Post Reports – "Is finding 'flow' the key to happiness?"

Date: December 30, 2025
Host: Maggie Penman (from The Optimist)
Focus: Exploring the psychological concept of "flow" through the story of Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage (OLOG): a group of women aged 65–85 who find joy and purpose in cleaning garbage from the bottom of ponds.

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the concept of "flow"—the immersive psychological state where people are totally absorbed in an activity—and examines whether finding flow is a key to happiness. The story is told through the lens of OLOG, a spirited community of older women who find meaning (and fun) in their unusual, aquatic environmental efforts. Maggie Penman explores how their underwater garbage hunts bring a sense of fulfillment that transcends the act of picking up trash.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet OLOG: Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage

• Setting & Atmosphere:
  The story opens (01:31) with Susan Bauer, 85, organizing a group of women at a pond on Cape Cod. The women, all 65–85, wear “OLOG” hats/shirts and prep for a trash-diving expedition.
• Origin Story:
  Susan first noticed pond trash as a swimmer. At first, the garbage helped her navigate the strange underwater world. Over time, she began collecting it, and invited friends—eventually, the activity became a community project (04:08–04:57).

"When I first started swimming in ponds, I was so afraid of snapping turtles... that I loved seeing the beer can, the cluster of golf balls ... because I knew exactly where I was." – Susan Bauer (04:08)

• Community Growth:
  OLOG started informally, but ballooned to 30 active divers and a waitlist of 45 (05:54–06:19). There are tryouts and planned, safe dives led by a “beach boss” and dive leaders.
• Rules & Safety:
  The women take safety seriously, with gear organization, check-ins, and careful group structure—in part inspired by a scary incident when a strong swimmer had a heart attack during a swim and was rescued thanks to procedures (07:40–08:16).

2. The Search for Meaning Underwater

• The Unexpected Joy of Garbage Diving:
  Finds are both mundane and bizarre: old beer bottles, anchor coils, a blue toilet, countless baby doll heads (08:57–09:19). The group shares laughs inventing stories for their finds.

"A lot of baby doll heads. Something about little girls. They lose their baby doll heads." – Susan Bauer (09:19)

• Impact on Community & Self:
  The activity cleans the ponds and brings the women together (10:05). But it also changes them.

3. The Psychology of Flow

• Exploring the Concept:
  Susan, a retired psychologist, poses the episode’s key question: why is this muddy, chilly work so delightful? (10:28)

"I'm a retired psychologist, and what has fascinated me... why does diving for trash in a pond make people so happy?" – Susan Bauer (10:28)

• Total Immersion:
  According to Susan, the answer is flow—a state where you’re so immersed there’s no room for worry, self-consciousness, or even thoughts of past and future (12:47–13:26).

"You are immersed in something so completely that you have no thought. ... As William James said, you break free from the cage of self and... get rid of yourself for a short period of time and you see the world in a new way." – Susan Bauer (12:47)

• Supporting Research:
  Host Maggie references Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the psychologist who defined “flow” and considered it key to happiness. Flow is associated with resilience, reduced anxiety, and greater well-being. (13:26–14:49)

4. How To Find Flow

• Expert Input (Richard Huskey, UC Davis):
  Richard outlines the key elements of finding flow (14:49–17:27):

  • Clear goals
  • Immediate feedback
  • Challenge-skill balance

  If something is too easy, it’s boring; too difficult, it’s stressful. Flow happens in that sweet spot.

"I am an expert dishwasher, but it’s a really low challenging task, right? That’s not a flow-eliciting experience. ... The task is too difficult, my skills are too low. That's also not a flow-eliciting task." – Richard Huskey (15:02–15:35)

• Practice Matters:
  Learning and practice are essential to finding flow, and the activity doesn't matter as much as the engagement and commitment.

"Find something that you’re either already good at or that you have a commitment to practicing that can help you build up the skills necessary to start finding flow." – Richard Huskey (16:18)

• Universality:
  Flow can be found anywhere: business, art, sports, music. The original research was inspired by interviews with composers who felt as if the music “was just flowing out of their hand.” (16:52–17:27)

5. Flow and Happiness

• Flow Is The Point:
  The story circles back to OLOG, illustrating that the search for—and experience of—flow is what keeps people coming back. Their pond dives provide joy, purpose, and relief from the everyday.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:08 | Susan Bauer | "When I first started swimming in ponds, I was so afraid of snapping turtles...that I loved seeing the beer can, the cluster of golf balls...because I knew exactly where I was." | | 05:14 | Susan Bauer | "One of them said, 'We're a bunch of old ladies against underwater garbage.' And it stuck...It has actually really set the tone. It's been a very good name because it surprises people." | | 09:19 | Susan Bauer | "A lot of baby doll heads. Something about little girls. They lose their baby doll heads." | | 10:28 | Susan Bauer | "I'm a retired psychologist, and what has fascinated me... why does diving for trash in a pond make people so happy?" | | 12:47 | Susan Bauer | "You are immersed in something so completely that you have no thought...As William James said, you break free from the cage of self...get rid of yourself for a short period of time..." | | 15:02 | Richard Huskey | "I am an expert dishwasher, but it’s a really low challenging task, right? That’s not a flow-eliciting experience..." | | 16:18 | Richard Huskey | "Practice matters, find something that you're either already good at or that you have a commitment to practicing at that can help you build up the skills necessary to start finding flow." | | 16:52 | Richard Huskey | "The cool thing about flow is there's no one thing that you have to do to achieve it..." |

Important Timestamps

• 01:31 — Introduction to Susan Bauer and OLOG at the pond
• 04:08 — Susan describes how she started collecting trash
• 05:14 — Origin of the OLOG name
• 06:19 — OLOG’s growth and dive organization
• 07:40 — Importance of safety (health incident)
• 08:57 — Describing found trash and team camaraderie
• 10:28 — Susan frames the episode’s central question on happiness
• 12:47 — Susan explains “flow” referencing William James
• 13:26 — Maggie introduces psychological research on flow
• 14:49 — Richard Huskey discusses requirements for flow
• 16:18 — Practical advice on cultivating flow

Tone & Language

The episode is cheerful, lively, and gently humorous, reflecting the optimistic focus of the host and the personalities of the women involved. There is scientific rigor but delivered in warm, relatable, and anecdotal terms.

Summary Takeaways

• The concept of “flow” is vividly illustrated through the environmental work—and joy—of OLOG.
• Flow, found in any skillful, focused activity, offers deep happiness and psychological benefits.
• Anyone can cultivate flow by finding activities that are meaningful, challenging, and absorbing—and by practicing to increase skill and engagement.
• The search for flow, whether underwater or otherwise, is universal and accessible.

Recommended for:
Listeners interested in positive psychology, community stories, aging with purpose, or anyone seeking new ways to find meaning and happiness in everyday activities.