finding some area of your life that you’d be interested in developing further. Sometimes that might look like reaching physical goals, some of that can be practicing relationship skills, maybe this looks like attaining new career achievements, or more simply, you might take the time to go exploring the depths of your feelings. Whichever direction you choose, meet the challenges where you are at, allow yourself to struggle a bit, and spend a moment to notice when you’ve overcome those struggles. The process actually feels invigorating!

"All the fun is locking horns with impossibilities."

~ Claes Oldenburg