Originally posted March 10, 2020
No one's ever seen this photo before. When my ex and I got our maternity photos back, I almost didn't keep any of myself. I felt huge & all I could remember from that day was how my feet hurt and I thought I had drawn my eyebrows on too dark.
Looking at it now, I see a beautiful woman and a healthy growing baby boy. I see all that a family needs. I see love. I've been a bit quiet on the blog front lately because I've been dealing with some health issues. I've got a lemon sized cyst on my right ovary and it acts up sometimes. It's been around enough now that I've got a phone consult for surgery. Something is going on. All I can say is my heating pad is my BFF. But I'll write about that more later.
I wanted to focus on happy places on this post. In the picture above, I was at Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz, CA. It is my happy place. I can stand on the beach there and climb the cliffs and feel whole. I've got a whole lot going on & I am itching for a trip there to clear my mind. Most likely though, it won't be until June or July.
Besides obvious destinations like the beach or a certain city, happy places can be found anywhere. If you don't have the dinero to travel or can't physically at the moment, there are ways to find and create happy places in your day to day life. It's a form of mindfulness in a way and it's the way I've been dealing with everything.
I first realized the power of this when I was shopping in Target in the dollar section. You know, it's the section in the front of the store with knickknacks that you don't need and must have. I was smelling a $3 vanilla scented candle and paused, closed my eyes, and all was well. I found a happy place. It was a free moment (unless you buy the candle, which I did). It was a small moment of awareness and peace that carried me through my day.
Take this moment to look at your surroundings and what brings you joy. It may be as simple as the way the light filters through your window in the morning or as unexpected as your baby's slobbery kisses. Happy places are little pockets of joy all around us and it is our duty to find them all and live for them. You don't need to go far to find your happy place.
Whether it be the beach or a Target run, I will always find the joy in today. It may not be easy, but gentle reminders are all around us.
I'll leave you with some happy places I found today:
-My son's scrunched up sleeping face.
-The aroma of my coffee.
-My favorite song playing in my car randomly.
-A hummingbird outside my window.
-The feel of my bare feet on my hardwood floor after work.
Now go out there and find your happy places. Fill them with love and gratitude!
xoxo,
Angela
