Suit Up

Suit up Ducky Suit Up

Before battle, knights put on their armor.  Before Superman leaped tall buildings, he put on his leotard and his cape.  What do you do before you go out into the world?

Joyful Springers suit up.  They slip into a vision of what they want to experience  prior to stepping out … so they more often have things go their way.

How often do you go out into the world expecting the worst?  “The traffic will be terrible.”  “I’m going to be late.”  “They’ll never say yes.”  When you precede your actions with these sorts of predictions, you’re going forth “naked,” exposing yourself to creating the very things you don’t want.  Instead of leaving yourself open to the worst, imagine yourself in a costume of triumph; envision what you want instead of what you don’t want, and be in fashion with more and more fun.

[Ducky loved playing in the bit of snow we got a couple weeks ago.  Even a few inches of the white stuff is a big deal here on the Washington Coast.  And she wants you to notice the wonderful rain suit her grandma bought for her.  Of course, Springers' coats are made for being in the outdoors, but because Ducky still wears a brace that we want to keep as dry and clean as possible, my mom paid for a very special suit for Ducky.  It's made from "Houndtex" material, which is a breathable, waterproof material like Gore-tex.

If you're curious about the Hurtta Pro Waterproof Overalls, you can check them out at Gun Dog Supply.  We're very happy with them.  They are as waterproof as they promise to be, and they do an excellent job of keeping Ducky's white feathery belly clean even when she's doing her crazy-dog romps through the mud and underbrush in the forest.  Once you get the hang of it, the overalls are reasonably easy to put on and take off.  Although they're adjustable at the waist, neck, and at the bottom of each leg, I found I needed to do a little adjustment to the front legs.  If you choose the suit's size according to the measurement chart at the site, the legs will fit to just above the dogs paws, which is fine when the dog is standing still.  But when Ducky started to run and leap, the longer legs flopped over her paws and tripped her up.  I ended up folding up the material in the front legs and sewing the folds so the front legs are much shorter.]

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Liven Up The Place

Liven up the place rudie Liven Up The Place

This time of year, the winter doldrums often are going around.  You can find yourself surrounded by people who are deadened by negativity.  How can you keep these folks from bringing you down?

Joyful Springers liven up the place.  Instead of commiserating with others, they tell positive stories and throw around compliments until everyone around them is ankle deep in feel good thoughts.

Yes, energy flows between people, and it’s possible for people who have problems to bring you down.  But it’s equally possible for you to keep your focus positive so you can lift them up.

[Rudie is back. This photo was taken last winter when he was just a couple months old. icon smile Liven Up The Place ]

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Choose Your Focus

In the new year, Joyful Springers resolve to focus on things that make them feel good. They know that what they focus on expands. 

When you look for joy, you find it.

 

Happy New Year!!

[Ducky loves watching YouTube videos that feature dogs, so that's what she focuses on.  icon smile Choose Your Focus ]

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Be Your Own Party

Be your own party Ruffles Be Your Own Party

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and other parties are great, but why wait for a get-together to have a good time?

Joyful Springers are their own party.  They know how to make every day a celebration.  They do it by combining appreciation with a focus on finding what’s right about the world around them.

As you start this new year, forget typical resolutions that you’ll probably forget about within a few weeks.  Instead, set a simple intention to go through the year in “party mode.”  Celebrate your world everyday with appreciation and the desire to find the good in your life.

May your New Year be filled with pawsitively joyful tail-wags!

[Ruffles is back. Joan Howe says her sweet girl was very brave about balloons.  And obviously, she knew how to be the star of her own party! icon smile Be Your Own Party ]

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Get In Up To Your Armpits

Get up to your armpits river Get In Up To Your Armpits

We often move through life a little too tentatively, afraid to go all out for fear of failure or rejection.

Joyful Springers get in up to their armpits.  They don’t tippy-toe through life.  They dive in and have fun without worry about what bad things could happen.

Are you holding yourself back from having a tail-wagging good time because you might look silly if you do or you might mess up?  Try letting go of the fears.  Follow your feel-good whims and have a great time.  You can never fail when you’re having fun.  And anyone who rejects a good time isn’t worth hanging around with anyway.

[River is back. Abby's 1 1/2 year old sweet girl discovered snow for the first time last winter, and she loves it!. icon smile Get In Up To Your Armpits ]

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Rumple Your Sheets

Rumple your sheets mattie Rumple Your Sheets

Things on a “to do” list can be chores or they can be an opportunity for play.

Joyful Springers rumple their sheets.   They find a way to make even the most routine tasks, like making a bed, fun.

Sometimes, as the holidays approach, we can get bogged down in the “must dos” of the season.  We began to see the holidays as a tiring burden.  This year, decide you’re going to see the coming holidays as a playground for the best time you’ve had all year … and then take that attitude into next year too.

[Mattie's back. Her momma, Brenda McGee, says that Mattie is a wonderful household helper.  She makes every chore, especially changing the linens, FUN! icon smile Rumple Your Sheets ]

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Cluster Good

Cluster TJs puppies Cluster Good

“There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead.  When she was good, she was very, very good, and when she was bad, she was horrid.”  Remember that old ditty?  It’s a great reminder of how bad draws in more bad and good draws in more good and how we can choose which clump–bad or good–we want to create.

Joyful Springers cluster good.  They consciously choose to lump together as much good as they can by refusing to linger too long on the bad things in life.

When something doesn’t go your way, you can complain about it and talk about it to whoever will listen.  But when you do that, you’re inviting more things to go wrong.  Instead of issuing that invitation, you can invite things to go right by turning your attention to what has already gone right for you.  For every “wrong” thing, if you really look, you’ll probably find dozens of right things to focus on, and when you focus on them, they bring in even more right things to a happy cluster of great experiences.

[The TJ's Bed & Biscuit rescue pups are back.  These cuties were rescued by Savings Grace Rescue of Raleigh, North Carolina, cared for at TJs and eventually placed in their forever homes.   Do they make one of the cutest clusters ever or what? icon smile Cluster Good ]

JUST A NOTE:  In the November 5 post of Ducky with her walking stick, wearing her Commando Ducky Outfit, I included a link where you can donate to the site if you want.  That link went wonky on me and didn’t work.  Several of you (thank you!) e-mailed me and asked me about it.  If you do want to donate, you can use the link that does work: Look to the right side of the Joyful Springer website, at the picture of Ducky that says, “I pose for treats. Donate to my treat fund?”  Click on that picture and it should take you to the Paypal donation page.  Thanks so much to those of you who have donated!!  Ducky has wagged herself silly in appreciation!

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Follow The Best

follow the best jacke and rudie springer spaniels Follow The Best

“Expert” advice is all around you.  And everyone you know is an “expert.”

Joyful Springers follow the best.  They only take advice from people who are living happy, fulfilling lives.  They follow positive advice, not negative warnings and dire predictions.

There’s no reason for you to recreate someone else’s negative results.  The people who try to convince you to avoid this or that are simply sharing their own misery.  Before you listen to anyone (family member, friend, OR professional), pay attention to how that person lives his or her life.  Positive, joyful people are the best people to follow!

[Rudie and Jackie are back. Rudie is a lucky young Springer because he gets to follow the best older sis around.  Jackie has been a guest star on The Joyful Springer many times; she fully embodies The Joyful Springer spirit and she's modeling it for her new little brother! icon smile Follow The Best ]

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Throw Yourself Into It

Throw yourself into it rudie and jacke springer spaniel Throw Yourself Into It

You can go through the motions.  Or you can go all out.

Joyful Springers throw themselves into it.  They know that everything is more fun when done with enthusiasm and gusto.

No matter what you’re doing today, do it as if it’s your favorite thing in the world.  You’ll be surprised at not only how much more fun you’ll have but how much faster and efficiently you’ll get things done!

[Rudie and Jackie are back. Rudie, about three months old in this photo, is definitely throwing himself into his relationship with his big sister! icon smile Throw Yourself Into It ]

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Layer Your Comfort

Layer your comfort Ducky Layer Your Comfort

“No pain, no gain”?  No way.

Nike may sell a lot of shoes with that slogan, but it’s not really the best way to live.

Joyful Springers layer their comfort.  They understand that making all aspects of their lives as comfortable as possible gives them a nice, cushy base from which to do whatever they need to do.

How comfortable is your life?  Do you make sure that you’re wearing comfortable shoes and clothes, that you have a comfortable bed, a comfortable car, a comfortable place to work, a comfortable home environment etc.?  Discomfort is draining.  When you prioritize comfort, you will have more energy for everything you do, and contrary to what Nike says, you will experience bigger gains in all parts of your life.

[I put Ducky's bed on ours while I vacuumed our bedroom floor.  She had been just lying on our bed when I put her bed there, but when I finished vacuuming, I discovered that she'd decided lying on a bed ON a bed is better than just lying on a bed ... i.e., two beds are better than one.  icon smile Layer Your Comfort ]

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