Love is not blind – it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less. – Rabbi Julius Gordon

Getting close to our 16th wedding anniversary for me and Meaghan and this quote struck home.

Meaghan must really love me to be willing to see less in so many ways.

This quote applies to all of our relationships.

We can be easier on the waitress if we have love in our heart.

We can be a better teammate and coworker when love is our main priority.

We can choose to less of the faults of others by setting love as our default mode of operating.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"You should never be proud of doing what’s right. You should just do what’s right." – Dean Smith, former University of North Carolina basketball coach

A long time ago I read a biography of Dean Smith. What has stuck with me from that book was that he had a few simple rules and stuck with them.

It seems to me that part of his success was built by having unwavering discipline on certain things but flexibility in others.

Think about your own life and what is most important.

Maybe you make a rule limiting the amount of work hours each week so you can spend more time with your family.

Maybe you make a rule around physical activity or diet.

Maybe you make a rule to never let a month go by without doing a budget.

Whatever your rules, stick with them. Pick just a few, but don’t let them slide.

If you are having a really hard time with discipline, pick just one. Make just one simple rule and stick to it. Just for a day to start. Then for two, then for a week. Just get started.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/3GwjfUFyY6M

Something to celebrate – Mavidea turns 11!

Hard to believe that 11 years have already come and gone.

A lot of life has happened in and around this thing called Mavidea and I’m thankful for all of it.

Thank you to all of you Mavideans for making it happen.

Thank you to all of the supporters along the way.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." – Jane Goodall

Good thought for the day.

Try to keep this at the front of your mind for the day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy. – Saadi

Everyone stinks at first.

My favorite example of this is walking.

When a young child begins to walk, we cheer them on.

We help them and keep them safe, but we don’t discourage their progress by expecting them to get it right the first time.

We expect lots and lots of mistakes.

We encourage them to work through the failures and missteps.

We cheer them on when they take the first few tentative steps.

As you learn and grow, do the same for yourself.

Don’t expect perfection, encourage mistakes and next attempts. Celebrate the small victories.

Make it a great day.

Jake

When I think of Memorial Day, I am reminded of the famous letter that Abraham Lincoln wrote to Mrs. Bixby (below).

I can’t see how it could be said better in so few words.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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 word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering 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,

A. Lincoln

https://youtu.be/wa2nLEhUcZ0

I know I’ve sent this one before, but I also imagine it always makes Mrs. Davis smile.

Think of a song that would make a loved one smile today.

Find the YouTuber for it and send it them with a note.

Make it a great day.

Jake

My motto is: Contented with little, yet wishing for more. – Charles Lamb

This a great way to illustrate one of life’s great balancing acts.

Contentment vs ambition.

Take a moment today to do a quick check in with yourself.

How are you doing on this one?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Rough diamonds may sometimes be mistaken for worthless pebbles. – Thomas Browne

I sure felt a little better after reading this one.

It’s easy to get caught up in all of our imperfections and get a little discouraged.

But every single person is a rough diamond.

We all have some areas for improvement, but underneath it all is greatness.

Our own, unique greatness.

Don’t mistake yourself for a worthless pebble.

Don’t buy into the ideas that if you could only lose some weight or buy that thing or take that trip that you would then become worthy or “as much as” someone else or some idealized version of yourself.

Don’t fall into the social media trap of viewing everyone’s highlight reel thinking you are “less than”.

It’s not true! You are a diamond.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Another great life lesson from “The Sandlot” is that you have to go outside to make friends.

At the beginning of the movie the main character’s mom tells him that she wants him to get outside and get into trouble (but not too much).

We all need to get outside in order to accomplish our goals and dreams.

Both metaphorically and literally.

Outside of our comfort zone in order to grow as a person.

Outside of the comfort of home in order to grow our view of the world.

This thought may be even more important in our time than it was for the character in the movie. We have even more opportunity to spend our time inside our comfort zone and comfortable space than others have in the past.

Getting past this layer of insulation from the outside world is essential to becoming all that we were meant to be. We were meant for so much more.

What is one way that you can “go outside” today?

What can you do to change your perspective and grow past where you currently are?

Make it a great day.

Jake