Written by Judy Ben-Asher

July 31, 2026

Let’s find your happy.

Can I show you something?

This little girl had no idea she was about to discover one of the great

loves of her life.

She wasn’t thinking about careers.

She wasn’t wondering if she belonged.

She wasn’t carrying grief.

She wasn’t worried about what other people thought of her.

She wasn’t trying to become a better version of herself.

She was standing in her living room on Hanukkah, wearing her very first

pair of roller skates.

I was four…maybe five years old.

And I was certain that life couldn’t get any better than this.

To anyone else, they were just roller skates.

To me…

they were freedom.

I can still remember the feeling.

The excitement.

The anticipation.

The happiness that bubbled up before I even took my first roll across

the floor.

It wasn’t really about the skates.

It was about who I became the moment I put them on.

Fear disappeared.

The world disappeared.

Time disappeared.

These were mine.

There was only joy.

This was pure joy.

Even now, all these years later, if you handed me a pair of roller skates,

I’d probably smile before I even tied the laces.

Because my heart remembers.

And I think that’s something beautiful.

Our hearts remember joy.

And sometimes before our minds do.

Which makes me wonder…

What are your roller skates?

Not literally.

What is the thing that makes your shoulders relax without you even

noticing?

What makes you lose track of time?

What makes you laugh like you did when you were little?

What makes your heart smile?

Where do you feel the most like…you?

Maybe it’s a birthday party you still remember.

A swing set that made you feel like you could touch the clouds.

Running barefoot through the grass.

Reading books under the covers with a flashlight.

Laughing so hard with your best friend that your stomach hurt.

Maybe it’s baking cookies with your grandmother.

Fishing with your dad.

Music turned up loud, dancing around the kitchen with your sister and

brother.

Or maybe it’s a place.

For me, it’s Gates Pass in Tucson, Arizona.

Years ago, I had a Jeep and my sweet dog.

Almost every evening, we’d drive up the winding road together to watch

the sunset.

My rock couch was the destination.

Just the sky slowly changing colors while the desert became quiet.

Looking back, I don’t think I was watching another sunset.

I think I was meeting myself there.

Maybe you’ve had a place like that too.

A garden.

A hiking trail.

The ocean.

A favorite chair with a good book.

Or maybe it’s simply the smell of rain on warm pavement.

The beautiful thing is…

There isn’t a wrong answer.

And if you’re reading this thinking, “I don’t know if I have a happy place.

”

That’s okay, lovie.

Let’s create one together.

Close your eyes.

Take one slow breath.

Imagine a time and place where you felt completely safe.

Completely loved.

Completely free.

What does it look like?

Can you hear birds?

The ocean?

Children laughing?

Can you smell flowers?

Fresh bread?

Pine trees?

Creosote bush in the rain?

Can you feel the sunshine on your face?

Or the cool breeze through your hair?

Stay there for just a moment. Notice what happens to your body.

Are your shoulders softer?

Is your breathing slower?

Did you smile?

Maybe your eyes filled with tears.

Every response is welcome.

Because your body is remembering something your soul has always

known.

Joy isn’t something we have to earn.

Sometimes…

it’s something we remember.

Sometimes…

it’s something we imagine.

Sometimes…

it’s something we’ve forgotten to visit.

And here’s the beautiful part.

Once you know where your joy lives…

You can visit it anytime.

On hard days.

After difficult conversations. While sitting in your car.

Before you fall asleep.

In the middle of grief.

Joy doesn’t erase pain.

But it reminds us that pain isn’t the whole story.

I think we all need those places.

Those memories.

Those little pieces of ourselves that quietly whisper,

“I’m still here.

”

So today…

I’d love to invite you to spend just five minutes with your happy.

Pull out the old photograph.

Put on the song.

Jiggle all your wobbly bits to the music!

Walk through the garden.

Drive to the sunset.

Dust off the roller skates.

Whatever brings you back to yourself…

Go there. Not because you’ve earned it.

Because you deserve to remember who you are.

And before you go…

I’d love to know.

What are your roller skates?

What brings you joy?

Where do you go when you need to remember yourself?

Tell me in the comments.

Because I have a feeling your happy place might become someone

else’s inspiration.

And if you ever forget, dust off the roller skates.

Until next time…

Take my hand, lovie.

Let’s keep finding our way home.

Huge hugs to you,

Momma Judy 💜