In times of stress, it is suggested to “go to your happy place.” The concept is to mentally transport yourself away from the stressful situation and to a place that makes you feel good. This is a form of meditation. The more you can turn your attention inward the less impacted you will be from what is going on outward. With discipline and practice people have claimed to transcend their physical space and reach their place of meditation in a way it feels just as real as the physical world around them.
There are many challenges we face in life. Having a tool like meditation can help us get through those challenges. Here are some tips about getting out there and meeting the world that is waiting to become your happy place.
Find your happy place. Get off the couch. Get out of bed. Leave your front door. Even if it is on your own two feet, get out and explore this world. Going out into your community with the idea of finding a happy place allows you to see your everyday world in a new way. You may find an appreciation for a tree because you find joy in a bird building a nest for her babies. It is possible you sit on a bench at a nearby park to watch children playing in a carefree way that makes you feel lighter. Find joy in your neighborhood, your home, your city, and in as many moments in life as you can.
Soak in every aspect of the moment. When you find yourself in a moment of joy, celebration, comfort, awe, or wonder take it ALL in. To return to this place you will need to make an impression in your memory. Close your eyes and take a deep breath to clear your mind. Then. open your eyes and do the following:
Find something you can touch
Find something you can see
Find something you can taste
Find something you can smell
Find something you can hear
Engage each of your senses. Use as many descriptive words as possible through each of these steps. Move through them slowly. Drink them deep into your mind so when you close your eyes, take another deep breath, and try to recreate the experience in your mind. Can you re-experience those details?
Find more than one happy place. During meditation you may find your mind takes you to the place you need. Your mind may direct you to a place of comfort, calm, strength, etc. The more time you spend looking for those happy places the stronger your mind will become. Your mind will be able to pull from various experiences to provide you with the type of feeling you need to address the current challenge.
Allow yourself to have a happy place you want to discover. We are all familiar with the concept of a bucket list. This may be a physical place you want to travel. This may be a milestone in your life you are working to achieve. While it is good to plan for one of these happy places, do not forget to keep your eyes and heart open along the journey. Often, you will find there is more joy in the journey than in the destination.
Explore all this life has to offer. For every valley, there is a peak soon to follow. When you find yourself in the valley, schedule time to meditate. Allow your mind to take you to the happy place you need. When you are at the top peak, enjoy the view and take in every aspect. There is a whole world ready to meet you and become your happy place. Where will you start your journey?