We must not allow other people’s limited perceptions to define us. – Virginia Satir

It’s easy to fall into the trap of valuing other’s opinions too much.

To allow ourselves to spend our life worrying about what others think.

To place those opinions too highly on our lists.

Make it a point to think more clearly about where your value comes from and where to look to see where you should go next.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I’ll add “unless you’re a jerk, and people who actually care about you deeply have made that very clear”. Then you should probably listen and make some changes.

If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self. – Napoleon Hill

Left to our own desires, we will ruin ourselves.

We will not do what is best for ourselves.

We must discipline our desires.

Discipline ourselves to prefer selflessness over selfishness.

My own little trick (that I’m sure everyone is tired of hearing from me) is asking "How can I help?"

I try to put that at the forefront and say it as often as I can.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I watched Inside Out 2 with Oliver yesterday. It’s a portrayal of the competing emotions and feelings a teenage girl is going through as she grows up.

It’s a funny and poignant story of the challenges of growing up.

As a parent, it was a reminder of all the struggles the kids go through. The difficulties of managing emotions, friends, learning and growth.

I was reminded of how God must look at us. Knowing all of our thoughts and struggles, he roots for us to become the best version of ourselves possible.

He loves us through it all. The ups and downs. The good decisions and bad decisions.

And it’s a reminder that everyone we interact with everyday has their own internal struggles. Both big and small.

We have an opportunity to love them the same way. To show them that we are on their side.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/X_-q9xeOgG4?si=ttM9_6hPcJqxMKCA

Always look on the bright side of life.

What a great idea.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The way to get things done is not to mind who gets the credit for doing them. – Benjamin Jowett

I’m convinced that anything meaningful we want to do with our lives requires some help along the way.

We were made to help each other.

Find somebody to help today.

Forget about whether or not you get the credit.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at its testing point. – CS Lewis

Today is Veterans’ Day, a day to remember those who have served our country.

I think of the word courage often when I think of our veterans, and I think CS Lewis describes this virtue perfectly.

Whatever virtue it was that drew out the courage of any particular veteran, they all pursued that virtue at the highest level.

Some served for love of country.

Some served in order to stand up to the bullies of this world.

Some served to impress a girl.

All exhibited courage along the way.

We best honor their courage and sacrifice when we have this same courage at the testing point of virtues.

When we have the courage to love, serve, and sacrifice for our loved ones and for what is true and right in this world, we test our own courage in the face of difficulty.

We certainly have it easier. Our smaller sacrifices give meaning to the sacrifices of those who have served. The sacrifices of those who have served give meaning to our smaller sacrifices.

Have courage as you go about your day. Honor the sacrifices of our veterans by being courageous in pursuing virtue in your life.

Make it a great day.

Jake

It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well. – Rene Descartes

In the age of AI this takes on a whole new meaning.

Soon enough we’ll all have access to one of the most advanced minds ever imagined.

We can choose to use that power to help, honor, serve and love others or we can use it as a lever to further distance ourselves from others.

We will be able to solve complex problems quickly, but will need to remember to invest in long term relationships and do the difficult interpersonal work required to love others well.

We must use it well.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/-l70C3ePyIQ?si=w4Wph_ULAjSCj0-8

As the kids get older, the dad speeches get longer and longer.

I see them facing decisions and challenges and want so badly to share the mistakes I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned.

This song talks about the balancing act of wishing we knew how it all turns out vs learning and growing through life lived and lessons learned.

We want the path to be smooth and easy for them, but that’s not how it works.

Growth appears in the face of challenges and difficulties.

Of course, that’s easier to see from the other side.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“This is the true joy in life: Being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and, as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” – George Bernard Shaw

Does this describe you:

A mighty purpose….

A force of nature….

Or does this describe you:

A feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances…

Complaining that the whole world will not devote itself to making you happy…

We all have the same opportunity to find our purpose. To clarify as best we can. To live it every day.

And when we do….

Our splendid torch, which we have a hold for the moment, will burn brightly before we pass it on to the next generations.

If you haven’t taken the time to write down a personal mission statement or purpose statement, hopefully this has inspired you to spend some time working on one.

Make it a great day.

Jake