The title is a quote I saw somewhere that I take some issue with. Its like the “Happy Vibes Only” idea. Its nice in theory, but its ableist as heck. For those of us with an anxiety disorder, its not possible to always be present and always be happy. But it is something worthy of trying for. Not always succeeding is not the same as failing.
I do like to strive to keep myself present and appreciative. It doesnt always work, but thats ok! Roadtrips are the perfect opportunity to practice being present and positive. On a day like this one, where I didn’t have a ton of miles to cover, saying yes to every detour is a great way to spend the day.
I got the dogs up from their cozy slumber (seriously, they were more intent on sleep than I was), and we took a lovely little hike in the woods. I collected some acorns to add to my happy shelf in my car (more on that at another time) and the dogs enjoyed sniffing all the things.
We hit the road and traveled to St Louis, MO where I visited The Mud House for coffee and food. (Thumbs up)
And the rest of the day was spent wandering on and off of Historic Route 66. Little towns, quiet roads, busy highway, antique malls, lots of murals and just a whole lot of quirky fun. I think the dogs had as much fun as I did, though the did drop and rest a few times when I was too stationary at an antique mall.
Knowing that I had plenty of time to do whatever I wanted and that I had a hotel booked for the night (it was getting too hot to camp with old doggos) and didnt have to get to a campsite in daylight hours, I felt at ease just wandering around without a care in the world. My anxiety didnt really have any opportunities to bring me down. Present, positive and Adventurous.
