Spreading joy to millions

Here’s the first of several posts on Do It Yourself (DIY) Joy.

One way to be happy is to talk nicely to yourself.  Words have great power. Using positive words when talking about yourself empowers you–words like smart, kind, resourceful, beautiful. On the flip side, when you talk about yourself using words like stupid, worthless, ugly, fat, and incompetent you can bring yourself down so low you’re knee-high to a grasshopper.

Try looking in a mirror and saying both sets of words to yourself. See how you feel after each.

The forward thinking people at Think TV are promoting Talk Nicely To Yourself Week, April 11 – 17. We think it’s an excellent idea.

This fabulous message was put out by The Foundation for a Better Life. I think it speaks for itself.

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?

Images of love from ISpyJoy.com

Valentine’s Day, Love Day, Heart Day…whatever lovey-dovey name you have for it today’s the day to celebrate all things love.

The Joy Team wants to help!  So, here are a few places you can soak up the warm fuzzies:

• Bits o’ love and joy from ISpyJoy.com
• Wisdom of love from LicensePlateWisdom.com
• Organizations working for love from the Joy, Kindness & Love directory

Happy Heart-Love-Valentines Day!

Off the Mat

The Joy Team was honored to be part of Dana Layon’s release party for her second book in a series of seven called Off the Mat: Confessions of a Yogi.

The Joy Team founder Michele Larsen (that’s me!) got to speak for a few minutes about the work we’re doing spreading joy through the amazing power of positive messaging–and billboards. Then I had the privilege of introducing Dana as the amazing, beautiful spirit that she is.

About the books (from Dana’s website):

This series of seven books, embody the growth and transformation that happens through self-inquiry. Each volume encapsulates 30 Weekly Oms from Dana’s online newsletter that can trigger, awaken and shift your life as you know it to be right now.

The title says yogini, but the book is full of guidance on how to connect with others, recognize Self and parent from a nurturing, conscious space.  The books are founded on the principles of yoga, however in a broader view, it’s focused on universal principles of compassion, patience, openness, love and truth, to which all people can relate.

The release parties will continue to be held at Lucy Activewear.  Remaining dates are March 10, April 14, May 12, June 9 and July 7. Mark your calendars for an evening of connection and inspiration.

Virtues Connection

Virtues Project Consulting: Inspiring the individual to live a more joyful and purposeful life; supporting families to raise children of compassion and integrity.

They’re just one of the organizations listed under KINDNESS in our Joy, Kindness & Love directory.

Find out who else is in there.

The Daily Love

The Daily Love aims to show you the love and make you happy. And the best part about being happy is sharing that happiness with others.

Today’s Daily Love is awesome. It talks about setting goals — a popular topic in early January. Here’s my favorite part of today’s message:

Make 2011 the year you break free of limiting beliefs and realize that you have all the internal resources you need to create a life of abundance, joy and satisfaction. … Learn. Mess up. Grow. Repeat.

You can find The Daily Love in our Joy, Kindness & Love directory in the LOVE category.  And you can also find them here.

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.

It’s a new year, and with it comes new hope–and a new directory that will bring together a unique group of inspiring organizations working to make our world a better, happier place.  The Joy, Kindness & Love Directory offers free listings to organizations spreading joy, committing or encouraging acts of kindness, and those bringing more love into our communities.

This uplifting and inspiring gathering of specialized organizations is being hosted right here, by The Joy Team. Listings are free and available in just three categories: Joy, Kindness and Love. Organizations working in these realms can submit their information for a free listing.

Spread the word!