All my life, I have been told to “think of my happy place.” Before taking a test, before having a nerve-wracking conversation, before getting on stage at dance competitions, before doing something new; my happy place was supposed to be an escape.
The only problem: I had no idea what or where my happy place was!
For some reason, I always thought that it was supposed to be on a beach or maybe on an island. Maybe it’s because of all those cheesy greeting cards and home decor. Example A:
But that just didn’t click for me.
One morning before work, I walked to the end of my dock with a lukewarm cup of coffee (just the way I like it) and sat there for awhile, looking at the glasslike water. It was before the madness, before the busy; it was before the storm of speed boats, water-skiers and sailboats. The only sound I could hear was the water hitting the dock. As I felt the temperature rise and the city begin to come alive, I realized I must have been out there awhile. But time doesn’t run on the end of the dock. It was almost as if my life had hit pause.
Huh. I had found it!
What’s a signature “Happy Place”?
I discovered it’s where you feel love, peace, and release. The outside world cannot penetrate that place. It makes you recognize how beautiful life is and how wonderful God is.
Enjoying the early morning at the end of the dock is something I’ve done ever since I was a little girl. Before coffee, it was blueberries out of the carton, cuddled and curled up in a blanket.
Some days, the whole family was out there. Some days, it was just my mom and I. Now (when I have the opportunity at all), it’s just me. But I don’t mind being alone. I appreciate that bit of time I get to myself.
Some days, this time on the dock with my feet in the water is short and sometimes, it’s really long. My life is put on pause, so who really knows how long I’m there?
If you’re searching for this “happy place” everyone has been telling you to go to, here’s a couple things to consider:
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I’m not always happy here; sometimes, I’m going through something or I know I have a troubling day ahead. But it’s a place that brings me peace and is practical for me to be. If someone is telling you to go to your happy place, chances are, it’s because you are not in fact, happy.
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It’s a place that will always be there, in your mind at least. Even if it’s physically blown to pieces, it’s a real place. It’s a place you’ve been to, and you can see yourself in.
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You can think about the future there, you can think about the present there, and you can dream about the future there.
Ask yourself:
Is my happy place alone or with others?
What am I doing there?
What about it makes it mine?
Can I actually picture myself there, or is it a fantasy?
What aspects of this place bring me peace?
So maybe your happy place IS on a beach or an island somewhere in the unknown. All I’m saying is that it might not be, and that’s okay. It’s personal to you. You don’t have to force a certain picture-perfect scene to be your happy place. If you have never been there, how do you know it’s your site of ultimate happiness? What it should really be called is your place of peace.