“In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion." [The Minotaur]” ― Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays

Introspection is another one of those tricky double edged swords in life.

I think of it like looking in a mirror.

If you don’t take a few moments to look in the mirror before leaving for work in the morning, you might just show up disheveled.

But if you spend an hour in the morning staring into the mirror getting every piece of clothing on just right, you just missed an hour of your day.

We all need to take time to look honestly at the mirrors in our lives (our relationships, our bank accounts, the mirror, the scale) and make the necessary course corrections to get where we want to go. We need to deeply understand ourselves in order to make the most of our strengths in service to others.

But we need to spend more of our time focused outwardly. Looking for others in need of service, in need of the love and warmth that only we can bring.

We weren’t created for ourselves. We were created for service to others. We need to look inward to find out what kind of service, but we need to look out to serve.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/ru0K8uYEZWw

Watching all of the people dancing in this video should put a smile on your face.

Even if you aren’t the dancing type, find something fun to do today.

Enjoy yourself.

Let go of your worries for at least a few minutes.

And if your version is breaking out some sweet dance moves, please video tape them and share.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them. – Thomas Merton

We must learn to love the differences.

To embrace the different perspective.

Relationships are a constant exercise in learning about and embracing the important people in our lives for all that makes them unique.

It’s true that balancing our own needs and desires with those of our loved ones and their unique perspective is difficult, but we all know it is worth it.

How might you encourage someone in your life to be more perfectly themselves?

How might you be more selfless in how you expect others to act?

Who deserves an apology?

Make it a great day.

Jake

I recently came across this on LinkedIn and wanted to share it with you all:

In nearly four decades I’ve only seen my father seriously disappointed in me once. I was 17.

My father and I drove up to the bag drop at our golf club. A middle aged man ran over to grab our clubs and shoes.

As we parked the car I asked my father if he ever felt bad about seeing a man his age in a service role, hustling for a tip while we go play golf.

My father turned to me with a look of disgust which betrayed a disappointment in me as well as an introspective sadness that he had raised such a clueless son.

Paraphrasing… “Son, I need you to understand one thing right now … if a man provides shelter, food, education, and love to his family, it doesn’t matter one bit what he does for a living … he is my equal. Money can make life easier, but it doesn’t make you a man. Don’t ever, ever ask me a question like that again.”

I count that as one of the most important lessons of my life. Not only has it helped me stay respectful of others (I hope) but, truthfully, it has saved me emotionally in times when I’ve felt less successful than other men — and there have been a lot of those times.

To those of us who work hard every day for our families — no matter what we do or what we earn — let’s keep our heads high and support each other. Lord knows we need it.

Mark A Smith

That last line has really stuck out in my mind – let’s keep our heads up high and support each other. Lord knows we need it.

What a great way to look at those around us.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Go like, share, etc. this article on LinkedIn if you have a chance:

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6345511899748270080/

You can’t change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction. – Jim Rohn

I know, another Jim Rohn quote….

This one has been on my mind as New Year’s came and passed. We all didn’t wake up in a different place on January 1st. There wasn’t some magical moment right after we made our resolutions when we changed into this whole different person who does or doesn’t do those new things you came up with for resolutions.

Sorry, but you woke up at the same destination you went to sleep (at least hopefully), but you (hopefully again) did change your direction.

Hopefully, New Years represented a new direction for you. A decision to change and head towards something better. A time when you decided to move away from something and towards something else.

To move from candy to fruit.

To move from no exercise to exercise.

To move from not saving money to saving money.

To move from no studying to disciplined learning.

Whatever the direction change you chose, seize this time of renewal and enthusiasm and build it into a habit. Look at the long term results you are going to get and then get excited about it.

Focus on it. Make it a priority.

And then make it happen.

Jake

https://youtu.be/3Uo0JAUWijM

Classic 80s stuff here….

Happy New Year.

Enjoy the time to reflect on 2017 and look forward to 2018.

Make it a great day.

Jake

When the New Year comes around, you here a lot about New Year’s resolutions.

Most of what is written is about how to set the goals better, how to increase your chances, etc.

They all start out with some statistic about how some really high percentage of resolutions are dropped by the end of January (86% of statistics are made up on the spot).

It almost seems like their goal is to either have you do it their way or just skip it.

Not me. Not this year.

Set some New Year’s resolutions.

Set a lot of them if you feel like it.

Don’t focus on the statistics that say 90% won’t make it, focus on the 10% that will.

Think positive.

You got this.

No reason you can’t be in the 10%.

And if you don’t make it, I’m sure you will be better off anyway.

And after you’ve set a few, read these 31 Tips to Awesome New Year’s Resolutions that I whipped up.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Now that Christmas is in the rear view mirror, time to look forward to next year.

Let’s make 2018 a year filled with positive action.

To get started, do something today.

Make it the smallest thing you can think of.

I’m sure you already have some ideas on a goal or two for next year, take the first step today.

Write something down.

Put an appointment on your calendar.

Do 1 push up.

Skip the sweets.

Just do something.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The day after Christmas is a day to feel thankful.

Slow down a little and be thankful today.

There is so much good in the world.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”

― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

This is a great thought to remember this Christmas season.

It’s so easy to get caught up with running from place to place and buying thing after thing.

Sometimes we move so fast we don’t give ourselves a chance to be affected by the laughter and good humour of others.

There are so many reasons to smile and laugh, but we have to notice them.

We have to slow down enough to catch them from others.

This week is one of those weeks that is easy to let slip by without having letting a little joy in.

Make yourself laugh this week.

Watch that favorite Christmas movie.

Share a drink with someone.

Email a joke to a friend.

Do something to make yourself and others laugh.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Zoey: What do you get if you cross an iPad with a Christmas tree?

Johnny: I don’t know. What?

Zoey: A pineapple!