Geoffrey James, award-winning journalist and author of Inc.com’s Sales Source column, put out a list of “10 Questions That Create Success“. They’re fabulous. My favorites are:

1. Have I made certain that those I love feel loved?

2. Have I done something today that improved the world?

8. Have I helped someone less fortunate?

10. Have I felt grateful for the incredible gift of being alive?

I’d like to add one more:

11. Have I treated myself with love and kindness?

I do believe living each day–each moment–with these questions in mind will lead to a more joyful, meaningful life. What do you think?

One of the cards to be given out on February 13

The Junior Joy Team will be planting our first seeds of joy in the heart of our hometown: Vancouver USA’s City Hall. We picked February 13th, the first day of Random Acts of Kindness Week, to do our very first Junior Joy Team project. The inaugural group of 10 Junior Joy Team kids, ranging in age from 6 to 11, will deliver little packets of happiness to all 260 city employees working in City Hall. Starting with Mayor Tim Leavitt and City Manager Eric Holmes.

The packets, hand-packed by the kids in heart-covered bags, include cards with positive messages and drawings from the children (like the one pictured above), a Bit-O-Honey, a chocolate kiss, and a “LOVE your life” card from The Joy Team. Before scattering joy on the first day of Random Acts of Kindness Week, the kids will learn about each city department housed at City Hall and how the work of those employees improves our lives.

We think it’s a great way to start this young group of joy spreaders. And we think it’s an exceptionally great way to start Random Acts of Kindness Week.

What are your plans for February 13 – 19?

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 so super excited to introduce you to The Junior Joy Team: a group of children coming together to spread joy, experience the depth of community connection and discover the power they hold within themselves to be happy.

We’ve just had our second meeting today, during which the inaugural group of kids sat down to put joy on paper.  Their works of art will soon be spreading smiles, as the first Junior Joy Team project is set for Monday, February 13th–the first day of Random Acts of Kindness Week.

The inaugural members of The Junior Joy Team

Stay tuned for the official announcement about the first Junior Joy Team project.  Meanwhile, we’ll post photos as we go on our Facebook page.

Welcome Life Vest Inside! And thank you for promoting kindness!  Here’s a video from their website about the power and reach one act of kindness can have.

Do you work to bring more joy, kindness or love into the world? Submit a listing here.

Come out for some Joy & Juicy Inspiration this Saturday with Women of Visionary Influence! I’ll be speaking, and so will the fabulous Susan Glavin of Be The Gift.

Saturday January 7, 2012 at The Melting Pot (downtown Portland near 5th and Park)
11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Come at 11 to meet and greet!
$15 for WOVI Members, $25 for Guests, Includes lunch

Seating is limited. Reserve your ticket now.

Registration closes at noon on Friday January 6, 2012.

Delivering smiles at Legacy Salmon Creek

Some time during the day on this Christmas Eve EVERY patient spending Christmas in the hospital at Legacy Salmon Creek will get a smiley face balloon and a card wishing them joy and love, courtesy of The Joy Team.

The balloons and cards were delivered yesterday to give hospital staff time to  distribute bunches to each department and floor. The amazing and resourceful Arlene Kraft, Manager of Volunteer Services & Gift Shops at Legacy Salmon Creek, coordinated with The Joy Team for this joy-spreading project.

A big heart-felt thanks to Arlene and all the volunteers and staff at Legacy Salmon Creek for helping us share some smiles and Christmas cheer.

See more photos of this project on our Facebook page.

Picking up balloons at Dollar Tree

My dear friend and fellow spreader of joy Dana Layon-Damara of Zen Flow Yoga and I, along with our kids, went out to pick up 75 smiley face balloons today. Add those to the 20 already in house and there are now 95 big yellow smiles filling my living room (aka: The Joy Team office).

These balloons, each accompanied with a specially-made card, are destined to to spread joy to every single patient spending Christmas in the hospital at Legacy Salmon Creek.  The cards carry simple wishes of joy and love and will be signed by several folks tomorrow before each are attached to a balloon. We’ll be delivering these bright bundles on Friday to Legacy Salmon Creek and the good people working there will pass them out to each patient on Christmas Eve. Our hope is that these small tokens will bring big cheer to not only the patients, but also to the hospital staff.

A big shout out to Seth (wearing the Santa hat above), one of two managers at The Civic Dollar Tree on West Burnside in Portland. He went out of his way to help by driving around and picking up enough smiley face balloons to fill our order.  He had them filled and waiting for us when we got there.

And some more love to Camille Hollingsworth and CRAVE Portland!  The raffle she held at the CRAVE Chat last month raised $88 for The Joy Team–and almost completely paid for this holiday cheer project.

Christmas is just one week from today and I find I’m singing Joy to the World in my head with increasing frequency the closer it gets. I just can’t help myself.  But because I can’t remember all the words I keep making up different ones. Fun, playful, joyful words.  And I put them down on paper.  Then I invited people to come over and sing them.

We sang. And drank coffee. And ate pumpkin bread. And sang a bunch more.

In the end we came up with a very playful, joyful version of Joy to the World that we hope makes you smile.  Maybe even giggle a little. So, in the spirit of love and joy and laughter, here’s a little ditty we did for you (and for us, too):  Joy To The World ala The Joy Team.

That beautiful, strong voice you hear is Michelle Wirta’s of Spiral Life Consulting. Isn’t she awesome?

Feel like singing along?  Here are the lyrics, along with a holiday wish or two.

Welcome Vancouver Laughter Yoga and Tamara Russell! And thank you for promoting health, wellbeing and happiness!

Do you work to bring more joy, kindness or love into the world? Submit a listing here.