Stress Management- Finding Your “Happy Place” as a Form of Stress Management

There are many methods of reducing stress, from meditation to exercise. What works for one may not work for another, but the fact remains that reducing stress is necessary for a happy, healthy life. Meditation is one of the most common forms of stress management. It involves engaging in brief moments of total concentration and focus on something or somewhere other than the present time and place. Structured meditation guidance is available, but many do not have time for these types of programs. Learn how to engage without guidance to take advantage of the benefits of meditation whenever you can.

The idea behind a “happy place” is to clear your mind and allow it to focus on something other than the stress, if only for as short time. Without guidance, it can be difficult to clear your mind and get to the point of being able to focus. The best away around this is to have a relaxing scene prepared and ready to use again and again in your stress management endeavors.

Having a detailed mental image ready to use is crucial to relaxation. If you have to spend time creating a new scene each time, you will waste valuable relaxation time, and may begin to stress over the scene itself. This defeats the whole purpose of stress management, proving that having a scene ready to go is really the only way to go. Follow these steps to create a scene and have it ready to use whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Decide whether you want to use a real place or a fictional scene. Real scenes are fine and may seem easy and natural, but beware that there may be negative feelings you are not aware of. If the place still exists, negative feelings could also become associated with this place in the future, which would ruin its effectiveness as a stress management tool. The easiest way around this is to create a fictional scene. You have complete creative freedom in creating your relaxing scene. If you love the outdoors, or the mountains, go there. If you find your greatest peace by a roaring fire, imagine a room with a fireplace, cozy couch, and plenty of books or movies to choose from. Whatever works for you is the best place to be. Have fun with it.

You must create a strong connection between this place and relaxation in order for this to be an effective method of stress management. The key to this is in the details. Fill the scene out with even the minutest details, and it will serve you well for years to come. When you get ready to go there, take a deep breath, picture your special place, and immerse yourself in it. Allow yourself to enjoy it free from the stress of the outside world, if only for a few minutes. When you emerge, you will be better able to go on with your day, whatever it may hold.