Last year on Memorial Day weekend my sister and I were in Europe sipping tea, eating crepes, and enjoying a Tennis match at the French Open. This incredible trip with my sister brought me back to London where I spent a semester in undergrad that sparked my love for travel and discovery. I spent time connecting with one of my closest friends who unbeknownst to me would be the last time I would see her again ever. And most importantly, I spent time with my sister bossing her around like a big sis.
One year later…
Memorial Day 2020 couldn’t have been any more different. With a shelter-in-place order in the Bay Area and the world in turmoil because of a global pandemic, a vacation was out of the question. But surprisingly quarantication yielded unexpected results.
On Saturday, my husband and I met up with another couple friend of ours at a local park. Don’t worry we made sure that no one had gotten sick recently with any COVID-19 symptoms. We brought our own lunches to avoid sharing food and had a small picnic. With sunny yet breezy weather and Mission Peak as the backdrop, we settled in on the picnic blanket and spent a lovely afternoon playing card and board games.
Flow state or “being in the zone” is a mental state when one is so immersed in an activity that our sense of time is distorted. I was in a flow state that afternoon, what felt like an hour or two was actually 3.5 hours later. When I emerged from my flow state I realized how relaxed I felt. My heart was not beating fast. My mind was not racing with thoughts. I felt a sense of inner calmness that energized me. I never expected to be in the flow state while playing games with my friends but it felt so good.
In the age of distraction focusing whole heartedly is challenging. For instance while writing this post I’ve browsed multiple news sites, watched random travel videos, and texted with my friend. Flow state clearly is non-existent. So when I do experience it, it is an absolute wonder. Being in a flow can state can result in positive health benefits.
It’s now week 11 of quarantine and fatigue is settling in. Days have all blended together and without an outlet to socialize or get some zen time in nature, you have to find green grass wherever you can to maintain some sanity. Spending an afternoon outside playing board games with the wind whipping through your hair, munching on snacks and BEING IN THE ZONE is the perfect way to do so.
Quarantication for the win!