One of the great parts of "How to Stop Worrying" by Dale Carnegie is that it includes a bunch of real world stories from people and how they have dealt with worry.

I have attached one of these sections of the book.

There are two important lessons included in this short story.

First, the idea of writing down your worries and putting them away for later. His realization that most of his worries never came to pass is such a fundamental truth that can help any of us worry warts.

The second lesson was learned from watching his wife do dishes. He realized she doesn’t mind washing the dishes because you only wash one day at a time. You can’t wash tomorrow’s dishes today.

Is there something worrying you that you need to write down and put away for a little while?

Are you trying to wash tomorrow’s dishes today?

Let’s make it a great day, full of joy and absent of worry.

Jake

PS – You should read this book. It is filled with powerful stories and practical tips on an area of life that most of us struggle with.

Well, it’s official, cross country season is over for Maggie. Last night was the first night of no practice for Maggie.

Cross country has been a great sport for Maggie so far.

But in a way I didn’t expect.

Running is good for you and being outside is good too. This much I expected.

What I’ve been surprised by is the positivity of the sport.

Youth sports have become rampant with overbearing parents yelling at the refs and over competitive kids (and parents).

But cross country parents and fans haven’t been like that for us. Everyone is supportive and cheers on the last place runner as much as the first place runner.

Encouragement and positivity abound.

What does this have to do with you?

Find something like this to get involved in. Surround yourself with positive people and cheer on others as they do their best.

Life is more about competing with and becoming your best self than in conquering and defeating others.

Make it a great day.

Jake

We got a little crazy at the Davis house last night. We started Christmas way too early and watched The Grinch.

I’ve read the book a ton of times and seen the various different movie versions many times but something new stuck out to me this time.

They forgave him. The Whos had every reason to continue to be mad. There was still a big mess. I’m sure at least one or two presents arrived broken. And he had stolen Christmas….even if only temporarily.

The Grinch was the guest of honor and was asked to carve the roast beast.

They recognized a sincere and complete change of heart, and they forgave him.

I don’t know about you, but I would have had a hard time with that.

Who needs your forgiveness?

Maybe something you could do in order to get in an early Christmas mood this year is to forgive someone. To let it go and reach out to build the bridge again.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/3DSVMDmzCcA

More of a slow tapper.

Probably not the real message of this song but when I hear I think about trying to be the “easy” person in a relationship.

Easy to talk to.

Easy to work with.

Easy to ask for help.

Easy to tell the good and bad news.

I think of being kind and nice. Of being the kind of person someone isn’t afraid to approach with whatever is on their mind.

What can you do to be the easy person for somebody today?

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – on the other side of this coin – sometimes we don’t want to be the easy person. If someone asks you to cheat or lie or steal, it shouldn’t be easy. It should be impossible. Like a lot of life – we must choose wisely when to be easy and when to be difficult.

The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more. – Jonas Salk

This reminds of the concept from the Bible – those we are faithful with what is given will be given more.

Today you have some work in front of you.

Maybe it’s not the coolest or the most glamorous.

You may not be playing in the NFL or working on Wall Street (or whatever your dream job is), but the work matters.

It matters because you get to decide whether or not you are going to do it well.

You get to decide what kind of person you are.

I can’t tell you how, but I have faith that if you do it well, over time, things will go your way. I don’t exactly how this works, but it does.

Let’s get to work on a job well done today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels that he is finding his place in it, while really it is finding its place in him.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

This quote reminds me to “be careful what you wish for.”

It’s easy to fall into the trap of wishing for more comfort or prosperity. For the bigger house or car. The nicer clothes or cooler gear.

The question of what we have to give up in order to get it seems a distant whisper in the face of our desires.

CS Lewis hits it on the head here – “it” gets a hold of us in the process.

When we give in to our desires and ambitions we can become something we never intended.

We can lose ourselves in the process and end up worse off than we were at the beginning.

We must strive and do our best in service to others (with love). Working towards goals and with purpose has been placed in us by our Creator. These must be filtered through a mature and thoughtful philosophy on life, not compared to the latest commercial or what our neighbor is driving.

We can live better lives. Not by striving for prosperity and comfort, but by giving up our own desires in services to others (with love).

Make it a great day.

Jake

If you don’t have anything nice to say….you’re not thinking hard enough. – Kid President

Great idea.

This idea works in many areas of our lives.

If you can’t think of something positive about your day….you’re not thinking hard enough.

If you can’t think of something fun to do….you’re not thinking hard enough.

If you can’t think of something nice about yourself….you’re not thinking hard enough.

If you can’t think of something nice to do…you’re not thinking hard enough.

If you can’t think of a reason to laugh…you’re not thinking hard enough.

Keep searching for the reason behind what you want for your life.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I attended a funeral on Saturday and was once again reminded of this email I sent a few years ago about legacy.

“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” —Shannon L. Alder

My grandmother passed away on Saturday and today is the funeral.

She was a very unassuming person to have left such a great legacy.

In one of Andy Stanley’s podcasts he says something like “Your legacy might not be what you do, but who you raise.”

My grandmother was a homemaker and never even got her driver’s license, but she left a tremendous legacy.

Not that we are perfect, but she helped create a family legacy that will endure and continue to grow.

Each new generation has been touched and influenced by her love and caring.

This is your opportunity as well.

To leave this world better than you found it.

You may not even be the one that accomplishes great things (although I certainly hope you do). Your legacy may be a subtler one, like that of my grandmother.

But it will be something. Each and every day is an opportunity to make an impact and grow your legacy, don’t let them slip past you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/wBl2QGAIx1s

Watched “Back to the Future” with the girls this week and was reminded of some good Huey Lewis james.

As I get older, “the power of love” has taken on a different meaning.

I think of it now as the power to help us in one of life’s biggest challenges (the biggest?) – letting go of my own selfish desires and pride.

The power of love comes in changing our hearts to think of another before ourselves.

To put someone else’s goals and ambitions ahead of ours.

To put the happiness of someone else as a higher priority than our own.

When we are able to love in this manner and kill our own selfishness we truly blossom.

We are at our best and our happiest when we love in this fashion.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Maybe I’m doing it wrong?

(Everyone else: took you long enough to figure that out.)

Maybe that would be a good question to ask yourself (although I really doubt you are….you’re practically perfect).

Not enough time to work out? Maybe you’re doing it wrong….

Not enough money saved? Maybe you’re doing it wrong…..

Not enough room in the waist of your favorite pants? Maybe you’re doing it wrong….

Phew…now the hard part is over, admitting that maybe, just maybe we don’t have it all figured out.

What’s next? Start figuring out how to do it right!

How might you do that?

Ask someone who seems to be getting it right.

Read a book about doing it right.

Take a class on doing it right.

AND DO WHATEVER THEY SAY.

Try something new. Stick with it. Work the process for a season and see if it’s going to work for you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Sorry for the corniness in this one….I may have gone a little overboard (that Meaghan must be a saint to put up with me all the time).