I don’t know if you ever saw 'I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here', when Jordan North was asked to get into a coffin of snakes? I remember him shouting out, “My Happy Place, My Happy Place. “ which funnily enough was Bolton Football Club! He told presenters later that his brother had said to him that whenever he was scared or anxious, he could think of his happy place, and it would help calm him down.
This picture is one of my happy places. When I close my eyes, I can think of this place. I can move around this place and hear the sounds and breathe in the atmosphere. I can visualise the sun sparkling on the water and see it bounce in jumping diamonds in front of me. It makes me happier and instantly calmer.
Each of us has a special place. It might be linked to memory – a place where we feel loved and happy. It might be linked to nature – a beautiful and peaceful place like mine is.
Whatever your happy place is, take time to close your eyes and think about it. Relax and think about the different things you can see. What do you feel being there and what can you hear? Use your senses – sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste – and see if you can use them in that place. You may like to sit in a comfortable place to do this and have some gentle music on. You may prefer calm and quiet. Have a go and see how it feels.
You may like to mentally invite somebody in to share the place with you. Bring an image of them into the place and imagine talking to them. Sometimes, I visualise a wide prairie like plain and as I am a person of faith, I invite God in to be with me and I spend time with Him in that place.
It is a type of mindfulness, that can help us to feel more balanced and in control. It can help us centre our thoughts, and calm the many voices around us trying to clamour for our attention.
Being able to visualise your happy place regularly, can make you more at peace and a little happier as we cannot often get to the place we think of as our happy place as a rule. as we get used to imagining it, it can make it easier for you to visualise when you are not so comfortable, and your stress levels are higher – like Jordan North did, in the very first paragraph.
Enjoy your own happy place.
