There is a happy place I have created with only my mind and a bunch of random stimuli, memories, and feelings. This place is perpetually autumn because that is my favorite time of the year.
A little chill is in the air. It is crisp. However, it is comfortable. One only has to wear a light jacket or a sweater to feel as if everything is right with the world.
There is a picket fence with a garden gate opening up to a yard with large maple trees dropping their red, orange, and yellow leaves on the ground below. There is a scent of leaves and fireplace smoke hanging in the air as everyone in the surrounding town prepares for a winter that, at least for me, never comes when I visit.
At last, you notice a little yellow cottage-style home trimmed with white. Pumpkins sit on the side of the steps and on either side of the front door. It is homey and without you even having to knock, the door opens, beaconing you inside to sit for a spell and put all your fears and cares away.
This is a safe space, friendly and idyllic.
Once you step inside, you are treated to a hominess that perhaps you’ve never felt before.
The living room you enter is a pale, cheery yellow. You cannot help but feel cozy and energized, yet serene.
The walls are attractively decorated, books are on shelves all around the room. There is no shortage of comfortable places to sit.
You take some time to notice the scents around you now that you are inside.
The room’s scent evokes such feelings of comfort that it is hard for you to express, but it does not matter. You are safe here.
There is a fireplace emitting a warm glow and the woody aroma as the logs burn in the blazing heat. Yet, the fire does not make the room too hot.
You concentrate on the scent of vanilla, pumpkin, and marshmallow… of freshly brewed coffee and the aroma of freshly-baked pumpkin chocolate-chip bread (one of my favorites).
No cares assail you.
No one wants anything from you. This time is yours. This place is here for you to enjoy.
Would you like to bask in the warmth and comfort of this space? Listen to music? Read for a while? Write? Anything you want to do will be provided for you with the slightest thought.
You sit down, taking a deep breath, basking in the peace and harmony of this little oasis. And suddenly, whatever was weighing you down prior to your arrival to this place- no longer means anything. All those little annoyances float farther and farther away until there is nothing left but tranquility.
This is the place I go in my mind whenever I need to relax. Perhaps yours is different, that’s ok. Whether it be an idyllic cottage in a perpetual autumn or a beach, or a meadow, or a cabin in the woods… it doesn’t matter. Just think of what brings you joy and comfort. What makes you feel at home, and begin to imagine exactly what you want to see- what you want more of in your life and soon, you will be there.
Simply take a deep breath or two, relax, and let your mind travel to that other place… it’s there whenever you need it.
Cindy Says: Let's Brainstorm 