We often find what we're looking for.

One Billboard for The Joy Team

Many of you may remember my daughter and I hitting the streets last November with messages of joy and inspiration from The Joy Team. Now we’ve made it official.

The Joy Team is now a non-profit corporation in Vancouver, Washington with the sole mission of spreading joy, optimism and inspiration to millions. Instead of reaching 30 or 40 people at a time, we’re shooting for millions.  How are we going to do it? With the awesome power of outdoor advertising:  billboards.

And we’re planning to put the first round of inspiring billboards up in the Portland, Oregon metro area in April or May of this year.  We’ve got at least two billboards in the works. And we’d love to have more.

Want to be part of what very well may be the first ever ad campaign with the sole purpose of spreading joy? Find out how here.

Another billboard for The Joy Team

Our first flower of 2010

Brought to my attention by my son, Kellen, today we gazed upon the first flower in our yard this year. A stray crocus, sprouting up through the grass. What a joy!

For a desert-born girl like me, there are untold swells and stirrings of hope and longing for warm summer days about this time of year. Seeing this first flower confidently shoot up to greet the crisp air and morning sun the day after our northwest clouds released a continuous rain fills me with joy.

Ah, the promise of a blossoming spring. It’s a fabulous thing.

Sun Flower Car

Sun flowers (joy).

Painted on a car (joy, joy).

Seen on a rainy day (joy, joy, joy).

Ms. Kessel & Mrs. Muecci

Taryn and I walked into the Yankee Doodle Dance at Hough Elementary and were greeted by the 3rd grade teachers wearing glow sticks for glasses.  Brilliant.

Such silliness is not only joyous, it’s divine.

Think about it–how wonderful does it feel to do something completely goofy? Freeing.  Fun.  Joyful.  Brilliant.  Divine.

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
–Gilbert K. Chesterton

Groovy Nike High-Tops

Waiting in line at Stumptown with some friends for the weekly coffee/bagel run, I noticed these shoes on a young lady at the counter.  Love them! They’re fun and funky and they make people smile. Wearing shoes like that must increase your cheerfulness a good 10 points.  Has to.

Reminds me of another young lady I saw in downtown Portland wearing some wild socks.

So much fun! And isn’t that what life is for?

Hearts light up the tree on the corner

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and, as you’d expect, hearts are everywhere: in stores, on mugs, on socks, in windows, and even on sleeves.  I was pleasantly surprised, however, to see hearts lighting up a tree on the corner of Kaufman and McLoughlin in Vancouver, Washington.

Sappy as this may sound, I heart hearts!

Magical magic wands

My daughter and I each have magic wands. I bought them for us because these particular wands make a neat sound and have a flashing light on the tip when you push the little button. They’re so much fun to play with!

I thought it would be even more magical if we decorated our wands. Giddy with excitement,  Taryn and I pulled out all the colored Sharpies we could find and began prepping our creation station.  We drew drafts on paper first, then took pen to wand.

Taryn’s has vines and flowers and poka dots. Which is as playful and bold as she is.

My design is intended to remind me, with or without magic, that everything is possible.  Especially if I believe it is.

Row houses on Glisan

One of my new year’s resolutions is to “be awake to beauty and aware of magnificence.”

On an errand for work, I happened upon on opportunity to fulfill that resolution: this fabulous set of row houses, painted in vibrant colors.  I drove around the block twice looking for a place to pull over and take a photo.

Even on a gray, rainy Portland day, these houses popped from the obvious pride and care with which they were painted. I took a few photos and just stood for several minutes soaking in the beauty.  A passer-by seeing me with camera in hand commented, “I work across the street and see people taking pictures of those houses all the time.”

It’s no wonder these houses bring joy to so many.  The collective display is truly magnificent.  Vibrant, happy colors applied in such detailed and caring fashion. It makes me smile.  And apparently many others.

Looking for a good laugh? Check out this happy happy baby and you’ll find yourself giggling in no time.

Kudos to my friend Kristin for introducing this little bit o joy to me.

Doubt your doubts -Joe Batten

Typically I prefer to relate to things in positive terms rather than negative ones, but this quote by Joe Batten speaks to me.

Here’s what dictionary.com says about the definition of doubt:

1. to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe.
2. to distrust.
3. to fear; be apprehensive about.

Many new thought leaders tell us that thoughts are things, and with our thoughts we create our world. They also tell us that every good thing is available to us at every moment–unless we, ourselves, disallow it.

How many good things, I wonder, have I not allowed into my life because I hesitated to believe they were possible for me.

Next time I shun a compliment or shy away from an opportunity due to that little doubting voice in my head I’ll take Joe’s advice and doubt my doubts, rather than doubting myself.