I asked our Annie what a good song to send out would be and this was her suggestion.
Seemed particularly appropriate right now.
A lot of us are dressing a little differently while we work from home.
This song is a reminder that the little things are most important.
You’re never fully dressed without a smile.
True, there’s lots to be fearful of and worry about.
There’s also a lot to smile about.
Make it a great day.
Jake
“To stand up straight with your shoulders back is to accept the terrible responsibility of life, with eyes wide open. It means deciding to voluntarily transform the chaos of potential into the realities of habitable order. It means adopting the burden of self-conscious vulnerability, and accepting the end of the unconscious paradise of childhood, where finitude and mortality are only dimly comprehended. It means willingly undertaking the sacrifices necessary to generate a productive and meaningful reality (it means acting to please God, in the ancient language).”
― Jordan B. Peterson, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
I’ve been reading this book again after listening to it last year.
It really is a tremendous book. Highly recommend.
A theme in the book is what I would call “being a grown up”.
This quote from the book puts it well.
Open your eyes and face reality.
Accept your responsibility to participate in it and make things better.
Understand your vulnerabilities and move forward anyway.
Gladly take on the sacrifices necessary to improve the lives around you.
These ideas seem particularly important in a time of difficulty like we are facing now.
Now is the time to stand up straight with our shoulders back, not to shrink or shirk our responsibilities.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Mark 12:41-44
New International Version (NIV)
The Widow’s Offering
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
An important component in life is the giving of ourselves in service to others.
It’s easy to get caught up in just the monetary aspect of the story. Maybe even feel bad because you haven’t given away all of the dollars you have earned.
And while I think that is an important element of the story, I believe that maybe a more important idea in today’s world is giving all of ourselves in service to others.
In service to our families.
In service to our church or favorite local charity.
In service to our clients.
In service to our teammates.
Make it a great day of service.
Jake
It is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is from the top. – Arnold Bennett
Jim Rohn says something like “all good is upstream, against the current”.
The better version of your life lies beyond difficulty and obstacles.
There is no other way.
The sooner we realize and agree to this, the sooner we get to where we want to go.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Business, business, business…..numbers, numbers, numbers.
That is one of Maggie’s favorite movie lines (I think it is from the Lego movie and is probably misquoted).
In business, we tend to try to boil things down to numbers. We try to get to the numbers that really matter and we work hard to move them in the right direction.
Some view this as the evil of business, but I actually think (within reason) that it is a good thing.
It reminds me of sports.
Part of the reason sports are interesting and good for us is that there is a scoreboard. There is a real possibility of winning and losing.
When we face the real possibility of winning or losing we are able to push ourselves past what we thought was possible. We are able to do something that we didn’t think we could. Or we can’t. Either way, we learn and grow and move on to do better next time.
Business can be the same way. We face the real prospect of winning or losing. We face our fears and stand up to our challenges. And we either meet the test or don’t. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. But we can certainly learn and grow from it.
And what about you? You the person. What are your numbers? What number is most important to you right now? What could you boil down to a number?
Do you need to get a FitBit and count your steps?
Do you need to quit a bad habit and have a goal of zero?
Do you need to set a financial goal?
Do you need to set a time spent with my kids goal?
Be creative and set yourself a goal. A numerical, set in stone kind of goal.
And play your best, win or lose.
Make it a great day.
Jake
It feels like this year with the “shelter at home” thing going on that blue skies and sunshine are even more welcome.
At our house, we’ve tried to spend as much time as we can out in the fresh air and sunshine any time it has popped up.
God has created a wonderful world for us to enjoy, let’s make the most of it.
Make it a great day.
Jake
This is the most joyful day that ever I saw in my pilgrimage on earth. – Donald Cargill
Great thought for the day.
So much of how we feel about life is determined by our internal thoughts.
What if we could think this thought each day?
What if we could look at each day as if it was the most joyful day we’ve ever seen?
No guarantees, but I bet our days would turn out better if we started with this thought.
There’s a lot to be thankful for.
There’s joy to be found (even in the darkest of times to continue the thought from yesterday).
We have a tremendous capacity for love, joy and hope.
We just have to look for it.
Make it a great day.
Jake
The old daily attitude email below seemed appropriate to resend now since we are watching these at home and right now seems like a good time to turn on the light.
“The minute you get away from fundamentals – whether it’s proper technique, work ethic or mental preparation – the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.” – Michael Jordan
We watched the beginning of the new series “The Last Dance” on Sunday. So far it hasn’t disappointed.
I went in search of a quote from Michael and found this one that seemed appropriate now.
Even though we’re working remotely, social distancing and living life differently – don’t get away from your fundamentals.
Be kind.
Serve others.
Work hard.
Tell your loved ones you love them.
Be a good teammate.
Do your work right the first time, every time.
Eat well.
Exercise.
Whatever your fundamentals are – stick with them. Don’t let things slack. Don’t take it easy.
Make it a great day.
Jake
We’ve been watching the Harry Potter movies lately, it reminded me of this email from DAE’s past….
Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. – Albus Dumbledore
Maggie has been reading a few of the Harry Potter books lately and so we watched some of the first movie over the weekend.
The books and movies do such a great job of taking you into a different world.
But they also do a great job of weaving in universal truths like the one from the quote above.
We can take inspiration and encouragement from the Harry Potter series.
If you aren’t already, I would encourage you to pick up a fiction book or book series.
Learn lessons and hone your personal philosophy by comparing it to the imagined world you are reading about.
Weigh their choices as if they were your own.
Face their fears as if they were yours.
Be inspired by their success.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Practical Steps for Friendship, Unity and Intimacy in Your Marriage
The Daily Attitude Email 