You will never be free until you free yourself from the prison of your own false thoughts. – unknown

For some reason over the last few years I have noticed more and more how often people say things that just aren’t true.

We say “I can’t”.

We say “I’m just the kind of person that…”

We say “If it weren’t for….”

We tell ourselves lies. We say them often enough they become our version of the truth.

Lucky for us, we are not set in stone. We can change this pattern.

One thing I have begun thinking to myself or saying out loud is “That isn’t true.”

Step one is identifying the lies we tell ourselves.

Since the mind can’t think of two things at once, we can then work on replacing these thoughts.

We have a choice. It is our attitude that we can control.

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://thenicestplaceontheinter.net/

I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but there are a few negative things on the intertubes.

It’s smart to be a little careful with how much time you spend on the negatives. And to go out looking for the positive.

Plus, everybody needs a hug to start off their week.

Focus on the positive.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/MsW8rXPcnM0

It’s been hot lately and maybe a little harder than usual to embrace summer and all that is good about it.

But the good is there if you look for it.

Go find some good old fashioned summer fun this weekend.

Get outside.

Go swimming.

Enjoy it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure about you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. – Marianne Williamson

Embrace all of the awesomeness that you were created for.

It’s far too easy to shrink from our inherent greatness. To worry what others might think or to worry too much about failing.

Is there something you were meant for that you are hiding from?

Is there some greater service you could offer if you weren’t too afraid?

Did something immediately pop into your head when you read this quote?

If so, write it down. Right now.

Put it somewhere where you can’t miss it.

And get to work.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“Some are born weird, some achieve it, others have weirdness thrust upon them.” ― Dick Francis, To the Hilt

While on vacation I saw a woman running. She was running fast, had all the gear on, etc.

I thought to myself “she must be one of the weirdos that actually likes running.”

And then I thought “maybe I need to be a little more weird.”

And then I thought “maybe I could send out a daily attitude email about this.”

And then I thought “better make a note so I don’t forget.”

And then you thought “get on with it, you weirdo.”

Anyways, achieving something meaningful or breaking through our self-constructed barriers usually involves getting weird about something.

The person who ends up with a fortune first had the person who was a little weird about making and saving money.

The person who loses the weight and keeps it off first had to be the person who was a little weird about the food they ate and how it was prepared.

The person with all the great friendships first had to be the weirdo who talked to everybody and invited himself over.

We are all a little weird in our way.

But maybe we should consider adding to it. Adding a little weirdness where we need to make a change.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Travel does not exist without home. If we never return to the place we started we would just be wandering, lost. Home is a reflecting surface, a place to measure growth and enrich us after being infused with the outside world. – Josh Gates

Back home today after a trip up North.

Vacation brings with it a new appreciation for being home.

Glad to be home.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Yesterday was a travel day on this vacation and we spent most of the day in the car.

It was a great reminder to focus on the journey and not the destination.

If you spend the whole time complaining about the trip and thinking about the destination, you will miss a lot along the way.

This is another area of life that takes balance.

We must set and take aggressive steps towards ambitious goals.

While a the same time slowing down enough to smell the roses and learning to be content with what we have.

I certainly haven’t figured this one out yet, but I’m hoping that recognizing it is a good first step.

Have you ever gotten out of balance in this area?

If so, which way do you tend to fall?

What can you do to restore balance?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Today is Maggie’s birthday! Hard to believe we have a 10 year old in the house. We have officially gotten a child into double digits.

I can just hear all of the applause right now.

The biggest lesson that Maggie has taught me so far….enthusiasm makes the difference.

For some reason, God blessed us with one of the most enthusiastic people I have ever met.

She just radiates it.

It comes across in the class room at school.

It shows up at church on Sunday.

It shows up at the dinner table.

What if we could add just a little bit of that to our attitudes?

What if at the next meeting your first response to every idea was “That sounds awesome!”?

What if the next plan your spouse shared with you was met with “Great idea, babe, can we start right now?”

What if working out tomorrow morning could be met with a smile and a “This is gonna be fun!”?

What if we could be a little more like Maggie?

To quote a typical Maggie response, “Gee, Dad that sounds like fun!”

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – I am out on vacation starting today through next Tuesday. If you would like to send out a daily attitude email or the toe tapper on Friday, let me know.

JD – You will never win if you never begin. Helen Rowland

JW – Love your wife as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25

• http://tinyurl.com/jamies-ball-speech

MS -The foolishness of man perverteth his way: And his heart fretteth against the Lord. – Proverbs 19:3

EB – Worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble. – George Washington

I have listened to it yet, but Jamie did us the honor of including a link to a speech he recently gave at a Mary Kay event.

Afterward, a veteran came up to him and share a heartwarming story about how Jamie’s speech had inspired him to get back to church.

Listen to it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Yesterday was RB’s 9th anniversary at Mavidea.

This might sound weird, but I think I might be more excited about that than the company’s anniversary last month.

We came together and created this business. That was super cool. Then we got a complete stranger to believe in it and come work for us.

And she is still here 9 years later!

Things haven’t been perfect and I’m sure there are times when she thought we were crazy (she was right), but somehow we grew together.

Became this whole other thing together.

Something better. Something more impactful.

I know I am better for having had RB around for the last 9 years.

But you want to know the best part?

RB was just the beginning….we’ve hired a few more people over the years.

Not all good hires, but we have ended up with an unbelievable group of people making a difference in the world.

Can’t do much better than that.

Thanks, RB!

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – I am out on vacation from tomorrow through next Tuesday. If you would like to send out a daily attitude email or the toe tapper on Friday, let me know.