Besides traditional talk therapy, I have found over the years a couple of places where I let off steam. Sometimes I’ve felt emotional afterwards as my body and mind needed it so bad.
I’ve already mentioned zumba being like therapy to me and today I was challenged here.
As I walked into class, the person in front of me was wearing a shirt with a political affiliation on it. The legislative climate in Utah is currently going after the Transgender community in a fierce way, specifically targeting kids. It hurts my heart as I get to hear stories daily, from parents just trying to keep their kids alive and all these messages of hate towards them is brutal. Most people with a statement to make have no skin in the game at all and without any medical facts, can spew opinions that directly tell ALL transgender people that they don’t deserve to live.
Anyway, I saw the shirt and thought “Sh**, she’s ruined my happy place” it buzzed in my head for a couple of minutes but as the music bumped and we got our groove on, I was transported to that happy place where movement and mood meet up. By the end of class, not only was I filled with so much joy but I felt this huge protective bubble of good vibes around me. I even wondered if any of it was bumping into the “hater” and I would willingly share with her as she needed it as much as I did.
My second form of therapy, which of course I forgot to record, is scrapbooking.
In the world of paper, glue and memories, lies a universe of happy, just waiting to be recalled. I have been scrapbooking over 20 years and found a group of friends to do it with. We come from all walks of life and have weathered some very hard storms together. Through each of our crazy life experiences, we have found comfort in the constant that life moves on. We take pictures and celebrate the good stuff and sometimes they remind of the hard stuff we’ve overcome.
I urge you to find a hobby that can transport your mood and do it as often as you need to, to be happy.
I’d love to hear in the comments what your “escape” activity is