Describe your “happy” place…
Let’s start with the meaning of a happy place; it is a memory, situation, or activity that makes you feel happy.
It can be anything, so to speak.
It can be a memory of when you first met your best friend, it could be a memory of past activity or an event you did with your partner, or it could be a place in your mind you like to visit to de-stress, like being at the ocean.
“Finding our happy place can give us pleasure, the freedom to lose ourselves in the moment, time to build relationships with our loved ones, opportunities to find meaning, and a platform for achieving greatness. The beauty of happiness is that it is subjective as well as a state of mind.”
Smells such as pine, lavender and specific perfumes can bring out the endorphins of a place that makes you happy.
Burnt toast brings out a happy place for myself, it brings the memory of my grandmother’s kitchen on a Saturday morning.
I can still see her cooking eggs and smiling.
That is a great memory for me in a time of need.
She is my world and when times are tough I bring myself back to the kitchen.
Here’s how to do it
“Start with listing out dreams and goals, and go big,” suggests Dr. Kulaga.
“Want that bungalow, overlooking crystal clear water with palm trees that have coconuts you drink from? Great! Dream it up. Or, is your dream to walk across a university stage, while hundreds of people are screaming your name and jumping up and down for you as you grab your hard-earned diploma from the Dean of a school? Great! Dream it up.”
Your happy place is subjective.
It is a place that makes your mind smile, calm down, and feel positive. It is a place that is safe, secure, and problem free.
It’s not a waste of time. In fact, there could be real health benefits.
According to a study published in Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, more individuals undergoing chemotherapy who did guided meditations and similar visualization exercises had more improved outcomes than those who didn’t.
We all have down days and tough times and sometimes get stuck in a funk we just can’t seem to shake.
For many people, this can become an all too familiar existence leading to depression.
Here’s what to do
- Set a goal – decide something specific you would like to have, work toward, realize or create.
- Create a clear idea or mental picture or feeling – This should be in present tense. Think of the situation already existing and immerse yourself in the feeling of it.
- Focus on it frequently – Bring the idea to mind often in quiet meditation or casually throughout your day. Make it part of your reality in a light, relaxed way.
- Give it positive energy – Think about your goal in a positive, encouraging way. See yourself receiving it or achieving it. Feel the feeling of doing that.
Unfortunately, there’s no quick answer to happiness.
Happiness happens in individual moments found in the small practices and decisions you make every day.
Happiness is not a destination, but a journey.
As with any journey, you have to start with a single step and keep taking steps, which include rest stops along the way at your “happy place.”
This post was written by Lauren K., and published by Convenient Counseling Services.
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