Never underestimate the power of your nose to make you feel better.
Joyful Springers treat themselves with aromatherapy. They understand that scents can be soothing, healing, or rejuvenating.
Aromatherapy is a gentle, enjoyable way to nurture yourself and improve your life.
[Pump is back. This gorgeous four year old from North Carolina loves sniff out new things. 
]
We expect a lot of brains everyday, and we tend to take them for granted.
Joyful Springers support their heads. They eat well, challenge themselves to learn new things, and make sure they have plenty of de-stressing time so they can keep their brain cells in optimal condition.
Your brain works hard for you, so take care of it. Nourish your brain cells with healthy food, interesting challenges, and lots of restful sleep and fun activities. You’ll find that when you do this, you’ll think more clearly, and you’ll be more creative.
[Snickers is back. This ten-month old boy (seven months old in the photo) from Greensboro, North Carolina, recently had a little procedure that he's heard is called "neutering," but he's not sure what that means. His mom, Darlene Hoffman, says Snickers thinks the blue thing around his neck is “his royal collar! Just don't tell him what it really is.” No one here is going to tell him what really happened. 
Thanks, Snickers, for being a Guest Star on The Joyful Springer.]
Comedian Dave Barry said, “My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M’s and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.”
Seriously, who doesn’t feel a little better after a bit of cake? Eating healthy is important, yes, but too much of anything, including healthy food, can be detrimental to our well being.
Joyful Springers eat cake. They know it’s important to balance their healthy eating habits with a little bit of fun for their taste buds.
Are you being a little too strict with your diet? Relax a little. What you eat isn’t nearly as important as how you feel. If a strict eating plan is squeezing the fun from your life, find some room in your diet for some treats.
[Ducky sure enjoyed the peanut butter and carrot birthday cake I made for her and her sisters.]
Freedom is great, but sometimes the best things in life happen inside boundaries. If, for example, you create healthy habits about what you eat or how much you exercise, you’ll feel better.
Joyful Springers establish healthy boundaries. They create habits for themselves that help them stay healthy and energetic.
Choose a few boundaries for yourself that will help you live a vibrant life.
[Ducky loves to play under our dining room chairs. It's like her very own jungle gym.]
If you have contacted me regarding a submission and haven’t heard from me within 48 hours, please contact me again. I’ve had a couple of my replies to returned to me, perhaps because of a mistyped e-mail address. I’m NOT ignoring anyone. If you contact me, I reply. So please try again.
Feeling overwhelmed?
Get out and breathe in the magical healing powers of nature.
John Muir knew of these powers. He wrote, “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.The winds will blow their own freshness into you…while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
Joyful Springers leave their cares outside in forests and fields, on beaches and in parks.
Agonizing over struggles or choices will get you nowhere good. Take the time to find your center again … in nature.
Did you know the average person has over 60,000 thoughts per day? Your mind works very hard. It deserves the occasioanal rest.
Meditation is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself, but it can be tough to do. How do you quiet that chatty mind?
Try putting your focus on one thing and one thing only. Stare at a candle flame or a flower or … a cute dog.
Joyful Springers meditate. They know that slowing down their minds relieves stress.
If you don’t meditate, give it a try. Rivet your attention on one single thing. Watch your stress level go down.
[Freckles is back again. The young, eager girl who loves the beach and the park and would be happy to take her tennis ball everywhere lives in Scotland with her devoted person, Lorna Miller. Freckles clearly has meditation mastered. Thanks, Freckles, for guest starring again on The Joyful Springer.]
Eating can be complicated. Seems like every other week, research tells us something different about what’s good and what’s bad. How do we make good choices?
We need to work with our bodies. Our bodies are a lot smarter than we think they are. If we consciously decide what we want to get from our food–enjoyment, nourishment, etc.–we can actually program our bodies to get benefit from whatever we eat.
Joyful Springers anticipate their food. They think ahead to what they want from their food and plan for just that.
Eat more consciously, and you’ll get more from your food.
We all know rocking chairs are comforting and relaxing. But did you know they can improve your health? Studies have shown that rocking chair therapy can improve post-op recovery, help Alzheimer’s and Senile Dementia patients, and it may be beneficial for children with ADHD, arthritis, back pain, and more.
Joyful Springers know they can rock their way to health. They’re all about being healthy and happy.
Get yourself a rocking chair and kick back in it. If someone gives you a hard time, tell them you’re improving your health.
[Fridolf, the Sussex spaniel from Sweden, is back. Doesn't he make you want to sack out in a rocking chair? Thanks, Fridolf, for guest starring on The Joyful Springer again.]
In 1964, Norman Cousins, author of Anatomy of an Illness, used funny movies to help him laugh his way back to good health.
Joyful Springers know that laughter is the best thing they can do for their health.
Laugh! It’s good for you!
Feel like you’re going a hundred miles an hour? Your days getting away from you?
Stop! Take a deep breath. Now take another one.
Everyone breathes (everyone alive, that is), but many of us don’t get enough oxygen because we don’t breathe deeply enough. Deep breathing can calm us, help us think more clearly, and improve our health.
Joyful Springers know they need to stop and catch their breath once in awhile.
Take in as much glorious oxygen as you can so you have more energy to enjoy life!
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