Below are some thoughts I found one day when trying to find some inspiration for a daily attitude email.

Two things to remember:

Don’t be embarrassed to share a positive thought about someone. Don’t let your own insecurities stand in the way of telling someone something that may just brighten their day.

Second, tell them now. Don’t hesitate. Don’t put it off until tomorrow. Tell them now.

Make it a great week this week.

Jake

A lady who is a good many years older than I tells me often of the aunt who was a mother to her throughout her childhood. ‘Auntie’ impressed her with the need to tell the truth–the welcome kind–and she would add emphatically, ‘Tell them now.’

My friend calls me on the telephone–sometimes to thank me for a note or a little gift, sometimes to tell me what my friendship means to her. ‘You remember what Auntie always said,’ she will say, ‘’so, I’m telling you now.’ There would be no way for me to exaggerate how she has cheered and helped me.

I was talking with a lady who had been a missionary for forty years, and I noticed that she had exceptionally lovely hands. ‘Has anyone ever told you your hands are beautiful?’ I asked. The dear soul was so flustered one might have thought I had committed an indecency. She looked at her hands in amazement. ‘Why . . . why no. I don’t think anyone ever has!’’ But she saw that I meant it, and she had the grace to hear the truth. She said thank you.

‘Tell it like it is,’ is the watchword today. But suppose it’s lovely? Suppose it’s actually beautiful? C. S. Lewis said that the most fatal of all nonconductors is embarrassment. It seems to me that life is all too short to let embarrassment deprive us and our friends of the pleasure of telling the happy truth.

Suppose the boy who does your lawn does it fast, trims it perfectly, and takes care of the tools? Suppose the clerk who waits on you happens to be the most gracious one you’ve ever encountered? Suppose even that your husband–when you stop for once to look at him, to think about him as a person and as a man–seems to you to be the best man you know? Tell them. Tell them now.”

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.

Thomas Jefferson

If I were to add to this quote, I would add “But when you do speak up, do so with patience, respect and positivity.”

As we face another election season this year, we must remember those two things.

First, we must not remain silent. Each of us needs to become informed and get out and vote. Second, we need to stay away from and not add to all the hype and negativity.

This quote doesn’t just have to do with the government though.

Tyranny can be found in many different areas of our lives.

It can be found in neighborhoods where crime overshadows growth and opportunity.

It can be found in abusive and hurtful relationships where one persons dominance over another takes on an ugly form.

It can be found in the bullies in the school yard, picking on the weaker kids for sport.

Regardless of its form, it is our call as people of good conscience to speak up. To do something. To stand up to tyranny in all its forms.

Speak up and make it a great day.

Jake

​It isn’t sufficient just to want – you’ve got to ask yourself what you are going to do to get the things you want. Franklin D. Roosevelt
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​Franklin Roosevelt has always interested me. He was the President during two of the most dramatic events of our nations history, World War II and the Great Depression. In a wheelchair. If you ever have a moment where you think something isn’t possible for you, think again.
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​I found this quote and it reminded me of how the President can be an example and leader when it comes to taking personal responsibility.
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​Regardless of your circumstances and your goals, you have to take action and positive steps to get what you want.
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​You have to be willing to DO.
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​It’s not sufficient to want to lose weight, you have to be willing to do the work of dieting and exercising.
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​It’s not sufficient to want to have great relationships in your life, you have to do the work of building and maintaining those relationships.
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​It’s not sufficient to want a great country and community, you have to do the work of volunteering, voting and educating yourself on how to help our communities.
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​I once read a biography of FDR and came away with two conclusions.
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​First, FDR was an amazing man who made a major impact on the course of history as he led the US and the Allies through World War IIand the great depression.
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​Second, he wasn’t perfect. At first, his failures and shortcomings kind of bugged me, but then I changed my perspective a little and it gave me hope. Making a major contribution to mankind doesn’t require perfection. So, the just may be hope for me yet.
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​Make it a great day.
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​Jake

In honor of President’s Day, I thought I would share a few more Presidential thoughts.

George Washington and the cherry tree story immediately popped into my mind when I thought of something to write about.

Here is a link to read it and a little bit about it:

http://georgewashingtoninn.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/the-legend-of-the-cherry-tree/

Regardless of whether it is a true story or not, there is an important life lesson in this little story.

The Bible says that those who are faithful with small things will be given responsibility over many things.

A little boy’s integrity over something as small as chopping a cherry tree can build into a man that is responsible for great things.

What can you be faithful with now so that your future will be brighter later?

Do you need to stick to your diet now so you can live a long and healthy life?

Do you need to stick to that exercise program so you can have the energy to take on your goals?

Do you need to learn a new skill that will take you to that next level?

Do you need to take responsibility for something?

Commit to yourself to be faithful while the amounts are small. Hold firm to that which you tell yourself you will do. Your own personal integrity to yourself is the most important.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Today we celebrate President’s Day.

One of the presidents we celebrate on this day is Abraham Lincoln.

His letter to Mrs. Bixby was made famous when it was used in the film Saving Private Ryan.

I have included it below.

It is short, but very powerful.

Let’s remember to appreciate all of our past presidents as well as our current one this holiday.

Make it a great week.

Jake

Executive Mansion, Washington, November 21, 1864.

Mrs. Bixby, Boston, Massachusetts:

Dear Madam: I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,

Abraham Lincoln

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time. – Abraham Lincoln

This quote illustrates an important part of the success and happiness adventure we are all on.

All of the steps necessary to achieve success and be happy can’t happen in one day. They must happen in small increments, day by day.

Jim Rohn talks about “eating an apple a day” as an example of how small habits really add up. He goes on to say “you can’t eat 20 apples in one day”.

You can’t force all of the steps necessary to achieve your goals into one day. You must methodically check them off your list everyday. If you want to get to point Z and you are at point A, you must complete steps B – Y.

This is what people talk about when they talk about the potential that each of us have inside of us. If we apply ourselves diligently, day by day, you would be amazed at what one person is capable.

Apply that to Mavidea and the results explode. Multiply what one person is capable of by 25 and the possibilities are endless, as long as we are working together towards one vision and one plan for the future.

Trying to force your weight loss, wealth building, skill enhancement or other goals into one day will leave you frustrated and impatient. Create a plan for daily improvement and movement in a positive direction and you will be amazed at the results.

Make today one of those positive steps forward.

Jake