The Magic of Happy Places in Life and Fiction

Cliffs at Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard by Connie Briscoe

With more time to reflect over the long weekend, I've been thinking about the CNN series “My Happy Place,” which premiered in April and follows six celebrities as they travel to destinations that hold deep personal meaning. Watching Taraji P. Henson find spiritual renewal in Bali after a Hollywood burnout and Alan Cumming return to the Scottish Highlands where he's sought refuge since childhood reminded me of something fundamental about human nature. We all need a happy place.

More Than Just Geography

What strikes me most about these stories isn't the exotic locations (though Bangkok and Mykonos certainly have their appeal). It's the emotional weight the places carry. Questlove doesn't just visit Austin, he returns to where his band The Roots first found success. Octavia Spencer isn't simply touring New Orleans; she's reconnecting with the energy and Southern charm that hooked her as a broke college student during Mardi Gras.

As storytellers, we instinctively understand this. We give our characters refuge spaces because we know they need them, just like we do. In my novel Chloe: A Novel of Secrets and Lies, when Angel steps off the ferry at Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard, I wrote: "The moment Angel reached the end of the ramp and hit the sidewalk, her mood brightened. The old memories faded away... The place had a magnetic pull on all who landed on its sandy shores, encouraging them to leave their troubles behind."

Martha’s Vineyard is also one of my happy places for the same reason. The minute I step ashore and take in the bright sky and ocean breezes I feel the stress drain from my pores.

That's the magic of a true happy place. It doesn't just change your location; it transforms your emotional well-being.

It Doesn't Have to Be Exotic

Authentic happy places are often beautifully ordinary. Yes, some people find their sanctuary on tropical islands or mountain retreats. But just as many discover theirs in grandma's kitchen, at a corner table at their local coffee shop, or curled up in a specific chair in the neighborhood library. One of mine is a highly rated supermarket food chain known for its olive bar, eclectic selection of cheeses, and mouth-watering pastries.

The power isn't in the place itself. It's in what that place allows you to become. Maybe it's where you feel most creative, peaceful, or authentically yourself. Perhaps it's where time seems to slow down or where your best memories live or where you can finally exhale.

Your Turn to Explore

Whether you're a writer crafting your next character's journey or someone seeking a moment of reflection, I'm curious about your special spaces. What location allows your shoulders to drop and your spirit to soar? Is it somewhere you can physically visit, or does it live purely in your memory and imagination?

And if you're feeling creative, step into your character's shoes for a moment. Where do they go when the world becomes too much? What draws them there, and how does it change them?

Share your happy place in the comments below. Tell us why it calls to you and how it makes you feel. Or describe the moment you first knew the place was special.

Whether it's a bustling city street or a quiet corner in your childhood home, your happy place matters.

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