2011 September | The Joyful Springer

Drape Yourself

Posted September 29, 2011 By Ande and has 3 comments.

The way we see ourselves is the way the world sees us. If you think you’re ugly, the people will see that ugliness. If you think you’re dumb, people will treat you like you’re dumb.

Joyful Springers drape themselves. They position themselves to look and be the way they want to look and be, and the world reflects back to them that powerful self image.

Don’t ever accept the “facts” of who you are if you don’t like those facts. Choose to believe you’re the person you want to be, and you’ll become that person because the world around you will mold itself to that image.

[Sweet Pea is back and she has her new little Cocker Spaniel sister, Poppy, with her. Poppy was born on March 1st of this year, so she and Sweet Pea are just 10 months apart in age. Their momma, Denise Niesman says, "They play A LOT and are practically inseparable. Poppy tries to imitate big sis in all things." Sweet Pea has obviously taught Poppy the important art of strategic, and cute, draping over sofa arms. Oh, and don't you love Denise's flower theme with her fur babies' names? ]

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Categories: Beauty, Focus, Self esteem, Springer Spaniel

Tags: dog, English springer spaniel, Self esteem, self image, spaniel, springer, Springer Spaniel

Floor It

Posted September 26, 2011 By Ande and has 2 comments.

Anyone who has a past without failure or disappointment in it is … well, probably a robot. Unfortunately, though, too many of us let memories of past missteps keep us from moving head with new ventures.

Joyful Springers floor it. Instead of focusing on what has gone wrong, they look up toward what could go right and then they go full speed ahead when they set a new goal.

You can be all hang dog about what hasn’t gone your way before. Or you could be bright-eyed about what just might go your way now. Try picking the bright-eyed attitude. You’ll find it revs up that go-for-it motor so you can zip toward what you want in life.

[Meet Leila. This adorable three year old, three pound Yorkie is Max's new adopted sister. (Remember Max the Yorkie from Texas?) Max's and Leila's momma, Francine says that Max is being a good boy and tolerating his new sister. How could you not love that face? ]

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Categories: Focus, Goals, Memories, Springer Spaniel, Success

Tags: dog, English springer spaniel, failure, go for it, leave the past behind, spaniel, springer, Springer Spaniel, Success

Be The Moisture

Posted September 22, 2011 By Ande and has 1 comment.

Sometimes, it can feel like life is drying up around you. Your motivation flattens. How do you perk it back up?

Joyful Springers are the moisture. They understand that by accepting the low points in life, they release pent up energy that can then burst forth into excitement for new adventures.

Not only nature has seasons. You do too. Allow yourself to “dry up” from time to time. Be willing to accept slow and idle times. When you do this, you’ll naturally access new wellsprings of enthusiasm and power.

[Pringles and Triscuit are back. This photo is their momma, Joan Howe's favorite, and you can sure see why! Joan has a great photographer's eye--she saw a perfect Springer photo setting where others might just have seen dead grass. ]

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Categories: Acceptance, Action, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Acceptance, Dogs, Energy, English springer spaniel, growth, idle times, spaniel, springador, springer, Springer Spaniel

Team It Up

Posted September 19, 2011 By Ande and has no comments yet.

Coach Vince Lombardi said,“Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

Joyful Springers team it up. They understand that they multiply their personal energy tenfold when they combine it with others who are heading in the same direction they are.

Whatever you can do on your own you can do even better when you hook up with a friend or two. If you have an idea for a new project or business, don’t hoard it. Share it, and let the energy of a team carry it to places you never thought were possible.

[Pump and Butch are back, and they would like to introduce their new foster? brother, Jeter. Jeter is an adorable "Springador" puppy. He's a Springer/labrador mix. Obviously, he quickly figured out how to be part of a team. I said Jeter is a foster? brother because that's the current plan, but Pump's and Butch's mom, Helen, said they've become pretty attached to the fella. So we'll see. ]

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Categories: Connecting, Creativity, Dreams, Relationships, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Connecting, cooperation, Dogs, English springer spaniel, spaniel, springador, springer, Springer Spaniel, team, team effort, vince lombardi

Be Big And Little

Posted September 17, 2011 By Ande and has 2 comments.

Today’s media, which entreats us to “live large,” would have us believe we need to be big and powerful all the time. But that’s not true. Although sometimes, we do need to be more than we ever thought we could be, sometimes, we need to pull in and be small and humble.

Joyful Springers are big and little. They understand that real power doesn’t come from trying to live large all the time. Instead it comes from having the capacity to expand and contract as necessary depending on the situation.

No one can be a “big dog” all the time. And no one should be small all the time either. Allow your energy and your heart to grow and shrink as necessary to deal with life’s situations. When you trust yourself, you’ll naturally stand tall and strong OR shrink into yourself at just the right times.

[River and Henry are back. River was a year old and Henry was 10 1/2 weeks old in this photo. They make a perfect "big and little" portrait, don't they? ]

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Categories: Authenticity, Springer Spaniel, Trust

Tags: big and powerful, Dogs, English springer spaniel, live large, spaniels, Springer Spaniel, springers, Trust

Be Quiet In Class

Posted September 15, 2011 By Ande and has 2 comments.

Kids going back to school this month aren’t the only ones in class. The world around you is a continuous classroom. There’s so much you can learn if you’re paying attention. But if you’re busy chattering away in your head, you won’t notice what the world has to teach you.

Joyful Springers are quiet in class. They know that in order to learn life’s lessons, they need to quiet their minds, still that inner voice that can drown out all the wise lessons daily experiences have to offer.

Today, instead of indulging in “mind talk” all day long–rerun thoughts about past events or worries about the future, pause often just to breathe and find inner silence. When you do that, you’ll discover that what’s going on around you often has profound and life-changing truths that will enrich you immeasurably.

[Ruffles is back. Her momma, Joan Howe, says the publisher of the book, "Bad Dogs" asked to use this photo in the book, but Joan refused. Joan said Ruffles is NOT a bad dog. She only wore a dunce hat because her momma wanted her to. Ruffles is a GOOD dog! ]

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Categories: Self talk, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Dogs, English springer spaniel, inner silence, mind chatter, spaniels, Springer Spaniel, springers

Touch The Truth Of The Trunk

Posted September 12, 2011 By Ande and has 4 comments.

Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu wrote, “A tree trunk the size of a man grows from a blade as thin as a hair. A tower nine stories high is built from a small heap of earth.”

Joyful Springers touch the truth of the trunk. They know that even if all they have now is a whisper of an idea or desire, that whisper can crescendo into the symphony of full creation.

Sometimes when our notions are nothing more than a murmur in our thoughts, it’s tempting to dismiss them as “pie in the sky” “impossible dreams.” But every magnificent success starts as one of those insignificant murmurs. When you live each day in awareness that your little thoughts can grow into big experiences, you get in touch with a power of creation that will help you achieve great things.

[Mattie's back! Brenda McGee's gorgeous girl is obviously in "touch" with the truth of the trunk. Actually, she's keeping an eye on critters in her yard, but she has a deeply philosophical side too. ]

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Categories: Dreams, Growth, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Create your reality, Dogs, dreams lao tzu, English springer spaniel, spaniels, Springer Spaniel, springers

Be A Backstop

Posted September 10, 2011 By Ande and has 3 comments.

So someone you know is taking a “crazy risk.” What should you do?

Joyful Springers are a backstop. They know it’s not for them to judge whether someone is making a good choice, but instead it is for them to provide support and encouragement to people going after a dream.

Even if your instinct is to warn your loved ones of potential disaster when they put themselves out there in life or love, keep those warnings to yourself. Instead, offer a little understanding and a lot of faith. Sometimes the difference between a person’s success or failure is having someone believe in them.

[Steeler is back. And he's with his momma, Debbie's, grandson, Rylan (5 1/2 months old in the photo). Steeler obviously knows how to be a backstop. ]

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Categories: Dreams, Friendship, Relationships, Springer Spaniel

Tags: encouragement, English springer spaniel, going after dreams, spaniels, Springer Spaniel, springers, support

Be Around Yourself

Posted September 7, 2011 By Ande and has no comments yet.

Of course you want to be there for others, but something more important must come first.

Joyful Springers are around themselves. They know that before they can help anyone, they must put their comfort and needs at the top of their priority list.

It’s not selfish to make yourself number one. In fact, if you’re giving to others without giving to yourself first, you’re not giving others as much as you think you are. The greatest gift you can give is the fullness of who you are, and that can only happen when you having a loving, caring relationship with YOU before all else.

[Kabobby Doll is back. This adorable sweetie belongs to Stacy Klesen and he's growing up fast in Atlanta!]

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Categories: Giving, Self care, Springer Spaniel

Tags: cat, help others, kitten, self care, your own needs

Practice Watchfulness

Posted September 5, 2011 By Ande and has 4 comments.

Most of us live inside of narrow perspectives, and it’s through those perspectives that we see the world.

Joyful Springers practice watchfulness. They want to see anything and everything because they understand that solutions to problems and opportunities for triumph may lay just beyond routine ways of seeing the world.

Often, what you need is right there in front of you, but you don’t see it because you’re not looking for it. When you get in the habit of watching for unusual and new ideas and experiences and people, you often find just what you want in delightfully unexpected places.

[Ducky practices watchfulness daily! She likes to hang over the back of the sofa to watch us when we're in the kitchen. She's an excellent meal supervisor and enthusiastic taste tester too (she loves getting bites of raw veggies when we're chopping). ]

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Categories: Focus, Perspective, Springer Spaniel

Tags: English springer spaniel, Focus, look for solutions, Perspective, spaniels, Springer Spaniel, springers

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