High Tides & Good Vibes

We caught up with Life is Good Brand Ambassador Maddie Rice, who lives full-time in Oahu, Hawaii, to learn all about the island life, how she spends a typical day in paradise, what keeps her optimistic, and how she handles the unexpected struggles that inevitably come her way.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I like to start my day with a morning routine that energizes and inspires me. The first thing I do each morning is meditate for twenty minutes followed by a fresh pressed juice (watermelon, pineapple, lemon, and lime has been my favorite lately). I’ll journal while drinking my juice outside on our lanai so I can listen to the birds and watch the sunrise from our house. On the weekends, I like to finish up my morning routine with a dip in the tidepools right down the road. I try to spend the majority of my day outside either freediving, surfing, hiking, or reading at the beach. No matter the weather, I make a point of ending everyday at the beach watching the sunset. It’s the perfect way to wrap up the day in gratitude.

Why did you want to become a Life is Good Brand Ambassador? Tell us a little more about your connection to optimism!

Growing up in an outdoorsy family, my parents had us all in Life is Good gear from before I can even remember. They made sure that we spent as much time as possible playing outside and around all aspects of nature. I think a lot of my optimism, as well as my love for the Life is Good lifestyle comes from my family. We’re incredibly close knit and spent almost all of our weekends together traveling through the North East while growing up. Anytime something unexpected would happen my parents made sure that we saw the silver lining.

One time our truck broke down in a snowstorm and we had to sleep in the truck overnight before anyone was able to come help. Rather than letting that ruin our trip, my parents reminded us how lucky we were that we broke down near a rest stop, were all safe, and were still on our way to a snowboarding trip. That type of optimism has always stuck with me. I truly believe that what you focus your energy on shapes your life, so I try to stay as optimistic as possible, no matter the situation.

What’s your favorite thing about living in Hawaii?

There’s so many amazing things to love about living in Hawai’i, most people would think my favorite part would be the amazing beaches, crystal clear water, or the breathtaking landscapes. None of those are my absolute favorite part though, the thing I love the most will always be that no matter how my day goes, I can end it doing something I love. It’s so easy to make the most of your day, even if it started off on the wrong foot. Sometimes I’ll have a bad day at work, but I’m able to end it with a sunset swim, hike, or kayak and all of a sudden it feels as though I’ve had the best day. Getting out in nature, even if it’s just an adventure that lasts a few hours, has the ability to so easily turn my day around. It’s so easy to truly Seas the Day here in Hawai’i by emerging yourself in all the beauty this island has to offer.

Tell us about a recent challenge or setback you experienced, and what you did to cope:

I’m someone who struggles with my body image, and it probably doesn’t help that I live my life in a bikini surrounded by the most beautiful women in the world. Some days I feel amazing and some days I feel bad, but I was recently told that every time you think something negative about yourself, come up with three things you love about yourself and say them out loud. It feels silly the first few times, but I’ve gotta say it really does make a difference. I’m already catching myself thinking negatively, and transitioning those thoughts into positive ones. It’s helped me realize how circumstantial the things I hate about myself are. This exercise helped me realize how completely made up all of my insecurities are and that they’re entirely dependent on how I’m feeling that day. So, go easy on yourself and remember you’re so much more than the body you’re in. And I think you’re pretty amazing.

How do you plan to “seas the day” this summer?

As someone who gets summer’s off from work, I definitely plan to “seas the day” every day this summer. Where I live, we get massive waves during the winter months, but the ocean is as flat as a lake and crystal clear during the summer. I plan to take full advantage of this and spend as much time as possible in the sun and under the water. My favorite part about summer is that I can ride my bike just about everywhere that I need to go, which is another way I’ll “seas the day” this summer. Riding my bike makes it so much easier to soak up the beauty around me and be present on all of my adventures. Knowing that the ocean will only be flat for the summer encourages me to “seas the day” each and every day of the summer.

Tell us about your ideal beach day! Who and what do you bring with you, and what do you do?

My perfect beach day starts bright and early and lasts until the sun sets. There’s nothing I love more than spending the entire day at the beach with friends. We would bring our diving gear, surfboards, books, and tubes to keep us entertained all day long. My favorite part of any beach day is catching party waves while out surfing with my friends and then spending the rest of the day soaking up the sunshine while playing in the ocean. There’s lots of laughter, everyone brings their dogs with them, and plenty of yummy fresh fruit and smoothies to keep us cool. There are cute umbrellas set up to provide shade for the pups and food and shelter us just in case a rain shower comes through that would hopefully bring a rainbow!

Finish this sentence: “Life is Good because...”

Life is Good because I take time to see the beauty in all parts of my day.

Shop Maddie's “seas the day" look