Have you ever heard someone say “Go to your happy place”? Often I hear it said in jest, but I think it is one of the soundest pieces of advice ever to be given.

Think about it…..go to your happy place…..it literally means to direct your immediate focus and thoughts to whatever you value as uplifting and positive, causing a feeling of relaxation to come over the mind and body.

It might be;-

• Lying on the beach of an exotic island paradise
• Sipping cocktails with friends in an exclusive high class bar
• Driving a red Ferrari down the French Riviera coastline
• Indulging with a Swedish massage in a rainforest
• Picking flowers after a wine tour in the South of France or
• Swimming with playful, wild dolphins in the Caribbean

Basically whatever makes you slow down and say to yourself ‘Ahhhhhhhh'.

Stressful

I work in a sales environment and I tell you what, it can get pretty stressful with all those deadlines, end of month sales targets, reports for management, customer service issues etc. etc.

Everyone has their own experience of stress; whether that is because of family relationships, work and social commitments or high personal expectations. It can seem like we are in a never ending cycle of give, give, give, do, do, do.

Take a moment

The only way I know how to get a reprieve from these daily situations is to take responsibility for my own state of mind. I do this by using my imagination to transport me away for a few brief moments to the many scenarios I have created at my disposal.

I am by no means a day dreamer, quite the opposite. I find that by practicing this technique of being absorbed in my own unique paradise of the mind, I can get into a more relaxed and effective state of mind to accomplish all of my duties.

I am starting to really understand the benefits of going to my happy place anytime morning, noon and night;

1. Calm, centered approach to life
2. Effective thought processing and decision making abilities
3. Happy disposition – I don’t sweat the small stuff as much now
4. Strengthened imagination which leads to fantastic idea generation

The beauty is we always have the choice to become aware of our own version of paradise. Anytime we decide to, it can be accessed by closing the eyes, being still, breathing slowly and deeply and gently bring awareness to the mental movie that we create.

As with anything, practice makes perfect. So anytime the idea pops into your head, take a brief moment, go with it and see, feel, hear, taste and touch everything about the scene of your happy place.

Your stories, comments and feedback always welcome.