How self-hypnosis can help you find your happy place

After a tough start to the year, things are looking brighter. Spring is just around the corner, the days are getting longer, and we are beginning to receive optimistic news about the year ahead - phew! 

However, we are still having to endure restrictions and it remains unsafe to have a cuddle with our nearest and dearest. Therefore, it won't come as a surprise that people are wishing that they could whisk themselves away to a less concerning and more peaceful place, where they can gain perspective, take stock and simply breathe.

As current life stands, whisking ones-self away to anywhere other than home or an essential food shop, is near impossible, so that is where your ‘happy place' comes in.

Despite what the outside world may be throwing at you, I want to help you decide where your happy place is (if you don’t already have one) and teach you how to transport yourself there using a simple step-by-step, self-hypnosis guide. No mode of transport is required, just the power of your subconscious mind and visualisation. 

What is a happy place?

A happy place is a destination that you can create in your mind's eye where you can relax, breathe, feel safe and most importantly, feel happy! Your happy place can be wherever and whatever you want it to be, it can be real, or it can be make-believe (perhaps your very own fairy-tale). Having a happy place to escape to can help give you a sense of control.

We are going through unsettling times, which unfortunately we can't control, but thankfully with the help of self-hypnosis, you have the power to control not only your behaviour but your outlook and happiness too. 

A study from the Association for Psychological Science shows that by having a happy place or even several different happy places, individuals can boost their mood and put their brain on a more positive path.

Hypnosis is a therapy that guides the mind to a brighter and calmer environment and as my experience as a hypnotherapist has taught me: all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. As the hypnotherapist, I am purely the suggestion master - it is you, the individual seeking help and guidance, that holds all the power and control. Therefore, whether you are alone or with a therapist, you can reach your happy place whenever you need to feel safe, in control and most importantly, happy. 

Thanks to the 2020 series of ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here’, the term 'happy place' became a buzzword, of sorts, and a topic of conversation via news and social media channels. The conversation started thanks to one of the contestants, Jordan North. During the horrific trials Jordan had to endure, he was heard reciting his happy place over and over again.

It soon became apparent to viewers that Jordan North’s happy place was ‘Turf Moor’ - the home of Burnley Football Club and on advice from his brother before starting the show, Jordan was encouraged to think of his happy place, however cold or frightened he was.

Thanks to Jordan’s ability to transport his mind to ‘Turf Moor’, he successfully managed to keep calm when locked in an underground cabin full of snakes! Jordan demonstrated brilliantly to the public the power of imagination and how with a little bit of practice, anyone and everyone has the ability to transport themselves to wherever they want to go, without leaving the house.

Simply put, your happy place can be wherever and whatever you want/need it to be. After the revelation of Jordan North’s happy place, several other public figures have confirmed their happy places, which include destinations on a beach, in the forest, at the top of a mountain and even a trusty Waitrose supermarket. Your happy place can literally be anywhere or anything - mine is simply snuggled under my duvet in my cosy bed - my little haven, just for me, away from the hustle and bustle of life.

7 steps to finding your happy place

Once you have decided where your happy place will be, the simple steps below will take you on a journey to feeling heavenly. Take your time, spend several minutes on each step and enjoy this moment of being truly happy and at peace.

1. Find a quiet place - don't worry if it's not completely silent, your mind will only focus on what you tell it to focus on, regardless of background noise
2. Shut your eyes and breathe deeply and rhythmically - notice the depth and length of your breaths.
3. Enjoy the feeling of relaxation flowing through all parts of your body - notice how from the top of your head, down to the tips of your toes, tension and stress is draining away.
4. Feeling pleasantly relaxed, begin to visualise your happy place - a place just for you, where no-one needs you, where nothing can distract you.
5. Engage your senses and take in every aspect of your happy place - what can you see, what noises do you hear, how does the environment feel, can you taste or smell anything? Are you alone in your happy place, or have you invited someone/people along to be with you?
6. While enjoying your happy place, repeat a comforting affirmation to yourself - for example, if you need to find strength: remind yourself of how strong you are, remind yourself of all the things that you've overcome, remind yourself of your achievements.
7. Relish in the peace that is your happy place - before bringing yourself back to full awareness by slowly moving your body and gradually opening your eyes.

And that’s it - you now have all you need to arrive at your happy place - enjoy escaping and remember that you have the power to control how you feel by simply stopping, breathing and visualising.