Life does not always give you lemons which then can be turned into something as sweet as lemonade. It will give you a broken foot before a formal, a horrible coworker, an F on a vitally important exam, food poisoning right before a fun adventure, the biggest fight you have ever had with someone important to you, and so on. Life will test your mental sanity more than once. It will push you to the edge, holding on by one hand as you dangle over the side threatening to fall into madness. Ok so maybe that was a slight over exaggeration, however, you get the point. Life can get hard.
The only way that I know how to drag myself out of life’s rough patches is by thinking of my happy place.
My feet are in the fine grain sand. The sun beating down as I lay on a soft towel, tanning my pale skin. The sound of the waves slowly lulls me to sleep. I have a good book in my hands and my favorite pair of polarized classic aviator ray bans shielding my eyes. I am in Maui. I could be on a specific stretch on Ka’anapali beach, sitting in a floaty holding a cold drink that has a colorful miniature umbrella with a piece of pineapple attached to it. Or I might be snorkeling, observing all of the diverse and brightly colored array of fish. Whether it is surfing in Lahiana or eating at Cheeseburger in Paradise, Maui without a doubt is where I am the happiest.
My dad and I have a running joke that whenever a situation or a person challenges our mental cool we repeat a mantra, “I’m in Maui”. Yes, we even say it in the classic meditation voice. However, it works and, fortunately, it is effective almost instantly. This mantra mentally transports me back to relaxing on the beach. It distracts me long enough to regain my composure before I have entirely lost it and collect myself. It allows me to be a more kind, calm, and understanding human being and prevents me from getting too wrapped up in situations beyond my control.
A happy place can be anywhere in the world. It can be a place in time with a happy memory. It can be a place where you are surrounded by certain people. Wherever you feel the most relaxed is the perfect choice in a happy place.
For some it may be in Tahoe at Squaw Valley, bombing down the nose of Granite Chief. For others it may be partaking in a Dawg Saturday around Husky Stadium. No matter the location or activity, the effect is the same: transporting you back to a time or place where no worries exist and there was only good in your life. Maintaining mental sanity is of the utmost importance. Come up with a happy place. Define a mantra to direct your frame of mind to that happy place. Enjoy.
Currently repeating “I’m in Maui” over and over due to a three hour flight delay…
