What I Learned about Flow from Eating Spicy Food

In positive psychology, the flow state is a term used to describe a mental state of deep engagement and focus. An individual in the flow state is completely absorbed in an activity to the point where they lose track of time, self-consciousness, and self-doubts. The flow state is characterised by a sense of effortless attention and enjoyment and it often leads to increased performance and productivity. 

I have heard of the “flow” state long before I was aware of its existence in positive psychology. My first encounter with the flow state was in running – back in the day when I was running half marathons for the heck of it. Back then, it was referred to as being “in the zone”. Since then, I have experienced flow when I was rock climbing and, most recently, when I was spinning. It doesn’t happen a lot, but when it does occur, it is usually more a case of stumbling into it rather than a deliberate attempt to enter a flow state.

I have often thought that it would be pretty useful to be able to actively enter a flow state. That would be a good ability to have, wouldn’t it? To be able to do something better with less effort – who wouldn’t want that? There are plenty of articles that talk about being able to enter the flow state on command. The following video on The Science of Flow from Big Think is a pretty good one that explains flow, gives examples, and talks about how to find your flow:

There are many ways to create the optimal conditions for flow and to trigger a flow state. The following points mentioned by Positive Psychology are ones I believe can apply to most of us:

• Use your most enjoyable activity as a training activity to get used to finding flow.
• Select your most optimal time of day. Steve Kotler also adds that you should lock out distractions during this period as they can interrupt flow and make it harder to find your way back.
• Ensure you have sufficient recovery time so your mind and body can be primed for flow. I guess this is a no-brainer – if you’re mind and body are fatigued, you’re not likely to be up for any kind of peak performance, let alone, find it easy.

Another optimal condition that is worth being aware of is the Goldilocks rule. The task we choose to work on must be slightly beyond our ability so that it challenges us and pushes us outside our comfort. There is no flow state when we do things that are too easy. Conversely, if the task we choose is too far beyond our ability, it will also detract from our efforts to achieve flow. Hence the purpose of the Goldilocks rule – it should not be too easy or too hard.

There are other ways to find your flow, some of which can be quite individual, such as playing the right music, having set goals, or following a specific ritual. Activities like mindfulness meditation and mental fitness training can also help by training your focus and mental discipline.

What I Learned About Flow From Eating Spicy Food

What I discovered about flow was something I learned through eating spicy food. I don’t usually eat spicy food so, naturally, my spice tolerance is low. While I usually prefer to stay away from anything spicy, I do make exceptions for food that I really like, such as, rendang and tteokbokki. After suffering through these favourite foods enough times, I have discovered a way to endure the spice – just keep eating. Don’t try to douse the spice with drinks, dairy, or carbs. Don’t try to do anything to alleviate the burn or reset my tastebuds, period. Once I make it past a certain point, my tastebuds will recalibrate and there will be a marked drop in the sensation of spiciness for no apparent reason at all.

What happened? The brain adapts the body’s response. Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili, activates pain receptors on the tongue, causing a burning sensation. When we continue eating spicy food, it temporarily desensitises these pain receptors, leading to a reduced sensitivity to pain. Continued consumption leads to an adjustment in the brain’s perception of spicy food and a gradual adaptation to the heat. This increases our spice tolerance and, potentially, subsequent enjoyment of spicy foods.

Returning to the prior discussion on flow and being “in the zone”, I can apply this understanding of the brain’s (and body’s) adaptation to a sensation of pain to help me find my flow. By accepting the pain and enduring it for a while (embrace discomfort – aletheiaphysis), the brain/body will adjust its perception of it and increase our tolerance for it. Which leads me to another concept – acceptance of pain.

Acceptance of Pain

Pain Research and Management

Pain acceptance is the process of giving up the struggle with pain and learning to live life despite pain. Acceptance is associated with lower levels of pain, disability and psychological distress.

Acceptance of pain is not a novel idea. It is a concept that has long been explored in the management of pain. What is interesting about the acceptance of pain is that it runs contrary to typical methods of dealing with pain – ignoring it, denying it, removing it, avoiding it, or suppressing it. In the acceptance of pain, we acknowledge and understand that pain is a natural part of life. It is making peace with our pain and choosing to live well in spite of the pain.

Finding Flow

Flow is a psychological concept that involves the mind, therefore the key to unlocking it must lie within our minds. If training our mental fortitude and priming our minds are important aspects of achieving flow, then it makes sense that developing a certain mindset is also an important element. By mindset, I am referring to the acceptance of pain. When we accept that pain is part of the process, and we learn to embrace it, perhaps that is when we’ll find our flow more easily.