When you look for joy, you find it.
[Ducky loves watching YouTube videos that feature dogs, so that's what she focuses on. 
]
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.
[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! ]
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!. ]
Slurrrrrrp! Rarely do you hear this sound except when someone is savoring the pleasure of something yummy.
Joyful Springers slurp often. They understand that every part of life has yumminess in it, and the best way to remind yourself of that is to go into everything with a “what’s here to slurp?” attitude.
Even the things we dread, even our biggest challenges, even our most emotional moments have something in them to savor. Getting in the habit of making a little slurp sound now then can remind you to look for the tasty aspects of all of your experiences.
[Nellie's back. Betsy Kiehl's sweetie recently turned two years old, and she's slurping up the fun. Betsy said Nellie was born in the same month that Betsy's last beloved Springer, Charlie, was born. So she was born the same month and year that Charlie died. I often think that our older dogs somehow pave the way for their replacements before they leave. Betsy says that Nellie has helped ease the heartbreak of losing Charlie. I know what she means because Ducky has done the same, helping Tim and me through the loss of our Muggins.]
The term “just ducky” is a marvelous U.K. expression that means excellent, fine, and wonderful.
Joyful Springers have a just ducky attitude. They are so tuned into the best moments in life that their lives naturally ARE excellent, fine, and wonderful.
Excellence in experiences isn’t something you stumble upon if you’re lucky. It’s something you choose by the power of your focus. You can always choose to focus on life’s ducky moments.
[Pump is back. I had to break tradition today and include all four pictures her momma, Helen Gibson, sent me that captured Pump's 2008 birthday celebration. Pump loves rubber ducks, Helen says. So they gave her a Rubber Ducky Birthday party that they dubbed the "Lucky Ducky" party. Helen told me that Pump “has ducks of all colors--pink, blue etc!” Helen wrote, “It was her first B-day party after adoption...her first year on earth! We taught her that life is ducky!!! She didn't know that as a rescue and in her past life. She is in the blue hat. She does have the matching coat … for another time.” Because Ducky's full name is “Woodridge's Life is Jusducky,” I had to include this series as photos celebrating the idea that life IS just ducky! ]
Are you waiting for your outer circumstances to suit you before you feel good? You may wait a long time.
Joyful Springers have a tropical temperament. They know they don’t need to have the world be a specific way to feel what they want to feel.
If you want to experience the peace and fun that tropical vacations conjure, don’t think you have to take a Caribbean cruise to get what you want. Just CHOOSE to feel relaxed and happy now.
[Meet Delta. This sweet five-year old from Monroe, Wisconsin, loves the snow and obviously has a keen fashion sense. Her momma, Joan Howe, says that last winter, "If she wasn't chasing through it (with a toy) (notice her toy matches her coat), she was rolling in it and coming in the house, completely covered in snow." I don't usually put snow pictures in the summer, but I thought the outfit screamed "summer." Thanks, Delta, for being a Guest Star on The Joyful Springer.]
You’ve heard of getting your groove on, right?
Joyful Springers get their bunny on. They know they can get in a hopping great mood just by acting as if they have an ear for only the good stuff in their world.
Getting your bunny on is a attitude of positive expectation and an energetic leap into the best parts of every day. It’s something you can choose to do right now (furry pink ears are optional).
[Mattie is back. Brenda's lovely lady was kind enough to "get her bunny on" and pose for photos on a recent sunny North Carolina day ... even though Mattie knows she doesn't need the ears to hop into great fun. ]
We think we need a reason to laugh. We don’t.
Joyful Springers put their paws on ho, ho, ho. They laugh for no reason … just because it feels good.
Research has shown that when you go through the motions of laughing, in a very short time, you start laughing for real. So belt out a good “Ho, ho, ho” today. Let the action of laughing help you discover the delight in your life.
[Nana's back. This one-year old cutie (just a babe in this photo) belongs to Kevin and Kevin and Katie Crews of Fort Hood, Texas. Thanks, Nana, for guest starring again on The Joyful Springer.]
Ever noticed how some people always bring you down while others always lift you up?
We are energetic beings. Everywhere we go, our energy touches what’s around us. When we feel good, our energy vibrates at a high frequency that creates good feelings in those around us. When we feel bad, our low frequency energy poisons everything we encounter.
Joyful Springers leave a happy wake. They always find reasons to feel good so they share positive vibrations with everyone they encounter.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not selfish to feel good. The better you feel, the better others will feel when they’re around you. Reach for good feeling thoughts so you can have a positive impact on your world.
[Ducky leaves a wake behind in the water and everywhere else she goes. She always makes an impression.]
Sometimes it can feel like what we want is very far away. Though we used to have a clear vision of our dream, now we can barely see it. When this happens, we have to find a way to get our goal back in focus.
Joyful Springers peek through the slats. By looking for things to appreciate and things that feel good, they find the path of least resistance to get their focus back on what they want.
When a dream is a long time coming, your disappointment puts you out of vibrational sync with what you want. Appreciating and doing things that make you feel good help you get in vibrational alignment with your desires again. Once you’re in alignment, you can put your happy focus back on what you want and watch it appear in your life.
[Murphy and Ollie are back. Lee Linenbergs boys work together to keep an eye on their domain. Thanks, Murphy and Ollie, for guest starring again on The Joyful Springer.]
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