The Birthday Book by Dr. Seuss is one of my favorites.

In it, Dr. Seuss takes us through a special birthday day, Dr. Seuss style. He describes a special day as only Dr. Seuss can.

Along the way, in typical Dr. Seuss style, he weaves in an important message: your birthday is special because you are special.

Today is Meaghan’s birthday. Today I am reminded of all the things that are special about her.

But instead of embarrassing her with a long list of all that is special about Meaghan (she is pretty great though), I wanted to remind everyone that you are special.

Dr. Seuss says “no one is youer than you”.

And our birthdays are a great day to remember that truth.

Happy Birthday, Meaghan. No one is youer than you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://youtu.be/bW0PLT120yY

In “The Greatest Miracle in the World” Og Mandino proclaims that the greatest miracle in the world is……YOU.

You are uniquely gifted.

You were uniquely made.

As Dr. Seuss says, “No is youer than you”.

We are all uniquely equipped to be of service to others.

Embrace the miracle that Is you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Stewardship is one of the Mavidea values.

It’s one of those concepts that is not the easiest to nail down.

An example of stewardship that I think of frequently is the lotto winner.

I have seen statistics about how money lotto winners lose all the money or end up really unhappy.

And I think it begins with stewardship.

If the lotto winner wasn’t already a good steward of their money, it all goes away, just like their money did before they won the lottery. Winning changed their circumstance, but it doesn’t automatically change the person.

Winning the lottery doesn’t create a millionaire, being a good steward of money does.

This is why stewardship is so important. We must learn to be good stewards when the amounts are small.

Whether it is our money, our time or our relationships, we must manage what we have now well if we wish to have and be more.

Challenge yourself. Think of a resource that you steward. Pick something small.

Now think of something you could do to steward that resource more wisely.

Do it. Start now.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

We are only about two weeks into the year, but this seemed like a great reminder to me this morning.

We choose each day whether it will be a good day or a bad day.

Whether it will be the best day or the worst day of the year.

Remember today to choose to make this the best day of the year.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JD – A man does what he must – in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressure – and that is the basis of all human morality. – Winston Churchill
EB – It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life and I’m feeling good……………………..yeah. – Random Artists JW – Be kind, for every man is fighting a hard battle. – Ian MacLaren
MS – Therefor do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. -Matthew 6:34 BAD – All serious daring starts from within. – Eudora Welty

I have always really liked the passage from Matthew that includes the quote Mike shared above.

In it, Jesus reminds the disciples that birds of the air and the flowers of the fields are well cared for and yet they worried about unimportant things.

If each of us could remember how lucky we really are in that we have food, shelter, and all our basic necessities provided for and to find happiness in those things we could let go of most of our worries.

Make it a great evening.

Jake

“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

You won’t be happy if you don’t produce. – Jim Rohn

Leisure and rest are not the point. Producing and leaving things better than you found them is.

Jim Rohn talks about the seed, the soil, the rain and the sunshine. References to his growing up on a small farm.

The farm is a great metaphor for being productive and being a good steward.

Being productive is an important element in our quest for happiness and success.

Are you letting the seed, soil, rain and sunshine in your life go to waste or are using it to produce?

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://youtu.be/StTqXEQ2l-Y

Everything IS awesome.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Talk to yourself but don’t listen to yourself.

I heard this little bit of confusion the other day in a podcast.

The idea is that we shouldn’t listen to those automatic thoughts that just pop into our head.

All the reasons we shouldn’t do something.

All the reasons so and so doesn’t like us.

All the reasons today is not going to be great.

Instead we should control the conversation, pumping in positive thoughts.

All the reasons we should do something.

All the reasons we like so and so.

All the reasons and ways today could be a great day.

By controlling the conversation we begin to plant the seeds of positivity. If we are able to do this consistently, positivity will grow.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Virtue — even attempted virtue — brings light; indulgence brings fog. – CS Lewis

This quote reminded me of the second half of Ben Franklin’s journaling system.

He wrote down 13 virtues and focused on one each week. Writing how he performed on the specific virtue each day.

“Even attempted virtue” brings light. Imagine how much light might happen if we followed Mr. Franklin’s plan?

Imagine the fog if we don’t choose to improve on our virtues, day by day.

Next you get that feeling that your life is in a fog, maybe that means it would be a great time to at least attempt a virtue.

Make it a great day.

Jake