2026-07-27

Flow State

I was able to transition into extended flow¹ state this evening, spending an hour practicing on my new drawing tablet² followed by 4 hours of learning.

After a series of hard days, I want to capture what was different about today that led to a better evening.

One is that something I had been dreading, fearing a negative outcome, turned out to have gone way better than expected. We'll classify this under an unspecified social situation.

Another might be my diet. I've been getting a lot more protein, vegetables, and fiber lately compared to my average, and have recently cut out caffiene. These changes might be accumulating to a better gut microbiome, which studies³ are increasingly showing links between diet and the brain.

I had also been more focused throughout my morning and afternoon, prior to my evening create and learn sessions. Starting out on the right foot may have set the tone for the day.

Yesterday (Sunday) decided to force myself outside to partake in a partially social hobby that I try to do weekly, even though I was not feeling up for it and didn't stay as long as usual. That low stakes social interaction, fresh air, and mild exercize may have set me up for success today.

Of course, it may also be the discipline of having shown up to learn and create every day.

Overall, it was probably a combination of all of these things. As Coach John Noel pointed out in a recent Short⁴, the things that make the biggest difference are the smallest things done consistently. Consistently doing the little things that matter most is the goal, not completely overhauling your life overnight.

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