Holiday Stress-Busting: Find a Happy Place {Wellness}

Thanks to everyone who voted on The Chic Life’s Facebook wall for what I should blog next. I guess the cheesecake and doughnut recipes will have to wait because you wanted to hear about de-stressing first.

Since deciding recently to pay more attention to my general wellness, I’ve explored many different types of stress-busting and activities. I considered sharing them all in one blog post, but I think it will be better to do them one by one so people have time to share their thoughts on each one and digest the information. The title of this post implies that this de-stressing idea is only applicable for the holidays, but I think it should go year-round. Though, we could potentially use a little extra help around the holiday season. Am I right?

First up for de-stressing ideas, I want to talk about finding a happy place. I spoke to my Zumba class about this (except a much shorter version) last night, so it seemed like good timing to go with this one first. Oh, and this is my completely unscientific and not-so-researched advice, so if you’re looking for something more professional, try google. I’m just sharing my opinions as your blog friend. 😉

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Do you have a happy place?

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{Freeport, Bahamas – where I got married – a far away happy place}

I think there are many types of happy places, so this can be a difficult question to answer. I mean, there are physical happy places – places where you go that have positive energy or happy memories. There are happy places that you’ve longed to visit and dream about from photos. And there are many other types.

I’m talking about an easily accessible happy place where you can feel free from your daily stresses and challenges. Do you have such a place? If you don’t, maybe it’s time to find one.

I first really learned about the concept of a “happy place” from a woman, let’s call her Pattie, I met at a yarn shop I used to frequent. I took some knitting and crochet classes from Pattie and often hung out at the shop to relax and work on projects. Thankfully, she was there to help me if I ever got stuck on a pattern, to help fix my project when I dropped a loop or did something wrong, to lend me some confidence, and share a smile. The yarn shop was her happy place where she could focus on the positivity that the projects, people, and place gave her. One day, I found out that Pattie’s husband passed away. I was very sad for her and wanted to pass on my condolences, but the girls at the shop explained that I may want to do so carefully because Pattie wanted to maintain the yarn shop as her happy place. It became not only a place she naturally went to for general positivity, but also a place where, even just for a short time, she could try to forget her grieving. At the shop, Pattie could focus on the things that made her happy: not just yarn, but her beautiful creations, an inspirational atmosphere, and even just the act of helping her students, which she loves to do. It was and is a place where she could focus on all the positive energy and positive things around her.

It took me awhile to find my own happy place, but I did. And the best part for my happy place is that it isn’t a “place.”

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My happy place is my Zumba class. Not the room, not the building, not the place. It’s the class – the music, the moment, the energy in the room, and the smiles of the people in class.

No matter how stressed I am, no matter what’s going on in my life, my Zumba class is there to let me escape. I can leave my office with a headache, or even in tears, but my 60 minutes of Zumba can make me forget about it, even if just for a short time. I find it easiest to live in the moment when I’m in class because I just focus on the song (whichever one is playing at the moment), on the moves, on letting the music move me. I know this will sound kind of crazy, but if you can really learn to let go, you can feel the music and energy radiating through your body. Have you ever let music move you? Like in that moment, you’re living the song? It’s very freeing.

I leave all my worries behind when I get to class. And when I’m dancing, my mind is clear of any previous frustrations or distractions. I don’t think about how I really need to organize my house, how I have an important meeting the next day with the executives on my project, or how we have to spend a small fortune to get some plumbing fixed on our house. Nope. You know what I think about? Not much, actually. I don’t think. I let go. I sing, cheer, and dance my a-double-s off. I have a blast. I have fun. And it makes me happy.

Here are some things to think about to help you find a happy place:

  • Where is somewhere that you will not be distracted by your to-do list, daily stresses, or other worries?
  • What do you enjoy doing so much that you can really live in the moment?
  • What makes you smile?
  • Do you already do something that brings you joy and helps you “recharge your batteries”?

In this sometimes hectic holiday season, I think it’s important to find a happy place where you can retreat when you’re getting frazzled and stressed. It’s easy to let the fast pace around you pull you away from the activities and places you enjoy, but I believe that it’s important to make time for yourself, even if it’s just a little here and there. When times get challenging, make some time, go to your happy place, and do something you love. You’ll have new energy to tackle the rest of the holiday season, and I’m willing to bet you’ll feel better, too!

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Reader question: Did you figure out your happy place? What or where is it?

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