"Some people plant in the spring and leave in the summer. If you’ve signed up for a season, see it through. You don’t have to stay forever, but at least stay until you see it through." — Jim Rohn

Saw this on the FaceBox and thought it was good timing.

The first of the year is a time to sign up for new things. To begin a new season.

Jim’s reminder is that when you sign up for something, at least see it through one season.

At least see it through the first month of that new diet program.

At least see it through the first quarter with your new budget.

At least see it through January 21st with your new exercise plan.

Already fallen off the wagon? Quick! Get back on. See it through.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JD – The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. – Oprah Winfrey

EB* – Never wear anything that panics the cat. – P. J. O’Rourke

JW* – We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

MS* – When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That’s relativity. – Albert Einstein

The Oprah quote is a great reminder to be thankful for what we already have if we want more to be happy about.

Something that has worked for me in the past is to stop and make a list of 5 things I am thankful for.

Try it.

Now.

Have you tried it yet?

Just taking a moment to write down a few things you are thankful for puts you in a better mood and reminds you that things aren’t so bad after all.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same." — Carlos Castaneda

A simple and powerful reminder.

We choose.

Positive or negative.

Light or dark.

We must daily make the choice to focus on the positive.

Think happy and strong thoughts today.

They are your thoughts. Might as well make them good ones.

Make it a great day.

Jake

No one is youer than you. – Dr. Seuss

Today is Meaghan’s birthday.

I remember the line above from “The Birthday Book” on Meaghan’s birthday every year.

For some reason, God sent me Meaghan (I can’t wait to ask him how I got so lucky).

And no one is more Meaghan than Meaghan.

Each of us has someone in our lives that has come about at the right time or in the right way.

In the way that only they could.

Today, be thankful for those that have and continue to impact your life.

Be thankful for they were uniquely made.

Be thankful they are in your life.

I know I am.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Happy Birthday, Meaghan!

“Sometimes falling flat on your face allows you to see things from a totally different perspective.” ~ Linda Poindexter

People often say that successful people are the ones who fail the most.

Maybe this quote explains why a little.

Maybe when you have failed and are looking from that perspective can you see the real way through.

When you have changed your perspective ideas and solutions come through that you couldn’t see before.

Feeling stuck with something?

Try failing.

Try making some mistakes.

Try something you know for sure won’t work.

Then take that new perspective and let it lead you through.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/qbEPrRXS7gs

Kind of corny, but a great simple message.

I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that I can do.

Just do what you can. Here and now.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Men stumble over pebbles, never over mountains. – Marilyn French

So simple but true.

We get tripped over the trivial. We are inspired and can’t be stopped when focusing on the monumental.

What are you focused on?

Make it a great day.

Jake

We were watching “Night at the Museum” the other day and they were retelling the Sacajawea story.

They talked about all the hardships and the enormous scope of their journey.

I think if we could ask someone like that from history what they were thinking about as they completed their epic journey or surmounted impossible odds the answer would interesting in its simplicity.

They would probably say things like:

I said I was going to do it, so I just didn’t quit.

Going forward just seemed better than quitting.

I didn’t really think about it at the time, we were having so much fun.

It seemed like something worth trying.

What they say maybe betrays part of what can hold us back from time to time. We make things too complicated. We try to climb the whole mountain in one day. We quit.

Whatever is on your goal list for this year, make a simple commitment today. Take the next step. However small that might be. However imperfect it feels. Just keep going.

Make it a great day.

Jake

EB* – The sweetest of all sounds is praise. – Xenophon

MS* – When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. – Marcus Aurelius

JW* – Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man. – Benjamin Franklin

JD – Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience. – Paulo Coelho

The Xenophon quote reminded me of a life lesson I have tried to take to heart.

We all have within us the power to praise someone else.

To lift them up.

To bring out the best in them.

Take the time to praise someone today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

In spite of unseasonable wind, snow

and unexpected weather of all sorts –

a gardener still plants.

And tends what they have planted …

believing that Spring will come.

– Mary Anne Radmacher

On a cold, snowy and blowy morning this quote seemed appropriate.

Faith. We all must take certain things with faith.

That spring will come.

That our efforts will pay off.

That if we keep it up it will be worth it.

It’s easy to lose faith in something.

Any time we work towards something bigger for our lives, we must work in faith.

Faith that it will all work out in the end.

Make it a great day.

Jake