3 Beaver Secrets to Beat the Summer Heat and Live Happier

August 23, 2026August 23, 2026Posted by Steve BlaisingLeave a comment

Want to beat the summer heat? Beavers may know more about staying cool than we do.

Their secret isn’t air conditioning. It’s planning.

A beaver lodge offers three surprisingly useful lessons for surviving a scorching summer, much less a scorching life.

Build in the right place, use what you have wisely, protect your family, and think beyond today.

Beaver lodge summer heat — A beaver lodge on Lake Athens offers three surprising lessons for beating the summer heat. Photo by Steve Blaising.

So what can a beaver teach us about surviving the heat and building a happier life?

Tags: Beavers, Happiness, Planning, Summer

What America’s 250th Anniversary Can Teach Us About Happiness

June 28, 2026August 13, 2026Posted by Steve BlaisingLeave a comment

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, imagine being free from the hate, cynicism, and anger choking our nation.

Are you open-minded to a fresh revelation from the Declaration of Independence?

Millions of people are reflecting on what has made this nation unique. Political opinions differ. Cultural views differ. Yet one phrase from the Declaration of Independence continues to unite Americans across generations: the pursuit of happiness.

America's 250th anniversary Declaration — America’s 250th anniversary and the Declaration of Independence. Andrea Izzotti/Getty Images

Tags: Happiness

Grab three beach treasures for lifelong happiness

April 27, 2026April 27, 2026Posted by Steve BlaisingLeave a comment

The beach teaches us simple habits that lead to lasting happiness.

Beach happiness resort view — Beach moments that remind us what happiness looks like

Umbrellas. Pools. Tides. Footprints. Sun. Wind. Water. Sand. Dolphins.

What can the beach teach us about happiness?
Here are three lessons you can carry into everyday life.

Tags: Happiness

How Do You Know You’re Living Your Best Life?

March 5, 2024August 13, 2026Posted by Steve Blaising2 Comments

What does living your best life really mean?

Pleasure? Success? Money? Purpose? Faith?

Oscar Wilde, Aristotle, Buddha and Jesus offered radically different answers.

Living your best life — What makes a life worth living?/Unsplash

It’s a question people have wrestled with for centuries.

The most popular humanities course at Yale University explores this in a class entitled, “Life Worth Living.” Multiple professors teach it.

They compare how the great philosophies answer these questions.

What makes a life worth living?
What is worth chasing?
Are the things we want really worth having?
How do we know if we’re headed toward a flourishing life?

How you answer may determine whether you look back on life with satisfaction or regret.

But first, there’s another question.

Tags: Happiness, Purpose, Regret

Tap Into Everyday Happiness with Three Secrets Trees Teach

January 31, 2022July 2, 2026Posted by Steve Blaising2 Comments

Happiness often eludes us because we overlook the life lessons trees teach.

Over the years, the trees around Lake Athens have continued to remind me of these timeless lessons, in every season.

Everyday happiness through trees — Trees quietly teach resilience, connection, and everyday happiness.

Why not soak up the happy habits of trees and plant them in your soul?

Tags: Happiness

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Looking forward to sharing with you.