What is your happy place?

Hi, @j0318.

All of the happy places you listed are calm, relaxing, and stress free. No wonder these are your happy places! 😊

@j0318 I m so glad that there are so many things that are so soothing to yout soul.

I love the expression that sports people use about “getting into the zone”. It’s a wonderful sense of ease and flow.

I used to get that when I went out on long runs in nature and suddenly I was in the zone - my happy place where all cares disappeared, it was just the “now” and I was deeply contented whatever was happening in my life. It is a wonderful sense of ease.

For someone who never gardened (other than pulling up weeds to help my mother when I was a child - which was strangely satisfying and probably the start) I never expected gardening to become one of my happy places, thanks to cancer 😊❤️‍🩹 Time flies by unnoticed.

Hi @my44 - Yes that is it exactly.🙂 I am learning to enjoy the serenity in being recently retired - from cancer treatments and from my career LOL. And I get a lot inspiration from you and other MCC members on making each day its own celebration.

Hi @isadora2021 - “Thanks to cancer” you replied. It is interesting how many times I have had that realization of something positive that has occurred that might not have if I had not been down this path. And I imagine there are many others who also have found this to be true.
Have a great day with your beautiful furry companions!

Hi, @j0318.
Retirement, from a cancer treatment and/or from a career absolutely does bring about that sense of serenity. I can only imagine how you felt after that last cancer treatment!

Regarding retirement from careers, I know people who retired and found new jobs...not because they needed to work, but because they didn't know what to do with their newly found free time. I thought I would be like that when I retired. I thought I'd want to work until they had to carry me out. But once I did retire, I found such a serene and less stressful way of life than I'd known for decades. So, although I loved my job, I left and didn't look back. I'm now able to enjoy those calm and peaceful activities like you mentioned. So, I guess my happy place is retirement! 😊

And I just want to let you know that reading about and learning more about your journey has been an inspiration to me and others. I love reading your posts, as they are always hopeful and uplifting. Keep on posting! 😊💕

Mine is in virtual reality. I have an application for my VR headset that lets me sit in a kayak and select from multiple lakes and rivers to ride around on, and then can choose whether to do so in the day or at night.

My "real world" happy place is New York City. I love walking around Manhattan, Brooklyn and recently parts of the Bronx, especially in the less touristy neighborhoods. I stop anyplace that looks interesting. If I need a rest, I just sit and people watch. A lot of people find New York anxiety-inducing because of the sensory overload but I enjoy it immensely.

@j0318 That’s exactly it. That sudden realisation, in amongst all the changes to our loves, is such a blessing each time.

We (my beautiful furry companions) and I thank you! Hope you have a great day too ❤️‍🩹😊

@j0318 @my44

It sounds like we have many experiences in common! I too retired from a job I loved a year after I had my last treatment. It’s something I never thought I would do as my job was such a big part of my life. I loved my clients and my work mates. The thought that I might be done was a shock when it crept into my mind. I’d lost the drive and the competitive spirit while staring into the abyss. I’d worked through treatment. It helped me get up and get stuck in. My clients and work mates were so kind and supportive. They got used to waking up to emails sent at all hours of the night, knowing I was feeling great and might need a nano nap during the day.

I too took to retirement like a duck to water. I’ve not regretted it one moment. I’m loving the freedom and the more serene pace. I’m making up for not having time to do so many things before!

There is so much to do, including sitting smelling the roses! 🌹 🙏😊🏆

Absolutely!!! 😊🦋

@scottbeammeup Both of those happy places sound truly wonderful! I’ve only once had a VR experience and that was in Nero’s Golden Palace in Rome. Total ruins underground. Massive. It was a superb experience sitting in one of the cavernous spaces with the headsets on. One of my very best travel memories. So realistic and felt like we were there at its glorious best and moving around it. I’d love to experience your VR. Please can you tell us more about your VR kayak trips? How did you discover it?

I totally get how Manhattan can be a happy place in the way you describe it. We spent 3 weeks there over Christmas and New Year in 2011 and didn’t catch any transport, except to and from the airport and the ferry. It was fabulous doing exactly as you said on foot, far and wide. We did do the touristy things as well but by far the best memories are as you describe. I didn’t expect to love Manhattan but wanted to see it and fell in love with it. My dream is to go back in autumn/fall.

You’re so lucky you can go to your happy places so often and wonderful that you actually do! ❤️‍🩹🙌