We often associate being happy with feelings of intense joy, having butterflies, or laughing for moments on end, but it can also just be serene, calm, and void of any worry.

Sometimes, it's not necessarily associated with family. For you, it could be a hobby, a place, a job, an activity, or friends. No matter what makes you happiest, the importance is that it does.

In fact, it's so important to be happy because the feeling and experience can reduce stress quickly and easily. Have you ever thought about doing something that brings you joy when your stress levels are rising?

Me neither. Well, not too often.

But here are a few ideas to help you find your happy place when things are getting a little rough:

1. Try out different hobbies. By trying out various activities, you allow yourself to decipher what it is you like to do and what you don't. Identifying what brings joy and lowers your stress, distracts you in a good way, or helps you work through things can help you get one step closer to finding your happy place.
2. Spend time with friends and family. When life makes your head spin a bit, try spending extra time with those who make you smile. Do different activities with them than the norm and get out of your comfort zone a bit.  
3. Volunteer with a cause that calls your name. Sometimes, the best thing we can do to feel light and happy is to invest our time and energy in others, especially those that could use help or assistance.
4. Invest in yourself spiritually. Take a yoga class, set aside time to read, meditate, pray – do something that takes your mind off the present and brings you to a state of calm.

Whatever it is that you choose to do to unlock your inner happy place, keep it up. It's really important to bring joy to your life as much as you can, and I hope this Spotlight design helps you remember to escape there every once in a while.

Be bold,

Landri

Here's a message from our Spotlight artists:

Sometimes life can get overwhelming, and we need to center ourselves.  We all have a place where we go to clear our minds and feel at peace.  For me, that place is by the water.  When I need a moment to breathe and reset, I always find myself on the beach, looking out at the water and watching the waves crash along the shore.  There's something about the sound of the waves and the chaotic beauty of the fluidness of the water and the way it ebbs and flows.  It reminds me that life is unpredictable and full of beauty at the same time.  For you, perhaps that special place is a mountain hike, a cabin in the woods, or your grandma's house.  Wherever the spot is for you, I'm sure you can relate to it being a place where you can find yourself again.  So...when I find myself at my happy place, I find myself.