Hello everyone

I hope all is well. I am thoroughly enjoying my time in Gibraltar. Om currently on a sun lounger by the gorgeous pool at my apartment building. I am enjoying the downtime here and I’ve even switched off from writing much until now. I do genuinely think of Gibraltar as a happy place for me.

Do you have anywhere that you visit that is a happy place?

Perhaps your happy place is a specific holiday place you visit often, or could be somewhere close to home that means a lot to you.

In life we often seem to focus on negative experiences and how they have haunted us. This in turn can add a location  specific memory which then associates a place with that negativity.

I have a few places that have negative associations. In recent years I’ve been trying to take back the negativity and create new, happier memories in there place. In 2019 I returned to both Malaga and Scarborough to take them back to happy places for me. I can now think positively about those places, and have been able to move past some of what happened to me in each place.

It’s also good to a have a happy place… somewhere we can visit or attend. We often have more than one happy place. For me in the woods near my house, there is a bench I walk to and sit and be myself surrounded by nature. Its a very peaceful. Gibraltar feels safe and relaxing, the culture and way of life continue to fascinate me. Despite its small size, it brings me peace and I always find something new with each visit. Just last night I found a new marina I did not know about and watched the sunset.

There is a bench in Ulley Country Park near my village. That bench is a memorial to my dad. The park was one of his happy places, and I feel a connection to him every time I visit and sit on his bench. This has helped me channel happy memories of my Dad and is in turn a happy place for me, despite him no longer being with us.

Finding and also acknowledging what our happy places are can be great for our wellbeing. It can give you hope, a place to escape to and sanctuary.

What defines a happy place will be down to you as an individual. But I want to ask you again, what is your happy place?