BAD – Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life. – Robert Louis Stevenson

JD – Two is one and one is none.

JW – My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. – Proverbs 1:10

EB* – The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this: that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists. – Charles Dickens

MS* – Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house. -King Solomon

The Proverb above from Jamie is a good reminder of an important life lesson.

Be careful who you allow to influence you.

If you feel like you are struggling with something, maybe a good place to look would be your close associations.

Are you allowing someone or something to entice you in a direction you don’t want to head?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Yesterday we were reminded that tragedy can strike at any time when a small plane crashed east of town.

When something like this happens, it reminds us that life is both precious and short. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.

Let this be a wakeup call for you.

Take action on something you have been sitting on the fence about.

Make that call to that loved one you haven’t talked to in a while.

Kiss and hug those kids a little extra before bed tonight.

Live your life to the fullest today and every day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

When scrolling through FB this morning I happened upon a little quote I’d like to share, “Those that don’t believe in magic will never find it”-Roald Dahl. Reading those words made me realize not everyone can see the magic in the everyday things that surround us. Magic happened for me just yesterday, when my team rallied together to meet our quarterly goal. If I could bottle that feeling of excitement and sell it, I’d be a bazillionaire!

I looked up the definition of magic and one word stood out to me…enchantment! How many of you feel enchanted right now? It’s hard I know, because there is a lot in this world always bringing us down. So today create a world of magic. Real magic that makes you feel happy and fulfilled. You can start by opening your mind to the possibility of magic. Seek it out in every situation you encounter today and try looking at life from a different perspective. If all else fails, don’t be afraid to use your imagination and creativity. Let out your inner child and be a little silly!!!

Find The Magic,

Mikeleen Means

“The great gift of Easter is hope: Christian hope which makes us have that confidence in God, in his ultimate triumph, and in his goodness and love, which nothing can shake.” — English Benedictine monk Basil Hume

One of the great things about Easter is church on Easter Sunday.

It reminds me of getting to go watch the end of a really good movie you have seen a ton of times.

Up until this point, it has played out the dramatic part of the story. The good guy has been betrayed, beaten, tortured and then finally killed.

But just as things look their darkest, the hero raises from the dead and everyone’s sins are forgiven.

The good guy wins. That’s my favorite part about Easter. Every year the good guy wins.

And that’s the part that helps to have a positive perspective on life.

The good guy wins.

Maybe not right away.

Maybe even not until the end.

But the good guy wins.

Every time.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Thanks for the volunteers who sent out the daily attitude email while I was gone. You were awesome.

Two events happen next week that officially put winter behind us.

The Masters Golf Tournament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIX49hthw_I

Since that isn’t really a toe tapper…

Major League Baseball’s Opening Day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04KQydlJ-qc

Hello Spring!

Brian O’Shaughnessy

CEO

ITConnexx, Inc.

313 Main Ave.

De Pere, WI 54115

Direct – (920) 857-3208

Mobile – (920) 366-6204

Website – www.itconnexx.com

LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/oshaughnessyb

Facebook – www.facebook.com/boshaughnessy

Facebook – www.facebook.com/itconnexx

https://youtu.be/pDKiMYgdxSs

Every time I go on vacation I think of this scene from What About Bob.

A vacation from your problems.

Sometimes if we take a break from worrying about something, it reveals itself as something not worth worrying about.

Not that the worries and anxieties of life can just be swept under the rug, but if you view them from a new angle you can see them for what they are.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Still looking for volunteers for stand in daily attitude emailers for the rest of the week. Send me a note if you want to volunteer.

https://youtu.be/jY9xZoKiBgU

It’s official. When I leave today, I will be on vacation.

Looking forward to some quality time with the family. Let’s hope it goes better than the Griswold trip to see Marty Moose.

Taking a step away for a break brings renewed enthusiasm and energy.

And we don’t just need a step back and break from work.

What do you need a breather from?

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – I forgot to ask earlier this week, but if anyone wants to volunteer to send the daily attitude email out next week, just let me know which day you would like to send it.

PSS – For those with an odd sense of humor, here is another toe tapper – https://youtu.be/M2WTRqCu_DY.

People who think you are weak will offer you an excuse. People who think you are strong will offer you a challenge. – Eric Greitens

I have been listening to an audiobook about resilience and the above quote stuck out.

How many times do we let ourselves and those around us off with an excuse?

We buy into their mindset or they buy into our mindset of being weak. Of maybe it was a little too hard.

A lot of times we do this because we think it is the kind thing to do. We think it might be a little harsh to hold them to a higher standard and let them know they fell short of that higher standard.

The kinder way is actually to do just that.

To expect more from ourselves and others and to let them know when they have failed. Not that they are a failure, but that they have failed.

Two things to think about:

Where am I letting myself off the hook with excuses and building into the myth that I am weak?

Is there someone in my life that is offering me a challenge?

Make it a great day.

Jake

"You should never be proud of doing what’s right. You should just do what’s right." – Dean Smith, former University of North Carolina basketball coach

A long time ago I read a biography of Dean Smith. What has stuck with me from that book was that he had a few simple rules and stuck with them.

It seems to me that part of his success was built by having unwavering discipline on certain things but flexibility in others.

Think about your own life and what is most important.

Maybe you make a rule limiting the amount of work hours each week so you can spend more time with your family.

Maybe you make a rule around physical activity or diet.

Maybe you make a rule to never let a month go by without doing a budget.

Whatever your rules, stick with them. Pick just a few, but don’t let them slide.

If you are having a really hard time with discipline, pick just one. Make just one simple rule and stick to it. Just for a day to start. Then for two, then for a week. Just get started.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JD* – Bust my knuckles in a junk yard scuffle…rhythm adversaries with a brass belt buckle – Sir mix a lot

EB – 30 days…wait…30 days, holy bologna!?!?!? – ErikB.

JW – The best armor is staying out of gun-shot. -Italian proverb

MS – Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one. -C.S. Lewis

BAD – It is easy to work when the soul is at play – Emily Dickinson

I really like the simple proverbs like the one that JW shared.

Just think about the piercing questions for our own lives.

Where are we getting “hit” that we need to stay out of gun shot? What temptations are we getting to close to?

And the opposite side is true.

If you want to get “hit” by something, how close are you getting to it? Are you hanging around others and environments rich with that which you desire?

Make it a great day.

Jake