Amy Bebo
Cedar House Media
Dana Damara
Michele and Brian Larsen
Carol McKeag, CPC
Jennifer Powers
Cherie Waatti
Zen Flow Yoga

Thank you all for starting 2012 by helping us spread joy, optimism and inspiration! Thank you, thank you!

I am grateful for water. World Gratitude Day

September 21st was World Gratitude Day.  We took the opportunity to express gratitude for some things on a walk through Portland, Oregon:

• water at a public drinking fountain
• books at the public library
• farmers at a farmers market
• public art at a mural
• public transportation at a bus stop
• Goodwill (and goodwill) at a Goodwill storefront

Image by SnoShuu (flickr.com/photos/snoshuu)

One of the best ways to keep on the journey of joy is to be grateful.  Every day. For every thing.

Everything.

You may have heard about the concept of keeping a gratitude journal. I first learned about it from Sarah Ban Breathnach in her fabulous book, Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy.  I started keeping one on her advice four years ago and it has made a world of difference. I’m such a believer in the practice of gratitude that I’ve started my kids (8 and 10 years old) on their own gratitude journals, which they write in at least 5 days a week.

I think Meister Eckhart was onto something when he said, “If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.”

Just so happens that today is World Gratitude Day. Here’s what you can do to celebrate:

1. Be grateful!
2. At 12 noon EDT, 11am CDT, and 9am PDT, say THANK YOU to the people in your environment.
3. Post on your Facebook page, what you are grateful for and why.

We're 1!

Although The Joy Team truly began with a mother and her daughter spreading messages of joy, optimism and inspiration across Portland and Vancouver in November of 2009; the official beginning of The Joy Team as a non-profit corporation in the state of Washington began on February 19, 2010. One year ago today.

With the mission of spreading joy, optimism and inspiration to millions, we’ve done a lot in our first year.  In 2010, along with our 29 members and with the generous support of Clear Channel Outdoor Portland, we put up 28 billboards, effectively putting 25.9 million seeds of joy out into the world. Founder Michele McKeag Larsen has spoken about joy to a group of Girl Scout trainers, the job club at the Easter Seals, a first grade class at Hough Elementary, and a book release party for yogini Dana Layon. We created free holiday greeting cards for people with their own virtual billboard of joy. And early this year we created a directory of organizations working for joy, kindness and love: the Joy, Kindness & Love directory.

THANK YOU for all you’ve done to help support and encourage The Joy Team in our first year with our mission of spreading joy, optimism and inspiration to millions.  We couldn’t do it without you. Thank you, thank you.

We look forward to our second year with great excitement and optimism. Plans are in the works for this year’s joy campaigns, and we believe you’ll see our messages of joy, optimism and inspiration in more places in 2011. Want to be part of it?

Joy Overstreet

We joyfully welcome our very 1st new member of The Joy Team for 2011: Joy Overstreet of Joyful Spaces.

The JOY Team. JOY Overstreet. JOYful Spaces.  I think it was meant to be.  Don’t you?

Thanks oodles, Joy, for being our 1st new member of 2011!  And for all you do to spread joy in the world!

P.S. You can also find Joyful Spaces in our new directory for Joy, Kindness & Love.  Listed in the JOY category, of course.

Thank you, Robert, for helping us to spread joy, optimism and inspiration to millions!

Welcome to our newest member, Nel Rand!

Thank you for helping us spread joy, optimism and inspiration to millions!

Thank you, Lori, for helping us spread joy, optimism and inspiration to millions!

Holiday JOY Photo Shoot

The Holiday JOY Photo Shoot was fabulous! Even in freezing temperatures and rain.

Thank you Kate Singh for your amazing photographic talent, Veronika Noize for all your help and unending support, Carol McKeag and Patrick Mcgillivary for staying for hours and bringing goodies, Brian Larsen for setting up the easy-ups (life-saving easy-ups!) and Olga Lafayette for bringing us cayenne infused hot chocolate to keep us warm. And THANK YOU to everyone who came out in inclement weather to get their holiday photos of JOY!

Photos will be emailed soon!

FREE poster samples

Yesterday we got some love from Kenda Harris; which reminded us about the FREE posters you can print out and put up to spread joy at work, school, home or anywhere!

I just love your organization and the fantastic messages that are out there. I drive by them and just smile…I’ve also printed out a number of these posters to strategically place around work…so great when you hear people saying positive things and smiling when they see them!
-Kenda Harris 9/14/10

Thank YOU, Kenda, for spreading joy.

So, what are you waiting for? Print out a poster or two and put it up.  If you send us a photo and let us know where you’re spreading joy, we’ll post it here and share it.

And remember, there’s a co-branding option for each poster with blank space for you to add your own message or logo on the bottom. How cool is that?