With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. – Eleanor Roosevelt

Maybe I need to put this on a post it or somewhere where it’s the first thing I see in the morning.

I like the mental picture of the sun rising and with it comes new strength and new thoughts.

It’s easy to start the day with negativity.

To pick up our phones and see emails or the news or our social feeds and feel like we’ve already lost the day.

Instead we can choose new strength and new thoughts.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Bob Goff is known for his fun and whimsical personality. He famously put his personal cell phone number in the back of a NYT bestselling book, and he expects and answers calls. He makes himself available.

He also says he plans his calendar nine months and one day in advance, no further, in case he is to be become a grandfather. His purpose is to be available.

Busyness is no way to measure a life. Busy is a thief. It’s a phantom measure of worth and success and it will never get as much done as availability will. Remain available. Learn to say no, and measure your life by the things you get to say yes to.

Quoted from: https://www.becomingminimalist.com/better-ways-to-measure-your-life/

I really liked this excerpt from this blog post.

It’s all too easy to buy into the lie that busyness is a badge of honor and something to be proud of. It’s not true. Don’t believe it.

We really don’t have that many levers when we look to control and manage our lives, but we do get to choose how we manage our time.

The article talks about availability – I’ve also heard it called margin or breathing room.

There’s a lot of great stuff waiting for some breathing room in your life so it can makes it way in.

The holidays are a great reminder of this – slow down and enjoy them.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Yesterday was 15 years since the first daily attitude email was sent.

I have no idea how many emails have been sent, but it’s been a lot.

As I reflect, I’m mostly just thankful that everyone still lets me send these every day.

That I have hopefully been helpful to a few of you over all those years.

That I get to work with all of you and that a few people have signed up to get these emails every day even though you don’t work with me.

Thank you for reading.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/MQNRKX8GwPo?si=IbbP4qWS_QIQxop1

This song is part of the band show for Annie and her classmates this year.

It’s pretty cool to watch the band progress each year. From the initial preview night to the end of the season is night and day.

It’s been a great reminder that practice and effort pay off.

If you work hard at something – you get better.

You don’t have to be stuck where you are. Things can and will get better – if you work at it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud. – Sophocles

History is full of people whose honor was only recognized after the fact.

And plenty whose fraudulent success was exposed.

And plenty of both never noticed by others.

But the person knew….and had to live with it.

Honor seems like the better path…

Make it a great day.

Jake

“What’s done is done. There is no need to speak to Edmund about what has passed.” – Aslan from “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”

This is one of my favorite movies/books.

In the movie, Edmund’s character had just made it back after committing an act of treachery. Aslan gave him a “talking to” and then told everyone else the lines above.

We all need someone who can give us the stern talking to when we’ve stepped out of line.

But that isn’t what really stuck out to me.

What stuck out to me in particular was the idea of letting the past be the past. No need to talk about it again.

From both perspectives.

If we are the one needing forgiveness, to let things go and move forward. Not to dwell on our mistakes but to learn from them and move forward.

If we are the ones forgiving, to not bring it up again. To let our loved ones grow and move forward from their past.

Let go of past transgressions. What’s done is done. No need to speak of it again.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little. – Edmund Burke

What a great reminder.

Be action oriented.

Be of service, however small or seemingly inconsequential.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“We are all a great deal luckier that we realize, we usually get what we want – or near enough.”

― Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

A great reminder to start off the week.

We all have quite a bit to be thankful for.

Maybe not everything has worked out the way we wanted, but it really isn’t too bad.

I would wager to say that if you are receiving this email you have at least one thing in your life that is going well.

Focus on something to be thankful for as you start this week.

And tell someone else about it.

Spread it around.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/fOZ-MySzAac?si=oDmgzvYZ51MatirE

Between 9/11 and the assassination of Charlie Kirk – a lot of people need somebody to lean on.

Regardless of where you are in your faith journey or where you are on the political spectrum – we need to lean on each other.

And maybe lean into what we have in common and what we all want for America and our families.

Make it a great day.

Jake

America’s National Churchill Museum | Winston Churchill’s Do Your Worst; We’ll Do Our Best Speech

This is a Winston Churchill speech that is particularly poignant on the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Two quotes in particular stood out to me:

“But there was one thing about which there was never any doubt. The courage, the unconquerable grit and stamina of our people, showed itself from the very outset. Without that all would have failed. Upon that rock, all stood unshakable.”

In the face of all the evils of the world we must have faith and belief that courage, grit and stamina from those on the side of good will win out. No matter the test, no matter the difficulty, that which is good and worthy will prevail.

“You do your worst – and we will do our best.”

When faced with the evils of the world it can be tempting to lower ourselves to those standards. Instead we need to raise ours.

The best way for us to honor those who have fallen and those who have sacrificed is to do and be our best. Others have given up their lives that we may have the opportunity to exercise this freedom. Don’t let it slip by.

Make it a great day.

Jake