Jumping for Joy!
Every morning, when I let my dog Eli out in the yard, he jumps for joy, literally. He flies through the air, with a big smile on his face. He seems to be greeting each day with much glee and enthusiasm. He then pokes around, does his business and relaxes in the yard until I bring him in or a squirrel riles him up. His morning ritual got me thinking about the power of starting each day by “jumping for joy”.
I know some people feel more like Joanne Sherman, published children author, about mornings. She says, “I have a carpe diem mug and truthfully, at 6 in the morning, the words do not make me want to sieze the day. They make me want to slap a dead poet.” I get it, mornings are not for everyone.
I know that when I take time in the morning, give myself space and choose to have a good day, then the day seems to roll along a bit smoother. Monica Baldwin, a British nun’s perspective on morning speaks to this. ”The moment when you wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the 24 hours. No matter how weary or dreary you feel, you posess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen. And the fact that it practically always doesn’t, matters not a jot. The possibility is always there.”
The 80/20 rule states that the first 20% of any experience sets the tone for the next 80%. If that is so, then why do we sometimes choose to rush through our morning and choose stress over joy? I know how tempting the snooze can be and I also know how rewarding those extra ten minutes are when I stumble out to sit on the sofa with my yummy cup of coffee and visualize what the day has in store for me. This type of morning self -care is what can raise your Joy Factor and have you jumping for joy.
If you want, you can come over and jump through the yard with Eli!
Wendy is a joyful, vibrant human being who sees possibilities everywhere she goes. Whether she is working with a coaching client, creating a piece of art or riding her bicycle 100 miles in one day, the joy of possibility is one of her favorite perspectives. Alot of her joy comes from spending time with her husband Matt and their 2 four-legged kids, Abbey Road and Eli. It also comes from listening to good music, spending time in nature, eating good food and being with friends and family. When all of that happens together, she is in joyful bliss.
