What puts a big smile on your face?

If a guy like this one came up to you with a tray of refreshing drink samples -- with a smile that stretched clear across his face -- you'd smile, too! Wouldn't you? 

I snapped this photo on a recent trip to Antigua, Guatemala. This guy was handing out these drink samples in a coffee shop. And his smile never stopped. Be still my heart, because he's just gorgeous, and I wanted a piece of that. So I asked him to pose for me. And who would resist taking a sample? Not I. Thank you very much! Was he enjoying his job? He sure looked like it. A manner like his is contagious -- as well it should be. 

It's why I took a moment to write down what Chip Conley, founder of the boutique hotel chain Joie de Vivre, said about why he named the company after a phrase that means "finding joy in everything you do. He said, "I'm a Type A guy, so I'm constantly moving. But I like to ask myself, 'Where's the joy in it?'" Exactly! Conley's line reminds me of the gorgeous guy I captured on camera in Guatemala. Clearly, he's found the joy in a simple job. And I'm sure he knows that big smile of his makes the tourists feel special.

People like the drink guy and Chip Conley understand the importance of a joy-filled life. They get what really matters. We can learn from them, which is why I ask you to take a moment today to think about:

What puts a big smile on your face?

Five favorite books

Today is the first "theme day" for this year's blogathon. The group (more than 150 bloggers, I understand) is supposed to write about "five favorite books." Since my theme for the month is about joy, today's post features five favorite books that bring me joy. In no special order, they are:

1)  Holy Bible (King James version, because I like accents, and this one lets you play around with that)

2)  Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (because I love his fun-loving, childish poetic voice)

3)  Backroads & Byways of Arizona (because I wrote it, duh)

4)  Anything written by Edgar Allan Poe, but mostly the short story, "The Fall of the House of Usher," (He's the only "mystery" writer I've ever enjoyed. His words keep me on the edge, and I love the imagery. His work brings me joy to the extent that it works my imagination--always a good thing.)

5)  The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (just read muy blog, and you'll know why)

What are your top five?

Your everyday inspirations

Are you aware of your everyday inspirations? They don't necessarily call you to do anything specific. They are the everyday images, the textures, the colors or the sounds in your everyday life that just speak to you in some way. Perhaps they leave you with a good feeling, put a smile on your face, or remind you of someone or something.

I live in a neighborhood surrounded by palm trees of various kinds, big thorny mesquites, scattered palo verdes, jacarandas, and other trees that attract the birds. Hummingbirds, song birds, mockingbirds, finches, and birds I'd need to pull out the Audubon guide to name--they're all out there.

At night, you can even hear the owls and see the bats whirring by overhead. If I'm out for a walk in the early evening, the owl's call kind of spooks me. You never can tell which tree they're in, as the sound seems to echo from far away. I always imagine he'll fly out of one of those trees and wonk me on the head with his large talons.

I wake up in the morning and go to sleep to at night to many, long-lasting bird calls of various sounds. When I'm really listening, I can hear very specific sounds. One type of bird I noticed I'm not hearing this year had a unique call I really liked. It sounded like they were saying back and forth to each other: "Rick-ee! RickeeRickeeRickee!" It's funny what you miss when it's gone.

Is there a bird call unique to your neighborhood? Or one that you once noticed but now do not? Noticing the everyday things that surround you, such as the sound a bird makes, provides training ground for creating awareness within. It's about becoming aware of what you like or don't like, what matters to you and what does not, or what inspires you.

AWARENESS HOMEWORK: Make a list of 5-10 things in your everyday life that pleases you. The only requirement is that all items on the list must come from the natural environment. Post one or two of them here if you like. What this will do for you is bring your attention to that which brings you joy. Once you're aware of this, you begin to seek it out. A joy-filled life is one that overcomes obstacles with grace and ease, like the Great Blue Heron in my photograph above.