The Elusive Sweet Spot

Lately I have been in a funk. I feel like there is very little in my life that gives me energy or passion, makes me feel alive.

I read an article a bit ago that was talking about challenge and skill level. It said that when you get a challenge that gets you right to the edge of your ability, that is the sweet spot. That place where the challenge takes up all of your concentration and skill, but is still in the realm of your ability to do it. I've also heard people say that it is at the edges of your ability that growth happens.

When I first had that diagnosis of depression, I was terrified. I really felt like the challenge was way beyond my ability to handle it. In the beginning it really was. Everything was so overwhelming and so I was exhausted. Of late, it feels like my ability has surpassed the challenge.

From the perspective of recovery, of learning to live with depression, this is really good place to be. It does leave me with capacity for challenge. Between the years when the depression was so bad and then the years of learning to live with it, it has been a long time since I have been in a place to look for challenge.

The truth be told I don't know anymore what it is I need to do to find that passion or aliveness. And so the funk.