Be Part Of The Contrast

Posted January 12, 2012 By Ande and has 4 comments.

A lot of us try to control our lives and the lives of those around us, We put an enormous amount of effort into getting things to go our way. But we’re fighting a losing battle because our world isn’t supposed to be homogenous.

Joyful Springers are part of the contrast. They understand that they live in a universe of opposites — of black and white, good and bad — and it’s the balance of those opposites that creates the beauty and wonder of life.

Instead of trying to fit in or get the world around you to fit some standard you’ve chosen, how about just letting things unfold as they will? When you do this, you trust the Divine Force of our universe to take all the delightful contrast and create a perfect balance.

[Ritz is back. Isn't Joan Howe's beauty gorgeous in the snow? ]

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Categories: Acceptance, Balance, Springer Spaniel, Trust

Tags: allowing, contrast, Dogs, English springer spaniel, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers

Fixate Your Own Way

Posted January 9, 2012 By Ande and has 5 comments.

Trends and fads happen when a whole society is encouraged to focus on something in particular. Often, if we choose to look another way, we’re labeled as “out of it” or “old-fashioned” or “backwards.”

Joyful Springers fixate their own way. They don’t care about how others label them, and they don’t care about trends. They follow their inner guidance wherever it leads.

When you let the outside world tell you what to pay attention to, you’re giving away your power. You have a divine strength within you that knows what you need to focus on. Trust that guidance.

[Pump and Butch and Marty are back. Their momma, Helen Gibbons, probably wanted a nice face-forward photo, but Butch and Marty chose their own focus. Good for them! ]

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Categories: Authenticity, Focus, Freedom, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Dogs, English springer spaniel, Focus, inner guidance, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers

Wrap Yourself In Crimson Splendor

Posted January 3, 2012 By Ande and has 3 comments.

Ancient Roman poet, Horace wrote, “It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity.”

Joyful Springers wrap themselves in crimson splendor. They leap into every new year with the courage to create wonder in their lives.

You can go into 2012 timidly, afraid of what goes wrong. Or you can prance into 2012 courageously, knowing you always have the power to transform wrongs into rights.

[Sweet Pea is back. She looks gorgeous in crimson, doesn't she? ]

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Categories: Confidence, Courage, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Confidence, Courage, crimson splendor, Dogs, English springer spaniel, horace, new year, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers

Be Your Own Party

Posted December 31, 2011 By Ande and has 7 comments.

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! ]

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Categories: Appreciation, Feeling Good, Focus, Fun, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Appreciation, celebration, Dogs, English springer spaniel, Feeling Good, focus on the good, new years resolutions, party, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers

Use What You Get

Posted December 27, 2011 By Ande and has 4 comments.

The presents have been opened. Did you get what you wanted? Or are you wishing for something else?

Joyful Springers use what they get. They may have wants that haven’t yet been fulfilled, but in the meantime, they have a ball with whatever they have received from the universe (and from their loved ones).

The truth is you’ll never get everything you want because part of life is generating new desires all the time. So never lament what you haven’t gotten. Just have fun with what you did get. When you do, more will be on its way to you in no time.

[Mattie's back. Brenda's lovely girl obviously understands how to get the most enjoyment out of what she gets. ]

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Categories: Abundance, Appreciation, Fun, Giving, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Acceptance, Appreciation, Dogs, English springer spaniel, presents, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers

Remember You Have Backlighting

Posted December 25, 2011 By Ande and has 4 comments.

Around Christmastime, we often remember we’re surrounded by what many people call angels … a Divine energy that has our best interests always in mind. The rest of the year, we sometimes forget.

Joyful Springers remember they have backlighting. They are always aware of the Divine glow that shines behind and around them.

Today, and every day of the year, you are nestled in the pure, glowing light of the Divine. When you can remember that, you’ll find it easier to find joy … always.

Ducky and Tim and I wish you and yours a warm and happy day celebrating whatever tradition lights you up from within and around you.

Happy Yule!

[Ducky doesn't need tree lights behind her to be lit up. She knows she's touched by Divine light ... and lots of love, always. ]

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Categories: Divine, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Christmas, divine, Dogs, English springer spaniel, spaniels, Springer Spaniel, springers, yule

Santacize To The Third Power

Posted December 21, 2011 By Ande and has 2 comments.

What comes up for you when you think of Santa? Giving? Love? Fun? How about all three?

Joyful Springers santacize to the third power. They may only don a Santa hat around Christmas, but all year round, they wear an invisible hat that reminds them to be giving, loving, and always ready for fun.

Santa doesn’t have to come around only this time of year. If you “get your Santa on,” he can hang out with you all year round. And when he does, every day can seem like Christmas.

[Sweet Pea and Poppy are back, and they have their sister, Daisy, with them. Daisy is an approximately 10-year old mixed breed. Their momma, Denise, when she sent me this photo, said, “Poppy's first Christmas is going to be a challenge. She is into everything - she's tried to make a toy out of each thing on this bench. The other two are bored with the whole thing already.” Well, they may be bored, but they sure are cute! ]

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Categories: Fun, Giving, Love

Tags: Christmas, cocker spaniel, Dogs, English springer spaniel, Fun, Giving, Love, mixed breed, santa, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers

Wear Hats That Fit Just Right

Posted December 19, 2011 By Ande and has 4 comments.

Most of us “wear a lot of hats,” in our lives. We are many things to many people. And that’s fine. But what’s not fine is when we’re being something that’s all wrong for us … no matter how much someone else needs it.

Joyful Springers wear hats that fit just right. They understand that trying to contort themselves into something that doesn’t fit isn’t going to help anyone in the long run.

Go ahead and wear all your different hats. You can play many roles and do it authentically. But when you’re doing something that feels awkward or stressful, check and make sure you’re not wearing a hat that is all wrong for you. You’ll do more good in the world when you have on a well-fitted hat.

[Ducky borrowed this hat off of a Christmas bear. It has holes for the bear's ears that also work well for Springer ears. We think it fits her perfectly. ]

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Categories: Authenticity, Giving

Tags: Authenticity, Dogs, English springer spaniel, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers, wear many hats

Get In Up To Your Armpits

Posted December 13, 2011 By Ande and has no comments yet.

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!. ]

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Categories: Courage, Feeling Good, Fun, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Dogs, English springer spaniel, failure, Feeling Good, Fun, rejection, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers, what others think

Stick Your Nose In Sparkly Stories

Posted December 10, 2011 By Ande and has 4 comments.

We tell and listen to a lot of “stories” in our lives. We tell them about ourselves (who we are and what’s going on with us) and we hear them about others (from things we read and from people we talk to). And we can choose what kind of stories we want to tell and hear.

Joyful Springers stick their noses in sparkly stories. They choose to tell what’s good about themselves and their lives, and they choose to take in only the best of what they read or hear from others.

Whatever stories you’re focusing on are creating your life. You’re living into the narratives you tell and hear. So why would you want to tell sad stories, angry stories, or scary stories? And why would you want to listen to them? When you choose upbeat stories, you choose an upbeat life.

[As you can see from the photo, Ducky had a great time reading Nancy Lucas's and her Springer, Scout's, story, The Missing Boston Terriers of Smith Street. She also enjoyed having me read to her Nancy and Scout's latest book, A Ghostly Tail.

Ducky says both of Nancy and Scout’s books are clever and cute and funny and especially wonderful because the hero in the books is a Joyful Springer. She loves the drawings in the books, which Nancy does herself.

I asked Ducky if she had any comments about A Ghostly Tail, and she said, “I’d be upset too if someone told me fluffy was stupid. I’m excited by the idea of finding pizza on the ground. I’m going to check the beach daily; maybe I’ll find some too. I’ve never met any ghosts, but I do get communications from Muggins [Ducky’s predecessor]. She taught me how to roll on dead birds on the beach. I think the story is fun. Where else can you read about a ghost wolfhound, palmetto bugs, horrid purses, and a possum named Chisolm?”

Ducky’s review may be a little disjointed, but doesn’t it make you curious about the book? You can find out more about both of Scout’s books and how to get a copy by clicking on the titles above. Oh, and Ducky says she things hard copies of the books, which you can get at Amazon.com, would make nice stocking stuffers. And so would some nice smoked pork hide chews. ]