Spreading joy to millions

Positive emotions are proven to open our awareness. And when our awareness is expanded, we not only literally see more, we also see more possibilities and we’re more creative.

Sounds good to me!

Watch this video of Barbara Fredrickson from Greater Good Science Center to learn more.

We have a new listing in our Joy, Kindness & Love directory in the LOVE category!  Welcome Michelle Wirta, The Self Sabotage Specialist, who helps people shift subconscious beliefs and thinking patterns that stand in the way of bringing their gifts to the world.

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

Making a difference

Today, October 22nd, is Make a Difference day–a great opportunity to put forth a special effort to do something to make a difference for someone else.

Want some ideas? How about:

• giving a smile and a genuine “hello” to a few strangers
• taking a plate of cookies to a friend who had a tough week
• send a hand-written note to a person or two telling them how much they mean to you
• give out compliments–sincere ones
• help someone in need
• call your parents
• take food to a homeless shelter
• highlight your favorite charity on your Facebook page

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.

Chalk the Walks on August 23rd

Here’s a FUN way to spread joy that the whole family can be part of. All you need is a little sidewalk chalk and about 10 minutes on August 23rd.

Chalk the Walks (a project of The Joy Team) is all about spreading joy, optimism and inspiration through the magical power of sidewalk chalk.

Remember when you were a kid and you’d draw pictures and write happy thoughts with chalk in your driveway and down the sidewalks of your  street? And the adults always smiled when they read the big, pastel-colored messages? This is just like that. Only we’re bigger now. And we don’t have to go in the house when the street lights go out.

The idea is as simple as it was in childhood: write happy messages, have fun doing it, spread some joy while you’re at it.

Then, share your lovely creation by posting it on the Chalk the Walks Facebook page and Tweet about it with #chalkthewalks. By the end of the day, we’ll have a fabulous collection of images from (hopefully) all over the U.S. (or even the world!) spreading joy, optimism and inspiration through the playful, magical power of sidewalk chalk.

Fun, yes?  Yes.

So, what are you waiting for? Go get some chalk!

Need some ideas for messaging? Try some of these.

(photo by Jim Wilson, Creative Images)

Laughter, it can be said, is a symptom of joy. And it can often be a source of happiness–laughing makes us feel good.

But this we already know.  Here are some things you might not know about laughter:

• there are 40 to 50 qualitatively distinct kinds of laughs with distinct meanings
• female laughter might have evolved as a way of influencing the moods of surrounding males
• laughter is social—people are 30 times more likely to laugh in group situations than in solitary ones
• laughter signals a shared understanding of the world, so it’s foundational to interdependence and intimacy and like-mindedness

Learn more about laughter in this Ode Magazine article: “How laughter evolved and how it makes us human“

Happy Swings

A Bay Area group called Oh San Fran is doing some interesting things to spread joy.

Their Happiness Project 1.o :Swings is lightening hearts and sprinkling smiles throughout San Francisco by putting up simple, wooden board swings in public places. Brilliant.

I happen to be of the mind that anything is possible; however, I do not believe you can swing for any length of time without it lifting your spirits.

Even the process of hanging the swings looks fun.

Another fabulous project of theirs: Forever Stamp. They put up a couple of home-made containers near mail boxes with free Mother’s Day cards and pre-stamped envelopes. Love it.

Bet Mom does, too.

Write Mom

In late March of 2011 the Wall Street Journal released a study finding Portland, Oregon, to be the the 2nd most miserable city in the U.S.

The Joy Team founder and Chief Joy Officer, Michele M. Larsen, has found much evidence to the contrary. In fact, looking at photos taken in recent years for her blogs, ISpyJoy.com and LicensePlateWisdom.com as well as images of the joy-spreading work of The Joy Team, it seems the Portland-Vancouver metro area is overflowing with joy, love and wisdom.

This video is a just a sampling of images–all taken in the Portland / Vancouver metro area.

City of Roses, you are also the City of Joy, Love and Wisdom.

I just found the invitation to join this FREE call in my inbox tonight.  Looks like these two women, Gabby and Christine, have totally changed their lives to become two of the happiest and free people they know.  And they’re sharing their 3 keys to Having Happiness, Love, Freedom & Success.

Hey, sounds good to me.  I signed up.  And I thought you might be interested in it, too.  Visit SummerOfHappy.com to learn more and sign up for the free call on June 9th. Busy that day? Register anyway and get a link to the recording so you can listen in on your schedule.

Thanks Gabby and Christine for spreading joy!