1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to find your happy place, or create one. 4 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: Whether your home is big or small, and whether you 5 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: live alone or with lots of people, it's wise to 6 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: find or create a spot that reliably puts you in 7 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: a good mood. My family moved to a new house 8 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: a few months ago, and so I've been thinking about 9 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: how exactly one creates happy places. In our old home, 10 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: one of my happy places was the sofa on the 11 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: covered back porch. The porch was up a story from 12 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: the ground, and so you could look out on the 13 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: trees and feel peaceful, even if there was chaos inside 14 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: the house. That porch was a lovely feature when we 15 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 1: bought the house, but of course we actively chose to 16 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 1: make it even better, putting an outdoor sofa there, for instance, 17 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: and tending the backyard plants and trees to ensure that 18 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: something lovely was blooming for big chunks of the year. 19 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: Covered porches are certainly a prime spot for happy places, 20 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 1: but happy spots can be anywhere. A chair in front 21 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: of a nice window, or a window seat, a hammock 22 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: or chair, swing a sofa where you can cuttle up 23 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: with a good book. The good news is that if 24 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: you don't have a happy place in your home, it 25 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: is quite possible to create one, even if you have 26 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: a small space, and even if you live with others. 27 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: I think there are three main ingredients. First, you need 28 00:01:55,040 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: to be comfortable, so it's probably somewhere reasonably soft where 29 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: you can sit or lie down. Second, you need a 30 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: pleasant view without anything in sight that nags you about 31 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: work to be done. And third, it needs to be 32 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: associated with pleasant things that you really like to do, 33 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: an association that can become stronger with repetition and time. 34 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: So let's start with physical comfort. If you don't have 35 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: a cozy perch already, see if you can spruce up 36 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: something you own, or just pick up a papasan chair 37 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: for inside or a hammock for outside. Both are pretty 38 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: affordable items. Maybe you add a soft rug to feel 39 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 1: warm under your feet. Then concern yourself with the view. 40 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: Can you turn your perch so you see a window 41 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 1: or an attractive part of your house. You might need 42 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: to do a little reorganizing to make sure you're not 43 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: looking at something that looks like a to do list. 44 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: Simple is better, So a wall with a picture and 45 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: a plant and a pretty container will be better than 46 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: a complicated bookcase or something that can get cluttered. If 47 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: you are looking out the window, try to choose a 48 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: view that is reasonably serene. This can be within your 49 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: control over time. Put potted plants on a balcony, or 50 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: you can plant some year round greenery outside to hide 51 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: the view of your neighbor's ugly shed. Then, finally, try 52 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: to build up the association of your perch with pleasant 53 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: feelings and activities. I liked a particular chair in my 54 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: old family room because that's where I sat and had 55 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: my coffee in the morning. I like the outside porch 56 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: sofa because that's where I would sit and read some 57 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: nights after the kids went to bed. My husband would 58 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: sometimes sit there too, and so I associated it with 59 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: summer sounds, relaxing, and hanging out together. To truly make 60 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: something into your happy place, consciously start doing something you 61 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: enjoy in that spot. Do your crossword puzzle in a 62 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: chosen chair, do your cross stitching in the nook by 63 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 1: the window, Read books on the hammock or on your sofa. 64 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: Maybe grab a favorite beverage appropriate for the time of day. 65 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 1: The more you do this, the more the place will 66 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: feel like your special spot. When you create a happy place, 67 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: you give yourself a tool for stepping away from your 68 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: problems without taking out your car keys. You can go 69 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: there anytime you need to get away. Where is your 70 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: happy place? You can let me know at Laura at 71 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: Laura Vanderkam dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. 72 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening and here's to making the most of 73 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 74 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 75 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 76 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast pod. That's B the number four, then Breakfast 77 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: p o D. You can also shoot me an email 78 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart Media dot com. 79 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: That Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 80 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, should I look forward to staying in touch. 81 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. For 82 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the I heart 83 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 84 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: favorite shows. H