The 'happiness warrior' shares tips for staying active and positive while traveling

Oakland, Calif. - Summer travel season is here, and with it comes long flights, road trips, and the temptation to abandon healthy routines.

Wellness coach Eric North says it doesn't have to be that way.

A simple shift

What they're saying:

North, known as "the happiness warrior," is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who coaches people on building strength, energy, and positivity at any age and any ability level. 

He says staying well on the road starts with a simple mindset shift.

"I woke up this morning — good morning, Eric, it's going to be a great day," North said. "And it was bleary. I had 4:30 this morning here in the Bay, and it was the sunrise, it was beautiful, and I was just like, this is going to be a great day."

North arrived in the Bay Area after a grueling travel day that included a six-and-a-half-hour layover in Dallas. 

His first move upon waking wasn't coffee — it was water and movement.

"I always hydrate. I always have water before I have coffee," he said. "These 20 or 30 minutes, just get your body kind of rolling, hydrate your organs, get everything kind of feeling good. Then you can start moving around."

Movement therapy

What you can do:

North practices what he calls movement therapy — slow, deliberate movements inspired by Tai Chi, including shoulder drops and shoulder rolls.

"They lower our blood pressure, they lower our heart rate, they make us start feeling good, and they can energize you at any time of day," he said.

For vacationers who tend to overeat, stay out late, or skip their usual routines, North says the key is keeping at least one healthy habit alive — and the most important one is movement.

"Make yourself a promise. If you have healthy habits already established, continue at least one of those," he said. "Go for a walk when you're in some place new. That's how you really experience a place too, by just walking and seeing on the ground. It helps our metabolism, and even a short walk after every meal makes a huge difference."

When it comes to food, North says he always keeps basics on hand.

"I always have bananas and apples in my backpack," he said. "Have a little platform of something good and basic that's going to help us thrive — and then have all the fun stuff too."

North says the happiness mindset applies to kids as well as adults, and encourages parents to start the day with their children the same way he starts his own.

He is currently working on a book and is active on Instagram at @thehappinesswarriorofficial.