Dave and the girls on beautiful deserted Kure Beach, North Carolina at sunset
Beach season is here. Time to make a beeline out of the city and get bare foot in the sand.
There’s something about a mile-long strip of beach that is irresistible. The sound of the surf thundering onto shore, watching and waiting for the whitecaps to crest the waves, beach combing for the perfect shell, and that wonderful feeling of warm sand between your toes as you walk for miles.
On our final night in Kure Beach, North Carolina in April, the girls and I went for one last walk on the beach. I watched them race along the deserted beach as the moon shimmered on the waves and knew, in that moment, I was completely happy.
This week’s #HappyAct is to feel the sand in your toes and find a stretch of sand to explore. Here is a list of some of our favourite beaches closer to home and further afar and pictures from some of our favourite family beach vacations.
MacGregor Point provincial park on Lake Huron (we camped here a couple of years ago for four nights and thought it was one of the nicest provincial parks we’d been to)
Have you ever been to one of those motivational talks where the speaker tells you that you need to find your passion and follow your heart, even if it means quitting your day job?
Personally I find these talks a bit irresponsible. For most of us, the reality is we can’t quit our day jobs. Last time I looked most of us have a mortgage to pay, kids to feed and clothe, and in our case two big dogs that eat us out of house and home. If you quit your day job, you will probably feel an initial euphoria and freedom, but then reality will sink in and you may be anxious, uncertain, and unhappy, especially if things don’t go as planned.
The other issue I have with these motivational talks is they imply that happiness and a sense of worth are only tied to work, and if you’re not doing work your passionate about, you can’t be happy. I’d challenge that.
The reality is our relationship with work is not that black and white—it’s a big ol’ corporate world of fifty shades of grey out there. We can like our work, the people we work with, and the work we do, but we may not be passionate about it. And yet, we can still be happy.
One caveat this week: If you are really unhappy at work, to the point where it’s affecting your health or other important aspects of your life, finding a new job may be the way to go. But for the rest of us, finding happiness in what we do and what we can control is a more realistic option.
This week’s #HappyAct is to make one conscious change at your work, or in your regular routine that will help you be happier in what you are doing now. Sign up for training, offer to take a lead on project, or start a new project at home. I’d love to hear your thoughts on work and happiness–leave a comment.
When the weather gets warm, I like to cruise the country roads with the windows down and crank up the tunes.
I’m not sure what’s more intoxicating—the smell of the lilacs starting to bloom (our area is full of lilacs since farmers around here plant them as windbreaks), wondering what adventure lurks around the next curve, or the feeling of not having a care in the world as you sing at the top of your lungs to your favourite song.
Remember that scene in the movie Wayne’s World where Wayne and Garth rock out in their Gremlin to Bohemian Rhapsody? Party on, excellent. My friend Terry used to swear in our university days he could drive anywhere in Waterloo in the time it took to rock out to David Wilcox’s Hypnotizin’ Boogie.
This week’s #HappyAct is to crank up the tunes rock out to your ultimate driving tune. Who cares if someone sees you—chances are you’ll make them smile and make their day. What’s your ultimate driving tune?
Martin Luther King memorial in Washington, DC at night
Recently I was in Washington DC and spent some time at the Smithsonian in the Museum of American History, learning about Americans at war, the civil rights movement and American culture.
Last year, we spent the day at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, touring the battlefields and learning about how the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War. If you go, make sure you pay the extra admission to see the Cyclorama, an amazing 360 degree oil painting of the battle that comes to life with music and digital effects.
75% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US border. We share the largest undefended border in the world, yet every time I travel to the States I’m struck as much by the differences between our two great nations, as by the similarities that make us neighbours and friends.
One of the things I admire most about our neighbours to the south is their staunch belief in democracy, equality and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and their undying faith that theirs is one of the greatest nations in the world. As Canadians we are far more self-deprecating.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau once said about living next to our neighbours to the south, ““Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”
I think the United States is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This week, I thought I would share some of my favourite places in the U.S. We are always looking for suggestions for our next trip, so please share your favourites in the comments.
Most majestic city: Washington, DC
Best outlet shopping: Frankenmuth, Michigan
Favourite city: San Francisco, California
Best theatre: New York, New York
Best music city: Nashville, Tennessee (with New Orleans a close second)
Most beautiful mountain range: The Grand Tetons in Wyoming
Most spiritual area: Sedona, Arizona
Most precarious drive: Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Wackiest tourist attraction: The corn palace in Mitchell, South Dakota
Prettiest town: Woodstock, Vermont
This week’s #HappyAct is to visit our neighbours to the south and go on your own pursuit of happiness in the good ol’ US of A. If you live in the States, pick a region you haven’t explored yet, and spend time in your own backyard. Be sure to leave a comment about where I should explore next.
Main street Broadway in music city, Nashville, TN
Enjoying the New York city skyline at sunset at the top of the Rockefeller Centre
A couple of weeks ago, I had a really bad week. I mean really bad. One of those weeks where you wonder why you’re slogging away at what you do and where Friday can’t come soon enough. On those weeks, I turn to the love of my life for comfort, solace and rejuvenation: I turn to my hot tub.
I love my hot tub. Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m the happy act blogger. I write about what’s really important, like the people in your life, precious moments, having purpose and being confident in who you are.
I know I’m not supposed to love material things. I believe there is an exception to every rule, and my exception is my hot tub.
I love that moment when I slip into my hot tub, and the steamy water sends tingling sensations through my spine. I sink deeper and deeper into the hot bubbling water until I can feel the jets pounding on my back, working their magic as they massage my tired limbs. I close my eyes, and become lulled by the tones of the water: the high-pitched hissing of the bubbles on the surface, the alto sounds of the gurgling jets and the rumbling of the water pounding below the surface.
Yes, just when I think I can’t love my hot tub any more, we take our relationship to a whole new level.
This week’s #HappyAct is to soak out the stress and get yourself in some hot water. If you don’t have a hot tub, try a long hot bath, or why not treat yourself to a day spa, like the Nordic Spa outside of Ottawa? I’ve heard people say it’s wonderful.
Every once in awhile, you read an article and you think, I love this person. That’s how I felt when I read, “Iris Apfel Doesn’t Do Normcore” in the New York Times this week.
I’d never heard of Iris Apfel before, but I’m going to go on record to say she must be the coolest 93-year old on the planet.
Let me rewind to a side conversation that happened Friday morning. A co-worker came into my office with a new, funky shirt on. We said how much we liked it, even though she started by saying it was different, almost apologizing. I was wearing one of my favourite Aztec sweaters. Every time I wear this sweater or one of my ponchos, someone (usually Dave, since that’s what husbands are for) makes a joke about me being Pocahontas or something.
Then at lunch I read about Iris Apfel. Iris has been a mainstay of the New York fashion scene for decades and is the subject of a new documentary. Here are some “Irisicsms” from the article.
“I think, given a choice, it’s better to be unstylish but happy.”“
I love clutter. I think being totally minimal shows a lack of history and soul, and I find it sort of pitiful. I think it’s wonderful to have stuff and live with memories and things you enjoy.”
“There’s no free lunch, baby. You have to give up something to get something else, but that’s a very small price.”
This week’s #HappyAct is to read the article for inspiration, then let your freak flag fly. Be you, wear what makes you happy and be fearless.
Post script: I loved this article because it drew on so many of my blog posts over the past year. See these happy acts for bonus inspiration…
I read an article recently where Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was asked why he wore the same gray t-shirt every day.
His answer might surprise you. He said, “I really want to clear my life to make it so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve this community… I feel like I’m not doing my job if I spend any of my energy on things that are silly or frivolous about my life.”
In a world where celebrity weddings cost millions, stylists reign supreme, and even the average person needs a walk-in closet for their clothes, we can all take a page from the Facebook founder’s philosophy.
This week’s #HappyAct is to do one thing to simplify your life so you can focus on what’s really important. And if you see me wearing the same pair of black pants every day next week, pretend you don’t notice.
Last week was the #InternationalDayofHappiness. It was fun watching people share the happy on Twitter that day. Many radio stations including the CBC and one of our local stations here in Kingston got on the happy bandwagon, asking listeners what songs they listened to for a pick me up. Mashable compiled its list with the help of Ed Sheeran and John Legend.
Here are 11 songs that would be on our family’s happy play list.
Bang Bang by Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj and Jesse J
Downstream by Supertramp
Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) by Simon and Garfunkel
Walkin’ on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves
Happy by Pharrell Williams
Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars
Carry On by Fun
Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles
Wave over Wave by Great Big Sea (or any Great Big Sea song)
It’s Friday by Alan Doyle and Dean Brody
What song would make your play list? This week’s #HappyAct is to create your own happy play list. Feel free to use some of ours.
Dave accepting the Swinnie for Loudest Farter and Clare for Best Hockey Player
It’s the end of the awards show season, a time to recognize and celebrate the best of the best. We held our very own awards show last weekend, the “Swinnies”.
It was the brain child of my very creative and brilliant daughter Grace who is forever coming up with awesome ideas for us to do as a family.
As awards shows go, it was epic. Clare sang the national anthem (note to awards show producers —this should be how every awards show starts).
There were over the top musical performances, wardrobe malfunctions, someone even tripped on the red carpet. The acceptance speeches moved us to tears…of laughter.
My favourite moment was when Dave accepted his award for Loudest Farter, when during his tearful acceptance speech, Clare asked, “What, did you just smell your own stench?”
This week’s #HappyAct is to hold your own awards show. Make it epic. And don’t forget to watch the Junos tonight honouring the best in Canadian music.
We need to go to Vegas, baby. This week, lady luck was in the house as the Swintons raked in three prizes.
I came home one night to a nice message on my answering machine saying one of our local councillors, John McDougall put my name in a draw for people who volunteer in our community. I won a $25 gift certificate to our local gift shop, Nicole’s gifts—thanks John!
So I’m shopping at Nicole’s yesterday for presents for my sister-in-laws for their birthdays (shop local everyone!) when Nicole says to me, did you come in to pick up your prize from Christmas? I had won another draw and came home with a stocking of gift prizes!
The jackpot came on Friday when Clare’s picture of her landing an eight-pound pike ice fishing was chosen as the Friday photo winner for Ontario Out of Doors magazine. She won a $100 Canadian Tire gift card, which will come in handy when it’s time to buy new skates and hockey equipment next year. It made my day.
This week’s #HappyAct is to enter a contest. In a world where nothing is free, but online contests are a dime a dozen, it’s easy to enter to win. Have you ever won anything? Leave a comment and share your story.
