“Secondary to being with my family, I am most happy when I am kite surfing – give me a kite and a board and some wind and waves, and you won’t wipe the smile off my face. Why does it make me happy? There’s a feeling of freedom, exhilaration, and oneness with nature that comes from kiting – and an extraordinary rush of adrenaline. On top of that it’s great exercise, recreation, relaxation and stress management, and there’s something so spiritual about the experience.” ~ Richard Branson
The places in which we choose to live, work and play can affect us on so many levels. They can influence our moods, our energy levels, our ability to think clearly and creatively, and even the way we move and interact with others. For instance, when you’re being interviewed for a new job you might feel tense because you’re so keen to impress; when you’re on a roller coaster you might feel exhilarated with the thrill of the ride; when you walk through a busy train station, you might find yourself speeding up to keep pace with the crowds; and when you enter a warm, welcoming and familiar space, chances are you’ll automatically relax.
Paying close attention to the affect that different environments have on the way we think and feel can help us figure out where we feel happiest and then take positive steps towards spending more time in these, or finding ways of creating happy places in our daily lives.
Creating your happy place
When I joined Do What You Love I realised just how important it is to have a space of my own. Working remotely from a laptop gives me the freedom to work anytime, anywhere in the world, but I also wanted a home office, a base with a desk, storage, and all my creature comforts. As I started visualising what my ‘office’ could look like I had a lightbulb moment: this space could be lots of other things too; somewhere I could go to read, paint, be creative and practice yoga.
It’s the first time I’ve ever had a room of my own, a bright airy space, filled with colour, fairy lights, beautiful books, and inspirational things I’ve collected over the years. Everywhere I look I’m reminded of things I love – my family and friends, hobbies, work, travels, adventures, experiences and dreams. It really is my own little piece of paradise.
We all dream of having a place or a space where we can get away from it all, glean fresh inspiration and enjoy some me time.
[Tweet “To find your happy place, ask yourself…”]
- What kind of environments are you most drawn to? (For example, the sea, buzzing cities, countryside, cliffs, hilly landscapes, mountains, lakes, warm climates, etc.)
- What kind of spaces did you gravitate towards as a child: the hidey-hole under the stairs, a window seat in an alcove, a treehouse nestled high in the branches of a tree. What made these spaces so magical?
- What is your favourite room in the house, or what has the potential to be? What would you need to do in order to turn it into a place you love spending time? What design elements make spaces more inspiring?
- If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Is it somewhere you’ve been, or a place you’re aching to explore for the first time?
- Where do you feel most energised and alive?
- Where do you feel most calm and at peace?
- Which environments make you feel powerful?
- Where are you when you lose track of time?
Rachel
Find the happy in every part of your life…
Our acclaimed, transformational Do What You Love e-course is back, and it’s perfect for anyone who wants to spend more time doing what they love, in places they love. The course runs for 5 weeks and it starts on June 15, 2015. To find out more click here.
“I’ve lived more, said yes to more, and opened my eyes more in the last few weeks that I have in the last year” ~ Birgitta Z
“I feel so excited about the future! I have learned so much about myself in the last five weeks. Now I really do trust that anything is possible.” ~ Claire K
