Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. – Karl Barth

This one is so simple and good, it stands for itself.

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://youtu.be/s7dTBoW5H9k

At the Davis house we have a bit of a case of spring fever going around.

We are all looking forward to sunny, warm days.

I realize this is a bit premature, but we can dream can’t we?

Make it a great day.

Jake

To cause an avalanche you can shake a mountain or find the right place to drop a snowflake. – Unknown

Simple idea today.

Where could you drop a snowflake that would cause the biggest impact?

It could be a phone call to a friend.

A kind word to a coworker.

A moment or two extra with the kids.

A quick text to your spouse.

Five minutes reading a book.

Five minutes exercising.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“It is no use saying to the tired ‘mental muscles’… ‘I will give you a good rest,’ ‘I will go for a long walk,’ or ‘I will lie down and think of nothing.’ The mind keeps busy just the same. If it has been weighing and measuring, it goes on weighing and measuring. If it has been worrying, it goes on worrying…It is useless to argue with the mind in this condition…A gifted American psychologist has said, ‘worry is a spasm of the emotion; the mind catches hold to something and will not let it go.’ One can only gently insinuate something else into its convulsive grasp. And if this something else is rightly chosen, if it is really attended by the illumination of another field of interest, gradually, and often quite swiftly, the old undue grip relaxes and the process of recuperation and repair begins.” – Winston Churchill

The Art of Manliness blog has been doing a series of posts on Winston Churchill. This post was discussing the benefits of having a hobby.

Our mind works best when it is given periods of rest and distraction.

Worry and anxiety arise when we can’t stop thinking about something and don’t get any rest or distraction from those thoughts.

Find an engaging hobby. Engage your mental capacities in something besides worry and anxiousness.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JW – In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don’t try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present. – Lao Tzu

MS – Charity means ‘Love, in the Christian sense’. -C.S. Lewis

EB – It’s like deja-vu, all over again. -Yogi Berra

BAD* – The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase. – Yogi Berra

JD – Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing. – Oscar Wilde

I liked EB’s Yogi quote so much I put one in for BethAnne since she is gone this week (on vacation, stealing towels).

If you haven’t ever done it, go out and search for Yogi Berra quotes.

You will get a few good laughs out of it, but you will also have a few moments were you think there might just be something smart inside of that silliness.

It’s almost like Dr. Seuss, a lesson inside a silly package.

Don’t forget to look for the lessons in the silly packages.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"Measure your emotions. You don’t need an atomic explosion for a minor point." — Jim Rohn

While I think Jim Rohn teaches this lesson well, the kids have made it really stick for me.

I’m not a child psychologist, but I think that as kids go through different levels of emotional development they essentially learn this lesson. Where once they would easily break down and cry or throw a tantrum, they learn to be civil and patient (at least some of the time).

As adults we are challenged with continuing this growth.

We choose our reaction in each scenario.

We choose how much emotion to apply to a given scenario.

Like all choices, a little wisdom and understanding goes a long way in helping us improve.

Something I think about a lot is what an ideal reaction to a given scenario might be.

A great dad would react like this.

A loving husband would say this.

A servant leader would do this.

Our success is won or lost in the day to day decisions like this. How much emotion and emphasis to place on the life that happens around us helps determine our focus.

Are you measuring your emotions?

Make it a great day.

Jake

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. – Anne Frank

Great way to start a Monday – with the reminder that we don’t need to wait to start making things happen. We can start right now.

This day, this week, this month can be your new beginning, the time you really poured it on.

The world changes when we do.

Change begins when we do.

Let’s get started.

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://youtu.be/UsiCoIZPY3Y

Maybe not as upbeat as some others, but the title got me on this one. The gift of a friend.

Calling a friendship a gift is a great reminder of two important things about friendship.

First, be thankful. When someone gives you a gift, you thank them. Be thankful for and to your friends.

Second, it is better to give than to receive. Friendship’s gift begins when you give it away.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Last night was our Ash Wednesday service at church. Ash Wednesday begins the 40 days of Lent, a period of preparation for Easter.

I was reminded of this bible verse: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

In the past, I struggled a little with verses like this and church services meant to remind us of when we fall short.

But I’ve come to think maybe there is another side of it.

By realizing we ALL are not perfect, we can be in better relationship with those around us. We can serve and love our neighbors much better when we realize they are imperfect as well.

By realizing that I am not perfect I can begin the process of improving. By shining the light on my imperfections, I can move closer to a better me.

I wonder if the key is not shining the light on it for too long.

Shine the light on the area needing improvement long enough to see it, then move the light towards the future, better you. Focus on the goal and the improvement not the shortcoming.

Acknowledge the need for improvement but don’t dwell on it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

BAD – Courage is the price life exacts for granting peace. – Amelia Earhart

EB* – Accept who you are….unless you are a serial killer. – Ellen Degeneres

MS* – A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man. – Lana Turner

JW* – A day without sunshine is like, you know, night. – Steve Martin

JD – I’m an idealist. I don’t know where I am going, but I’m on my way. – Carl Sandburg

I was recently sent the hilarious (who doesn’t love a good quote about serial killers?) quote above from Ellen Degeneres.

While it made me giggle a little at first, it reminded me of something I see a lot on TV in particular.

Sometimes people are acting not like idiots and they try to cover it up by saying that they are just “being real” or just “being themselves”.

It can be easy to get into the trap of “If I just be myself, everything should be great” mindset.

I would highly recommend that we all be transparent, open and honest with those around us. And being comfortable with and content in your own skin is an important point of maturity that we should all head towards.

But it doesn’t mean that others have to like it. Or even like you. Or that your life won’t work out horribly if you are a horrible person.

Fortunately for us, we get to pick what kind of person we are. We can grow and change and “be real” from a better place.

Next time you are “being real”, think about whether or not this real version is someone you really want to be.

Make it a great day.

Jake