Finding your happy place involves identifying activities, places, and experiences that bring you joy and contentment. It's a journey of self-discovery, where you learn what truly brings you peace and well-being.
In a world of constant change and streaming technology, I find solace in the forest where a tree remains a tree.
A sit spot or happy place can be really great for kids. To practice mindfulness is to purposefully pay attention to your breathing, feelings, senses, or actions in the present moment. When a child is mindful, they increase their ability to regulate emotions, manage stress, and self-motivate. Some of them love it immediately and it becomes a resource for them, like a friend they frequently visit. For others, though, the notion of sitting quietly, still, and alone is not exactly appealing. If you are interested in your child having this experience, some possibilities include:
Setting up a spot for campfires, where you can roast food and hang out. This can become a vantage point for witnessing the natural world. Forts can also work well.
Playing a game in which, you take turns hiding along a trail, and seeing if the other person can find you. The longer you wait to find your child, the more “Sit Spot” time they have. As a bonus, they also get to develop empathy for animals that need to hide, awareness of camouflage and landscape, and the ability to be more still.
Finding some sort of lookout spot to pause at, in a place you visit regularly, to eat a packed meal, watch a sunset, or share a thermos of tea or cocoa.
Sprinkling birdseed on their bodies and seeing if a bird will come.
There are many other possibilities — these are just a few. I once had a surprisingly successful joint Sit Spot with a 5-year-old, being on “mermaid watch” by the ocean. It so happened that a seal came by, but at a distance where it was tricky to tell exactly what it was…maybe it was a mermaid.
Finding your happy place involves identifying activities, places, and experiences that bring you joy and contentment. It's a journey of self-discovery, where you learn what truly brings you peace and well-being.
Here's how to find your happy place:
1. Reflect and Experiment:
Reflect on your past experiences:Think about situations and activities that have made you feel happy in the past.
Explore new activities:Try different hobbies, interests, and places to see what resonates with you.
Connect with nature:Spending time in nature can be incredibly calming and rejuvenating.
Engage in creative activities:Art, music, writing, or other forms of expression can be a great way to find joy.
Practice mindfulness and meditation:These practices can help you stay present and appreciate the small moments in life.
2. Create a Positive Environment:
Surround yourself with beauty: Create a space that is aesthetically pleasing and evokes positive emotions.
Practice gratitude: Taking time to appreciate the good things in your life can boost your happiness.
Spend time with loved ones: Social connection and support are essential for well-being.
Set attainable goals: Achieving goals can lead to a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
3. Embrace the Journey:
Be open to change: Your happy place may evolve over time as your needs and interests change.
Don't be afraid to revisit past joys: Re-engaging in activities you enjoyed in the past can be a great way to find your happy place again.
Be kind to yourself: Finding your happy place is a process, not a destination.
4. Specific Activities to Consider:
Meditation and Mindfulness: These practices can help you find peace and focus.
Spending Time in Nature: Nature has a calming effect on the mind and body.
Reading: Get lost in a good book to escape reality and find joy in the story.
Engaging in Creative Pursuits: Art, music, writing, or other creative endeavors can be a great way to express yourself and find joy.
Physical Activity: Exercise can release endorphins and boost your mood.
Connecting with Loved Ones: Spending quality time with family and friends can be a source of happiness and support.
5. Visualizing Your Happy Place:
Imagine a place where you feel safe and comfortable: This could be a physical location or an internal state of mind.
Envision the sounds, smells, and sights of your happy place: This can help you create a vivid mental image that you can return to when you need it.
Use guided imagery or meditation to access your happy place: This can be a powerful way to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Try theseSit Spot Mindfulness Activitiesto develop skills for some moments of peaceful mindfulness. You can vary the ways your students practice being mindful each day. Some of the many fit resources available for daily mindfulness practice include:
Hope just moved from Florida to Wyoming last fall. Her favorite place or spot has been on the beach for over 20 years. I was a little concerned about her finding a spot to just veg and cut loose.
I have read materials with all the medical and meta-physical reasons to find a sit spot and I can tell you that a spot that you just exhale and all your troubles become less troubling.
However, Hope is always unique in how she does things. She makes an exhale relaxing some of her tension. Her second step is to exhaust the rest of her stress. She would spin, jump, swim, horseplay and just let go. She needs to cut loose, unwind, and rejuvenate - no rules or expectations- until she gets her joy back. Then she gets silly.
I told you this because everyone rejuvenates themselves differently. Being able to meditate doesn’t make you better than other people. If it rejuvenates YOU fine. But it is not THE ONLY WAY to unwind and rejuvenate. So, when you read stuff like that comes across as condescending, realize and remember that you’re not the only one that doesn’t get it.
Hope had a doctor from Manahawkin NJ that showed her how to connect with the rhythm of the ocean by laying on the ground just above where the waves stopped. She could see the waves, hear the waves and then feel their rhythm in the sand. She could gather strength from them and feel connected to the earth’s rhythm on the beach. So be unique and proud that you know any routine that works for you and your children.
Kids that are truly hyper-active (in that, their mind races constantly and uncontrollably) may need to lay next to a loudspeaker or ride in the car to get them to relax and just veg. A lot of the time they might need a rhythmic noise and/or vibration to unwind. It is very mean spirited to expect someone to rejuvenate with the calmness it takes to meditate.
Help them find a path or a spot that rejuvenates them.
My sister used to say that if Hope (as a toddler) was in a playful mood she would be spinning, humming, or skipping. Once she learned to swim, it was obviously something to add to her list. Rhythm and motion are what soothes her.
Know what soothes you in your happy place- be you and your heart will be lighter.
Discover Your Sitting-Spot for Rejuvenation
Enjoying nature, even in our own backyards, has proven to be healthy for anyone. One easy, straightforward routine you can do on a daily basis to gather some of these benefits is adopting a sit-spot or a happy place. As I mentioned, a sit-spot routine is a practice that naturalists use to learn more about the world around them. You might have other reasons for adopting the practice but following the advice of these experienced sit-spotters for selecting your location will help you create a routine you can stick to. Universally, naturalists agree there are three basic requirements for a good spot:
1. It should be close to your home No more than a five-minute walk from your front dooris sugested. Yes, it can even be in your backyard.
This close proximity is what will help make visiting your spot a routine. The longer it takes you to get to your spot, the less likely you will be to visit multiple times a week. And if you aren't visiting it regularly, then you can't tap into all those healthful benefits.
Birdwatching helps you to get to know the animals you're sharing space with.
2. It needs to have some animal activity or rhythm to watch
Most any location you choose will have at least a handful of robins or sparrows hanging around, if not more wildlife to watch. Notice the evidence of how they're using the landscape. This helps you tune in to more than just the scenery around you but also to the fact that you're part of a larger ecosystem. It inspires the connection — the awe — that triggers so many other wonderful benefits of nature. I find the sounds of a bee buzzing very alerting, but the basic sounds of nature are great.
3. It needs to be safe.
Ideally, your sit-spot will be secluded so that you can have some solitary time to sit in peace and get comfortable without distraction or influence from other people. But in this solitude, you must feel safe. Pay attention to the area around you and the area leading into and away from your sit-spot. If any red flags go up that make you feel unsafe, select a different location.
There are ideal sit-spot locations that wrap you entirely in nature for hundreds of yards, and there are practical sit-spot locations like a bench in the corner of a city park. It's more important to have a practical location than an ideal one. Maximize what you have around you to make any amount of outdoor time part of your daily or weekly routine.
Some suggestions for what to do at your sit-spot
Journaling is a great way to keep your mind absorbed by nature, rather than wandering back to your to-do list.
Turn off your phone. No really. Turn it off. There are infinite ways it distracts you even if it's tucked away in a bag. The urge to check the time, look up something online, respond to that text you just remembered, take a quick photo, or, groan of groans, livestream your sit-spot experience on social media. However, as much as it pains you, turn off your phone. You'll be happier for it.
Write notes, take a photo, or sketch things that spark your curiosity. It's wonderful to just sit and absorb what's around you, but it's not against any rules to keep your hands busy. This is especially helpful if you're feeling fidgety as you start this routine.
Bring a notebook and jot down observations, such as bird behaviors, the shape of a plant leaf, new buds emerging on the trees, the angle of light at that time of day or the direction of the wind in that moment. Anything that comes to mind about the nature around you is fodder for a notebook entry, and you can use those details to look up more information when you get home.
Notice your senses. Make a point of tuning in to your field of vision and what you see in your periphery. Actively listen to sounds around you. Take a few deep breaths and notice what you smell. Check in with your body and notice the temperatures and textures of where you're sitting. This helps pull your brain even further into the moment and awareness of the wild around you.
Get comfortable in your sit-spot. You can bring a cushion to sit on, a thermos of tea or other things that will help you settle in to sitting. (Photo: Crazy Squirrel/Shutterstock)
Stay for as long as it takes for the desired result. Build your ability to stay just a little bit longer each time. Remember: it’s not a duty, it’s all about pleasure. In the beautiful Disney movie of Pocahontas when she is talking to Grandma Willow, she is welcomed by the forest and becomes one with nature. She is comfortable. Pocahontas talks to the tree as if it is her grandmother. She bears her soul and leaves the forest feeling like she sees what path to take more clearly. It’s all symbolism and is metaphoric of meditation. And it is not much different than putting flowers on a gravestone or visiting a grave and talking to our loved ones that have passed on.
As long as you feel revived by your own routine then stick with it. You're good. It is well known that theforest produces an oxygen rich environment and there are many health benefits. So, it’s a great place to spin off your energy, cut loose or relax and let the oxygen rich air lull you to a more peaceful place emotionally. As long as you feel relieved, you're golden!
Some set a goal for how long to sit. It might only take a few minutes to arrive at and return from your sit-spot, so maybe you can try for at least 15 minutes in the spot itself. Even if you think you're immensely busy that day, and there's no way you have time for a sit-spot, in actuality you probably do have the time. You'll be surprised at how quickly that time goes by and how much you can observe — and how much you can relax — in just 15 minutes of sitting in nature. If you enjoy nature, you can stay longer if you want.
It may take some time to select just the right sit-spot and build the habit of visiting. But once that initial effort is invested, you'll begin to notice how much you crave a few peaceful moments in your sit-spot and how much you learn about nature right there next to you. You'll start to reap the healthy rewards of bringing nature back into your life.
Favorite Spot Ideas for Busy Kids
by Anneke Treep
If you are like me or even Hopey, sitting still can be a real challenge.
In the springtime everything in nature is bursting with energy, changing, and moving about. So much so, that many creatures aren’t even paying much attention to others as they go about their mating rituals, territorial fights, or nesting duties. There are so many opportunities to watch nature in action. And the forest is different everyday even if you go to the same spot. In many places the ground cover and leaves are not big enough to hide all this from view, so I want to find a spot to just watch!
So how do you get yourself to sit still? Maybe you can go for a run, chop wood or burn energy some other way first, so you feel like resting for a bit.
Bring whatever you need to sit comfortably (especially if you’re new to the Sit Spot routine). If you’re not comfortable, consider what you might want to bring or change in order to feel better next time. Remember: the challenge is not intended to be an exercise in suffering or mastering body control in all kinds of weather (although you can make it that if you so wish).
Make your own “nest” fort, or secret hideout there, perhaps with a fireplace, a backrest, or a windscreen. Rekindle your bow-drill skills for a fire at your Sit Spot, use those trimmed branches to make yourself more comfortable. Gather some early edibles to nibble on while you sit. Bring materials for making cordage—with your hands busy you’ll appear less threatening to many creatures around.
Another thing that might help you sit still is to choose a place (and time) where lots of activity is going on. A rippling brook might be just what you need. A pond may be bursting with life, like mating frogs croaking, dragonflies or a pair of birds may be flying back and forth with nesting material. If you can’t get up early every day, make sure that you arrange for at least some days to enjoy the explosion of song in the morning chorus, and see if you can get a friend or family member who has never experienced that before to sit at the same time, so you can later share your experiences.
Start with bigger bouts of movement as you unwind in a twirling dance to the rhythm of the woods, start tuning in to smaller patterns around you, like foraging ants, bumblebee queens making nests, or the different ways in which plants and trees move with the wind. Watch the clouds, feel the wind, and smell blossoms. When you have a pair of birds around, and you cannot tell them apart by sight, try to identify the individuals by their calls? If you find yourself thinking about this and that, slowly drift back to your senses.
Over the course of a couple of days, see how the buds develop, notice where the sun rises and sets, where the moon is at a certain time, and how you feel inside. Look at your own patterns: what kinds of things catch your attention, what senses do you prefer to engage? Do you find yourself focusing on birds rather than trees? Then see what kinds of trees and shrubs the birds like to inhabit. Do they feel more comfortable in thickets or more open crowns? Listen with a blindfold on or taste edible plants you’ve never tried before.
When you’re looking at the moon, can you imagine where your fellow student across the ocean sees it at that very same time? When migrating birds are passing through, where have they come from? Might they have seen any of your friends? And where are they traveling to? If you have a friend there, might they be able to carry your greetings along with them?
3 ways getting outside into nature helps improve your health
Need an excuse to get out of the house? Research continues to show that being outside and experiencing nature can improve our mental health and increase our ability to focus.Many of us are in front of a screen for much of our day — whether that be a computer, TV, or smartphone. As a result, we spend less time outside experiencing the natural world. Here are some reasons why we all can benefit from taking a nature break.
1. Nature can help us improve our thinking, reasoning, and other mental abilities
When we're in urban environments or the office all day, we can experience sensory overload, resulting in tension and mental fatigue. Studies have shown that our minds and bodies relax in a natural setting. This increases feelings of pleasure and can help us concentrate and focus more effectively, according to studies in the National Library of Medicine.
Being outdoors can also have relaxing effects on our minds. Nature can provide a mental break by allowing us to temporarily escape the demands of everyday life. It can also boost your creativity and problem-solving abilities.
For example, if you're having a mental block writing a paper or can't seem to solve a problem at work, step outside for a breath of fresh air. Take an easy walk around your neighborhood or office. You just might find the answers you were looking for.
2. Nature can improve physical wellness
Getting out into nature can lead us to want to walk, bike, hike, or kayak more often. People typically engage in regular physical activity when they're in nature. So, stepping outside can help you keep a healthy weight or even lose weight by increasing activity levels.Studies also show that being in nature has a positive effect on our bodies by reducing cortisol levels, muscle tension, and demands on our cardiovascular systems (lowers heart rate and blood pressure). Being out in nature often may lead to lower rates of heart disease. The great outdoors can also help you increase your vitamin D level, which is important for your bones, blood cells, and immune system.
3. Being outside can improve your mental health
Nature can help decrease your anxiety levels and can help lessen stress and feelings of anger.
Exercise can also help this, but it's even better when you're outside.Regular access to green spaces has been linked to lower risks of depression and improved concentration and attention. Being outside allows us to be social and come together with family, friends, or even people you don't know while on a hiking trail, for example.
Additionally, you may find that you sleep better when you are regularly outside. Daily exposure to natural light helps regulate sleep/wake cycles. By making sure that you get outside in sunlight every day, you can improve your ability to sleep at night.Nature can also have benefits for children. One study in Denmark examined 900,000 residents born between 1985 and 2003.
People who live near parks and green space have less mental distress, are more physically active, and have longer life spans.
Exposure to nature may decrease death from chronic disease.
When people exercise outdoors in nature, they do so for longer periods of time and at greater intensities.
Positive health effects are enhanced when green space includes water.
Simple outdoor exercises if you're short on timeIf you have a busy schedule and don't have much time to get outside, these may help you get a quick nature fix:
5 minutes: Stand outside with the sun on your face or take off your shoes to feel the grass in between your toes. If the weather isn't great, take a few minutes to gaze out a window at the scenery outside.
25 minutes: Go out for a stroll and take some deep breaths. You could even eat your lunch outside or take a phone call or meeting outdoors.
Other fun ideas to experience nature
Plan a picnic with friends or family. Find a park or green space to enjoy a meal and maybe take a frisbee or soccer ball.
Rent a kayak or canoe on a nearby waterway.
Find a hiking trail you've never been to.
Dust off your bicycle and go for an easy ride around the neighborhood.
Take your dog for a walk to a nearby park — they'll enjoy it just as much as you will.
Grab a book and find a shady tree to sit under.
Plant a vegetable or flower garden in your yard or on your patio.
Take up golfing with a friend or family member.
Meet up with a neighbor or friend to walk daily or weekly.
Go bird watching at a nearby state park or wildlife habitat.
More articles on why the great outdoors is good for your health
Trees offer numerous health benefits, both physically and mentally, including improved air quality, reduced stress and anxiety, and even a boost to the immune system. They also play a crucial role in regulating temperature, reducing noise pollution, and promoting overall well-being. Physical Health Benefits:
Improved Air Quality:.Opens in new tabTrees act as natural air filters, removing pollutants like particulate matter and ozone from the air, leading to cleaner and healthier air.
Immune System Boost:.Trees emit chemicals called phytoncides that have been linked to boosting the immune system and potentially reducing the risk of illness.
Lower Blood Pressure: Exposure to nature has been associated with reduced blood pressure, potentially due to the stress-reducing effects of trees.
Improved Mood: Spending time in nature, including with trees, can improve mood and overall well-being.
Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Spending time around trees can help reduce stress and anxiety levels.
Improved Mood: Exposure to nature has been shown to improve mood and overall well-being.
Enhanced Focus: Spending time in nature, including with trees, can improve focus, especially in children with ADHD.
Reduced Symptoms of Depression: Exposure to nature has been linked to alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Improved Sleep: Spending time in nature can improve sleep quality.
Health Benefits of a sitting spot near the ocean
Ten benefits of being by the sea
We've waded through the extensive research out there to share ten science-backed ways being by the sea benefits body and mind...
(6 minute read)
Research is increasingly highlighting the ocean as a therapeutic environment, capturing the human imagination and interrupting the momentum of daily life with its dynamic rhythms, sounds, scents and scenes.— Dr Sarah Bell, European Centre for Environment and Human Health
With the health benefits of coastal environments highlighted in Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty’s annual report no less, the evidence that being by the sea is good for body and mind is mounting almost month by month.
From better sleep to boosted social bonds, discover ten science-backed benefits proximity to the ocean brings.
1. Listening to the sounds of the sea relaxes the brain
For Michael Wenger, dean of Buddhist studies at the San Francisco Zen Centre, moving water equals meditative noise. “Each individual may hear a different song in the water,” he told Psychology Today.
Just listening to the sound – not tying it to anything, just letting the sound wash over you – is a way of letting go of your ideas and directly experiencing things as they are.
Research supports this, with the sounds of the ocean having a measurable effect on mental wellbeing and helping to reduce stress. A 2013 study found that the sound of waves relaxed subjects more than soothing music, with the lowest concentrations of cortisol found in those listening to rippling water. In a later study, seaside sounds activated the parasympathetic nervous system, slowing heart rate, lowering blood pressure and relaxing the body.
2. You’re more likely to exercise if you’re by the coast
A 2019 study revealed that spending time on the coast is associated with increased physical activity. While surfing, sailing, paddleboarding and swimming all feature in the shoreside gym, walking, in particular, was found to be more common in coastal than inland areas, with people more likely to lace up their hiking boots if they’re by the sea.
3. Sea swimming could delay dementia
A recent study by the University of Cambridge suggests that swimming in cold water (like the cool Atlantic) could help protect the brain from neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.
The study found that people who regularly swim in cold water have higher levels of a so-called ‘cold-shock’ protein in their blood. The protein, which helps form synapses, has been shown to slow the onset of dementia and even repair some of the damage it causes in mice.
4. Wave-watching can reduce stress levels
Referred to as ‘fingerprints of nature’, fractals are intricate patterns that repeat themselves infinitely across different scales, creating shapes of rich visual complexity. Common fractals found in nature include snowflakes, clouds – and ocean waves.
The water catches your attention – there are movement changes, light changes. But it’s gentle and non-threatening. And we’ve got some evidence to suggest that people – particularly with anxiety and depression – are able to have less maladaptive rumination and thoughts while walking on the beach, and think more about external things – the natural environment, rather than their own issues.
5. Breathing sea air helps you sleep
When 73% of respondents in a YouGov survey said sea air “makes them sleep better,” they probably didn’t realise their experience is based on scientific fact.
Dr Natasha Bijlani, a psychiatrist from London’s Priory’s Roehampton Hospital, told Metro: “Sea air is good for sleep because it’s generally cleaner and fresher, with higher levels of oxygen, which can improve sleep.”
6. Being by (and in) the ocean increases your happy hormones
In an extensive study on happiness in natural environments, 20,000 smartphone users recorded marine and coastal margins as the ‘happiest’ locations – by a long way.
Whether it’s a barbecue on the beach with friends or a family rock-pooling session, coastal spaces provide unique and plentiful opportunities for social interaction.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Dr Matthew White said, “We all know how important strong social bonds are for mental health, and blue spaces are a great social leveller.”
Whereas data suggests that national parks, forests and woodlands tend to be used by the richest third of the country, “Blue spaces are used by all sectors of society,” says Dr White.
Given the rates of poor mental health are highest in poorer communities, then this makes blue spaces even more important for reducing inequalities in mental health
8. Saltwater is nature’s skincare
Revitalising and refreshing, seawater is rich in nourishing minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc and selenium – many of which have powerful anti-inflammatory, skin-healing effects. A review of its benefits found that sea bathing improves the symptoms of eczema and psoriasis, reduces allergic skin responses and soothes sensitive, dry skin.
9. Coastal settings can reduce the need for antidepressants
In a recent survey, 66% of UK adults agreed that being by the sea “melts their troubles away”.
10. The colour blue brings calm and sparks creativity
The colour of deep seas, wide skies and turquoise coves, blue is eternally associated with marine environments. But could this evocative coastal tone affect wellbeing?
