We make life so complicated that many times we miss the simple joys. This really struck me the other day as I watched my dog on our walk. I have written about Zani before (the name fits her quite well) and her exuberance. On part of our walk we can let her off the leash and one of her favorite things to do when we let her loose is to lay down on her back and slide head first down a hill. It is obvious that this is pure joy for her.

After that part of the walk we come to an open area that she approaches slowly as if on the prowl for some large game animal. She waits patiently for me to say "sic em", and then she takes off at top speed having absolutely no idea what she is "sic-ing".

Zani's favorite treat is peanut butter, and although she'll eat any brand, she prefers Skippy Natural. She can be in the opposite end of the house, but when a jar is opened she suddenly appears hoping that the jar is near empty and she'll get to finish it off.

I suspect if we could try to be more joyful in our day to day lives that we would find things flowing more smoothly. If we purposely look for joy and purposely try to exhibit joy, happiness would not be so elusive. I am going to look for at least three things each day that bring me joy, the simpler the better. Try that yourself and see if life doesn't begin to feel less complicated.

Zani is a perfect example of pure joy. She thinks everyone is her friend and that life is full of fun with lots of interesting things to explore. Outlook can make all the difference in how we experience life. How can your outlook be improved this week?