Here’s a daily attitude email from 2012 (I’ve been sending this a long time…).

I am reading a book about the simple rules for living that John Wesley. He was a pastor and went around starting churches.

He laid down a few simple rules in order to keep those that were converted from becoming “more of a child of the devil” after their conversion than they were beforehand.

He realized that no matter how profound a conversion they had made when becoming a Christian, there was more to make real change in someone’s life than a single moment, no matter how profound.

He realized that change required discipline. So much discipline in fact that his movement became known as Methodism because of how methodical he was in everything he did.

And the same holds true for you and whatever goals you have set for yourself.

Ever felt like you were completely on fire about something and then you didn’t follow through?

Ever sign up for a diet with complete zeal and gusto, only to fall back to your old ways all too quickly?

Ever make great plans for writing that book or even just reading one of the ones on the shelf at the office only to flip on the TV instead?

Most real change in life requires discipline. Real discipline.

Just getting started on the book, let’s hope it inspires me to have enough discipline to at least finish.

Make it a great day.

Jake

For those of you who missed it, on Sunday afternoon Phil Mickleson became the oldest winner of a major championship in the history of golf.

It was an amazing last few holes to watch. And the golf was pretty good too….

It was amazing to watch because of the story and the fans.

Phil Mickleson has essentially played professional golf his entire adult life. He’s played in hundreds of tournaments and has won more than his fair share.

What was he doing every time the camera got in close? Taking deep breaths and calming himself down. Working to control the same nerves that plague most (all?) of us when dealing with a high-pressure situation.

Then on national TV with about a gazillion fans waiting around for the trophy ceremony, what was he doing? Calling his wife to tell her he loves her and that he’ll be home tonight. I bet they are both still laughing about that conversation today. It was a great reminder that even in the midst of a history-making day on the golf course the most important thing he could do was to call his wife.

The best part though was watching the fans. Thousands of people cheering for one man as he rewrote the history books. Each shot resulted in a roar from the crowd. They rushed in so close on the last hole that several fans got manhandled by security just to try and calm the whole situation down.

After a year plus of COVID news, election angst, and economic woes it was a moment that reminded me of the human capacity for joy and community. We were built for community. We have been imbued with the ability to experience joy.

It was a great moment in golf history, made even better by being a part of an important moment in human history. And made even better for me because I got to watch it with Meaghan and the kiddos.

Make it a great day.

Jake

No one is guaranteed tomorrow.

As I get older this phrase comes out of my mouth more and more often.

Life is short. Today is the only day you get for sure.

The real trick is dealing with this reality.

Finding joy today while setting yourself and others up for an even better tomorrow.

This is one of those “tricks” to living a great life.

Knowing that today could be your last isn’t an excuse to skip the workout, eat all the junk food, and run up your credit cards.

We still need to eat well, be wise with our money and take care of our bodies.

We just need to find a way to do all that with joy in our hearts and purpose in our souls.

What can you do today to add more joy and purpose to your life?

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/rcnsao7Y0gk

I’m a believer.

I’m a believer that things can and will get better.

I’m a believer that love wins out in the end.

I’m a believer that selflessness beats selfishness.

I’m a believer that life is best when given away.

I’m a believer that hard work, grit and persistence pays off.

I’m a believer in smiling a lot.

I’m a believer that humility creates peace for the humble.

I’m a believer that God has a special plan for each and every one of us.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – I’m sure we would all love to hear some of your “I’m a believer” ideas….send them out today when you get a chance.

Nothing makes one feel so strong as a call for help. – Pope Paul VI

A lesson I continue to learn in my old age – no one does it alone, all of us will need help at some point.

When I’m being mature and wise (rarely) I think of my need for help as an opportunity to serve for the other person.

They have an opportunity to feel strong and useful.

An opportunity to become something bigger through service.

The Bible tells us to love others and that when we help “the least of these” we are doing God’s work on Earth.

Be that opportunity for someone – ask for help.

Ask for advice.

Borrow that cup of sugar from the neighbor.

We are not meant to live through this life on an island, managing life’s challenges through grit and self-determination. We are meant to work together.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Don’t read this wrong….grit and self-determination are great. It’s just that they aren’t the whole picture. Take care of yourself. Build skills and stamina in order to be of better service to others. Just don’t forget to ask for help along the way.

Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit. – Peter Ustinov

Two great ideas about love in one quote.

Endless forgiveness. An insatiable ability to forgive and think the best of the other person.

A habit of tenderly looking at the other. A day by day, hour by hour tenderness and kindness towards the other person.

In the Bible, the call to love others is everywhere.

God asks us to love our neighbors, our enemies, our husband, our wives……the list is pretty long (I think He didn’t want to leave us any wiggle room).

It’s easy to fall into the “yeah, but….” trap.

Yeah, but he’s mean to me.

Yeah, but he’s a liar.

Yeah, but she’s being unfair.

Yeah, but you don’t know what he did.

We have all kinds of qualifiers to add to a pretty clear directive to love.

Be tender hearted today.

Practice some forgiveness today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves." – Dale Carnegie

Short and sweet.

Find something on your list that you have been putting off because it is hard or seems impossible.

Work on that first today.

Even if all you do is commit 10 minutes to it.

Don’t let the sun set again before you work on it.

And then spend 15 minutes on the hardest thing tomorrow morning.

And on and on.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

This is one of my favorite ideas from Mere Christianity.

This quote reminded me a lot of the ideas sent out in these daily attitude emails every day.

A big part of changing for the better is letting go of what we are currently.

At some point we must be willing to tear down our current habits and idiosyncrasies.

It’s hard. It’s painful. It isn’t much fun.

We want to change, but maybe aren’t quite ready to let go of ourselves and our ego in the process.

But it has to happen in order to really change.

We are capable of much more than we ever dreamed.

We are capable of greatness.

If we are willing to be torn down in the process.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

This is one of my favorite ideas from Mere Christianity.

This quote reminded me a lot of the ideas sent out in these daily attitude emails every day.

A big part of changing for the better is letting go of what we are currently.

At some point we must be willing to tear down our current habits and idiosyncrasies.

It’s hard. It’s painful. It isn’t much fun.

We want to change, but maybe aren’t quite ready to let go of ourselves and our ego in the process.

But it has to happen in order to really change.

We are capable of much more than we ever dreamed.

We are capable of greatness.

If we are willing to be torn down in the process.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/_83KqwEEGw4

If this doesn’t put a smile on your face….find something that does. And crank it up.

Turn it up, dance around, whatever makes you feel better.

Tony Robbins talks about working with people to change their “state” or their “story”.

Changing your “state” is usually easier.

Get up.

Move around.

Smile so wide you could eat a banana sideways.

Make it a great day.

Jake