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

Join The Jolly Clique

Posted December 23, 2011 By Ande and has no comments yet.

Is laughter a big part of your life … or not?

Joyful Springers join the jolly clique. As if Santa was at their backs, they frequently laugh so hard their bellies shake like bowls full of jelly. They also seek out others who love to laugh, and they share their laughter so easily that they inspire others to laugh.

Laughter has some powerful health benefits: it boosts immunity, it lowers stress hormones, it can decrease pain, it relaxes your muscles, and it can prevent heart disease. So give yourself, and others, the gift of some Santa-inspired jolly belly laughs as often as possible. Life is a lot more fun if you choose ho, ho, ho over oh no, oh no, oh no.

[Pump, Butch, and Jeter are back. These North Carolina beauties (their momma, Helen, calls them "the 3-pack") are definitely "in" the Santa crowd. Santa is Helen's and her husband, Rich's, friend, Bill.]

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Categories: Fun, Joy

Tags: English springer spaniel, jolly, laughter, santa, spaniels, springer spaniels, springers

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. ]

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Categories: Create your reality

Tags: Dogs, English springer spaniel, life narrative, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers, stories, tell your story

Goldilocks Your Life

Posted December 8, 2011 By Ande and has 1 comment.

Sometimes, during the holidays, we try a little too hard.

Joyful Springers Goldilocks their lives. They decide that whatever is going on is “just right,” instead of pushing for perfection.

You don’t need the perfect decorations or the perfect party or the perfect gift or the perfect cards or the perfect anything to have a wonderful time. You can choose to believe that whatever you do and whatever you have is “just right.” And when you do, it will be.

[Ruffles is back. Her momma, Joan Howe says that though Ruffles doesn’t look all that happy in this photo, she was a good sport about it. Joan worked hard at this photo. She had to find 3 sizes of bears and different colors of bowls. She died a floor mop yellow for “Goldilocks”’ hair. Joan says, “Ruffles was my dog-agility dog, my close friend, and my subject of many photos (close friend comes first).”]

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Categories: Abundance, Acceptance, Springer Spaniel

Tags: Acceptance, Dogs, English springer spaniel, goldilocks, holiday stress, just right, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers, the holidays

Plow The Way

Posted December 6, 2011 By Ande and has no comments yet.

Sometimes, when we have a lot to do, it can feel like we’re buried in deep snow

Joyful Springers plow the way. They take one task at a time and push through them, one in front of the other, to get enough momentum to churn through even the longest “to do” list.

Feeling a little snowed in by your responsibilities? Stop thinking about everything you have to do. Just think about the next thing. When you keep your attention and energy on the next thing, each thing you do will lead you to the next until you’ve blasted through your obligations and found the joy in your days.

[Snickers is back. Darlene Hoffman's handsome guy can plow his way through anything. ]

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Categories: Focus, Responsibility, Springer Spaniel

Tags: bre present, Dogs, English springer spaniel, one task at a time, responsiblities, spaniel, Springer Spaniel, springers, to do list

Break Through

Posted December 1, 2011 By Ande and has 4 comments.

Most big projects have a point in the middle of them where there seems to be an immovable wall. It’s the point where we get tempted to give up.

Joyful Springers break through. They understand that the “wall” that stands between them and their success is as insubstantial as powdery new snow; all they have to do is burst forward with enthusiasm and they’ll reach their goal.

Whenever you’re tempted to abandon a long-term goal, remember how insubstantial that wall you’ve hit really is. Take your attention off how “hard” the way ahead seems to be and put your thoughts on the end result. This will give you the strength to bust past the wall and melt away all obstacles.

[Jackie is back. This gorgeous girl moved from California to Illinois last winter, and she has a BLAST in the snow. ]

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Categories: Goals, Obstacles, Springer Spaniel

Tags: break though, English springer spaniel, enthusiasm, Obstacles, spaniels, Springer Spaniel, springers

Rumple Your Sheets

Posted November 29, 2011 By Ande and has 2 comments.

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! ]

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