020 8132 5148

My Happy Place

blog Feb 23, 2023

 

By Francesca Kastelanides


I have always been fascinated by the idea of having a "happy place" that is uniquely your own, a location where you can go to get away from the pressures and restrictions of regular life and feel totally at ease. 

This could be a forest, a beach or even buzzing square in your favourite area. See it as the location where you go to be completely present with yourself so that you can enjoy the experience to the fullest. 

My ideal getaway would be at the sea. I make a point to go as frequently as possible. I feel like I can find me, find my grounding and centre when I'm surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature, which is something that's really important to me. 

Developing an emotional connection with nature can help alleviate mental health issues such as anxiety, anger, and depression. This is in addition to the numerous physical benefits that come from spending time in nature, such as increased physical activity and higher vitamin D exposure. 

Christopher Peterson, a late professor of psychology, wrote a book in which he explained that if we are acutely aware of the moments in our lives that give us pleasure, we can extend these experiences in order to maximise the amount of pleasure that we get from them. Peterson's book is titled "Awareness: The Path to Pleasure." He defines happy places as those that are easily accessible and neutral, and that invariably contribute to the meaning of our lives. Ray Oldenburg refers to these places as "third places." 

Not all places that make you happy are found outside, or even in settings that you could consider to be peaceful. A guy who has been confined to a wheelchair his whole life after being diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy when he was a toddler was the subject of a profile written by Shelley Levitt for Live Happy. His ideal environment is an airport since he believes that simply being there implies that he is one step closer to embarking on an adventure to a brand-new location. 

Another illustration of this might be a professional musician who, in need of peace and quiet, seeks refuge in the New York City subway system by playing lovely music for commuters. In spite of the fact that she has performed in illustrious locations like as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, she enjoys playing in underground venues because of the constant crowd and wonderful acoustics she finds there. 

Discovering our happy place can provide us with joy, with the freedom to just be with ourselves in the present, with time to create relationships with those we care about, and opportunities to discover and achieve.

The fact that happiness is both an internal experience and a matter of perspective is one of its most attractive aspects. Finding your happy place will be much simpler if you adopt the appropriate point of view. When you next find yourself in your favourite location, make sure to slow down and enjoy the experience to the fullest. Perhaps you might jot down the scenario that is unfolding around you so that you can look back on it later and be reminded of what you enjoyed doing so much. 

The following is a list of suggestions to help you find your happy place: 
- Keep an open mind
- Revisit places you've been to in the past that bring back happy memories
- Bring to mind everything that stimulated your senses (scenery, smells, sounds etc)
- Close your eyes and recall those feelings of happiness and calm
- Breathe in those feelings and hold them close.
- Even if you can’t physically visit your happy place you can always revisit in your mind.

 

 

 

 

 

Sign Up For Our Monthly Newsletter

Receive monthly emails with news, blogs and articles about teacher training courses, yoga, mindfulness, education and so much more.

We hate SPAM. You'll only get quality content.

We're supporting Starlight Children's Foundation Charity. Find out how.