Happiness is finding out that your son that lives on the other side of the globe is coming home for a visit. Sometimes you travel the world and sometimes when your lucky your whole world comes to you. To have both our children in the same place at the same time is not an easy task these days. However the stars are going to align and we will celebrate. He is working abroad and this will be his first trip back home. He has good friends that are getting married and did not want to miss out on their special occasion. We are mindful that his time will be valuable and that he will want to see his friends as well as family. So we will make the best of this time and be present even if it’s only for a short visit. Definitely counting our blessings!

Today is moving day! A day that our daughter gets her own place. A day that her family shows up and rallies around her. A day that she will look back on with joy in her heart, as her family shows up. All are willing to pitch in to move boxes to unpack to welcome her to her new home. Why? Because families are there when you need them most. With their hearts wide open and their arms filled with boxes to hugs. The gratitude and love that I have for my family is overflowing. Travel today will be many trips to and from, but will be filled with purpose and joy! Never underestimate the love of family to lift you up. New beginnings are possible. Being surrounded by a family that loves and cherishes you is the best start. Taking a moment to deeply thank my family for their time today it means the world to me.

If you are like me, then you are always looking for where you might go to next. Will it be a day trip filled with laughter, a drive, and a picnic at an undiscovered beach? Or is it roaming the streets of a new town and uncovering its beauty and local coffee shops. Maybe your more adventurous and you are climbing a mountain or chasing a waterfall. Wherever your next adventure takes you, may you always be mindful of the places you would like to explore in the future. I draw my ideas from all over, friends who have travelled near and far, the internet, or even tv has provided inspiration. You can’t always be away but you can always be planning the next trip no matter the size. That my friends always brings a smile to my face. I can research, I can ask my friends for great suggestions and I can plan for my next adventure!

June was a month of exploration, reflection, and embracing the beauty around us. From spontaneous road trips through New Brunswick to wine tasting adventures in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, each mindful moment offered an opportunity to pause and find meaning in our daily travels through life.

This month we explored themes of friendship, self-care, gratitude, and the importance of being present. We also shared practical tips on dealing with mosquitoes, getting quality sleep while traveling, managing seasonal allergies, and being mindful of the spaces we occupy.

This week reminded me of the importance of being sign literate. Whether traveling the train or subway or trying to figure out whether or not it’s safe to swim, signs are important. Sometimes there are physical markers such as coloured flags to indicate beach conditions, other times the signs might be showing an undertow or a beware of crocodile. Heed the warning ⛔️!

If you are driving internationally you might need to be on a different side of the road, you may have street signs that you are not used to, research and study first.

Today I want to take a moment to reflect on my gratitude for the ability to travel. I am so fortunate to have the time, health and the financial ability to travel. Travel opens your mind to new perspectives, it enlightens you in ways that nothing else can. When travelling I am often in a state of awe. I remember taking my first tropical trip with Mr. Mindful Traveller, he was so mesmerized that we had left snow and were now surrounded by palm trees and an ocean breeze. This led to many more wonderful vacations and a lifetime of memories. I leave you with one message no matter the destination enjoy the moment, be open to the possibilities and find a way to travel.

I am blessed to have had great adventures with great people. Travelling can be stressful and if you are with people that don’t match your style then it can be a real challenge. We have a couple friends that enjoy the slow travel like us, they aren’t so much into jam packed schedules, but are wanderers and day planners. We match perfectly as travel companions because we don’t have to follow a constant time schedule and we can split up our adventures without someone being hurt.

I was reading the other day a story where a woman bought a yellow umbrella because it was on sale and hers had broke. As she used the oversized umbrella she noticed how people smiled at her. A simple change, same situation, a rainy day. Somehow the yellow umbrella felt warm like sunshine. People’s reaction to her changed and she offered to share her umbrella with people. The story spread about the yellow umbrella and she started a yellow umbrella movement. Buying other yellow umbrellas and offering them up to strangers. Simply spreading and receiving acts of kindness. Whether this is a plot of fiction or whether it is a glorious act of kindness doesn’t matter. What matters is that it proves it doesn’t take much to cause a ripple of kindness. You find stories like this everywhere. Enjoy the mundane, enjoy the everyday, find and spread kindness in the simplest of ways. Here and abroad, kindness is everywhere and when you start looking for it you cant help but see it’s abundance.

While teaching I had a small plush cow with magnetic hooves in my class. He was no bigger then the palm of my hand. When students would miss school for family trips or other special occasions. I would have them take Mr. Moo and document his adventures. Documenting your travel can be fun. Mr. Moo had so many great adventures some near and some very very far. At that time I believe Mr. Moo had travelled more then I had. Students enjoyed writing and taking photos to place in Mr. Moo’s travel log. If you have a young family I encourage you to get your children writing of their travels and sharing what they write. You should also be documenting your trip. Take a few pictures, document in whatever way feels right to you maybe videos are more your style. The documenting becomes a mindful moment to reflect and just like that you get to enjoy an adventure for a second time. Others will also get to take joy in reading of your adventures. Choosing just the right words and keeping your mind creatively engaged is a gift you can easily give yourself and others. Be mindful of your creative gifts and share them.

The Basics

Wealthsimple Visa Infinite gives you:

• 2% cashback on everything — no categories to track
• 0% foreign transaction fees — no extra cost when you travel
• $240 annual fee — but it can be waived

When Is the Fee Waived?

You pay $0 if you have:

• $100,000+ invested with Wealthsimple, OR
• $4,000+/month direct deposit to Wealthsimple chequing

If neither applies, you pay $240/year. You’d need to spend $12,000/year to break even on the fee.

Yesterday I spent the day cleaning, going through old papers. I was a teacher and kept every note that students had written me over the years. I spent today walking down memory lane and when I was done I noticed a pattern. I was thanked over and over again for always having a smile on my face and wishing them a great day on the way into my class and always sending them off with a handshake and another smile. That was it they expressed their gratitude for being seen, for being heard. I spent a career reaching out to children in the hopes of making a small impact on their lives. They leave me with a heart full of gratitude, many great memories and the hope for the future. People have the ability to be mindful and sometimes all you need is a smile and a few kind words to truly impact the world.

When we go out we are conscious of our space. We pack hand sanitizer Touchland Hand Sanitizer Spray, Tropical Trio - 3 x 1 FL OZ (Amazon.com), Clorox wipes Clorox On-The-Go Disinfecting Wipes - Fresh Meadow Scent (Amazon.com) and Garbage bags Glad White Garbage Bags X-Small 15 Litres Febreze Fresh Clean Scent (Amazon.com) to ensure that our space is clean. Just so you are clear our space is anywhere we may be. When we are out we live by the philosophy leave spaces cleaner then when you get there. We clean up after ourselves and often others. If we are all mindful of the space we take and we leave it cleaner then we found it, imagine how clean of a world we could live in.

A yellow invasive flower that after its yellow bloom, changes to a puff ball, is ready for someone to blow and spread its seeds for the arrival of the next batch and a wish is made. For me the dandelion is a very significant flower in its persistence to grow in even the smallest of cracks, despite its delicate stem who once picked goes limp very quickly. I have many fond memories and have learned many lessons from what some view as a weed. When I was a little girl I would pick these for my grandmother she would delight in the sight of my face smiling handing her a full bouquet. She would place it in a crystal vase. Within hours they would wilt, however it was not the time the bouquet was there but the heart that went into the bouquets that mattered. I try to always remember this valuable lesson. Give from the heart what you can and always delight in the offerings of others. The dandelion can be used medicinally as well Dandelion Health Benefits | Almanac.com making it a pretty versatile flora. Whatever the symbolism of the dandelion means to you The Meaning Of Dandelions and Symbolism I take joy in welcoming the dandelion and making my wish. Today I wish you all a wonderful day filled with flowers that are weeds and weeds that are flowers and the mindfulness to choose what you see in this moment!

A day to celebrate the men in our lives who have fathered children. Starting with Mr. Mindful Traveller who has always been there for his children since day one. To the dads that have taken on the responsibility of raising a child that they treat like their own and everything in between. I am blessed to have been surrounded by respectful dedicated men that make every day better because they care. No matter if your Father has passed or whether they are someone that reminds you of what fatherhood represents, chosen or biological I am mindful of the great fathers that deserve recognition today. Be mindful today and take time to thank someone that you feel is doing a great job being a father. Thank you to all the great father’s out there, you are deeply loved.

All too often we buy something that we consider special, for it to sit unused. This could be a specialty food or drink but could also include clothing or dinnerware. Use it! Everyday is a day to celebrate, to eat those chocolates you bought on a trip to Switzerland or the Port brought back from Portugal. Serve yourself on that beautiful dish that you got as a gift from Greece. Wear those beautiful Italian leather shoes. Your life is special every day and everyday you can celebrate you. Take time weekly at least to celebrate the good stuff! Be mindful as you remember where these special things came from, Were they a gift or a souvenir? Who was with you when you bought or received this special item? How does this item make you feel? Nostalgia is also a special gift we give ourselves!