Calming Down The Mind

Creating Your Happy Place

I love these beginning Spring days filled with sunshine after the blanketing cold we’ve been experiencing for so long.

Fresh chill breezes, new beginnings, bright sunshine, meals outside, dreams of getting back on my bike for long rides along the beach.

All of these thoughts make my spirit sing. I call these thoughts my Happy Places.

My Happy Place is a space in my mind where I visualize what inspires me to happiness.

They are all the thoughts that make me smile and feel excited.

It’s my super quick and effective practice to keep my spirits light at this time of year. I can calm worries and crazy thoughts or simply give myself a quick time out when life gets a bit too much.

It’s a simple practice you can return to any time to revitalize your energy and regroup in moments of stress.It’s easy to feel enthusiastic and happy when the sun is shining, but as winter is still softening and the chill weather still lingers, those feelings can be fleeting and difficult to hang onto.

Like many of my clients, you may be finding that, exasperation and impatience still lurk as your dominant emotions.

I used to think happiness was just a feeling I had no particular control over, but I have discovered over the years that’s not the truth.

Happiness is something we can choose. We can create a happiness practice so that in times of stress we have instant access to feeling more cheerful and enthusiastic.

Where’s Your Happy Place?

Creating  a practice of imagining your own Happy Places will sustain you during your day to day challenges or help you feel like you’re ready to take on another day.

You can use any prop or memento.

Grey skies got you down?

Close your eyes and as vividly as possible, imagine yourself in your favorite place in nature with the sun streaming down on your upturned face.

Inhale, wait a few seconds, then exhale. Repeat until your body feels at peace.

Picture a brilliant sun against a clear and cloudless blue sky. Really feel the heat on your skin, warm breezes caressing your cheeks. What sounds do you hear around you?

Relax into the warmth of sunshine on your skin, let go of any tension in your cheeks and forehead, take a few more deep breaths and smile.

Capture that feeling, and take a snapshot in your mind to call upon later. Now open your eyes and notice how much brighter everything looks.

Believe in your happy place.

Find yours in a stroll in the park.
Is it being with friends that love you, just the way you are
Reading in your favourite chair, alone.
Quiet time in solitude
Exercising or simply moving your body
Travelling to fabulous places.
If it helps, use photographs of your loved ones.
Find pictures in a magazine or online.
Any image will do that makes you smile, feel good, grateful or happy to be alive.

If your happy place is on a beach, close your eyes and imagine the feel of warm sand crunching between your toes.

Where do you feel comfortable?

What makes you happy?

What do you enjoy doing with your time?

Do you feel like you just can’t let go, you’ve too much on your plate and no time to stop? Well, I promise you the world, your world, won’t come crashing down if you stop for a few minutes. Simply take the time it would take you to go to the bathroom – heck … go to the bathroom and do this so you’ll have the privacy and you won’t have to worry about what others might think.

We all need to spend more time in our happy places.

How can you remind yourself to spend more time in your Happy Place more often?

Set reminders in your phone calendar to go to your virtual happy place throughout your day.

Put sticky notes where you’ll see them often

You’ll be amazed at how this simple exercise can transform your days and your life.

You’ll feel more energised, less overwhelmed.

Life will seem brighter.

Problems will melt away.

Your relationships will benefit from your increased positivity.

How do you get to your happy place? How does doing this impact your life? I’d love to learn your perspectives.

Work with me

Are you looking for the next steps and some support and guidance to help you improve your life and accomplish more of what you truly desire! You may not know exactly what you want, you may simply have a lump in your throat or  your heart pounds in your chest, and you wonder: “What’s wrong with me? Why am I this way? Why can’t I figure this out? How much more do I have to do?” But, you do know you’re ready for something more! Here’s your chance to stop settling, to discover and create what it is you really want in your life. Let’s just talk and see how we can work together, so you can discover and claim what your heart longs for.