Daily Attitude Email 03 19 25

Came across this old post and thought it was worth sending again:

Last night Maggie picked one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books, “Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are”. That led to another Dr. Seuss inspired email.

Here is the quote to start the book:

“When I was quite young and quite small for my size, I met an old man in the Desert of Drize. And he sang me a song I will never forget, at least, well, I haven’t forgotten it yet. He sat in a terribly prickly place, but he sang with a sunny sweet smile on his face…”

“When you think things are bad, when you feel sour and blue, when you start to get mad… You should do what I do! Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky! Some people are much more…Oh, ever so much more…Oh, muchly much-much more unlucky than you!”

The book is another classic example of Dr. Seuss. Only by being absurd and entertaining can he so pointedly remind us all that we are truly lucky.

No matter how bad you may think you have it at any given point, you are truly lucky.

But this isn’t an exercise in sending everyone on a guilt trip…..

When I am reminded of how lucky I am, I become more motivated to do something with it. I become even more focused on using what I have in order to make the biggest difference I can in the lives of others.

For whatever reason, we are the lucky ones. It is our job to do something about it. It is our job to help others move into the lucky column.

And like my email on the 51% rule, this one is the same. The good guys have already won. More people in this world fall into the lucky column than the unlucky one. All we have to do is find the unlucky ones and help them move to the lucky side.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Daily Attitude Email 03 17 25

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. – C. S. Lewis

In the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” Steven Covey talks about having “integrity in the moment of decision” when it comes to managing our time.

What he means is that when it comes time to make choices about how we spend our time we must choose with integrity to our values and vision for our lives.

The quote about courage explains this well. Courage is making the hard decision right now to spend our time with integrity to our goals and vision.

If you wrote down or decided on some important goals for this year (or this week), I am guessing this integrity has been tested.

You have been tempted to watch TV instead of exercising.

You have been tempted to spend some money that wasn’t in the budget.

You have been tempted to check your FaceBox at dinner.

Whatever your resolution or goals, your integrity and courage will be tested.

Stick with it. You can do it. You can make the courageous choice. Because you were built for greatness. You weren’t built to give in easy and to let your life pass you by.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Daily Attitude Email 03 13 25

“Luminous beings we are, not this crude matter.” —Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back

Something I’ve noticed about a lot of the epic movie or novel series is that they touch on some of the important truths of life.

That being brave is better than being cowardly.

That being honest is better than lying.

That love and truth will win out over evil and tyranny.

That friendships and relationships matter more than our selfish desires.

That good is worth fighting for and will win out in the end.

And this quote above – that we are more than just a bag of chemicals that happens to be able to walk around and think a little. We are in fact, a soul. We just happen to inhabit a body right now.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Daily Attitude Email 03 12 25

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. Francis of Assisi

Get started.

Whatever your goal.

Whatever is nagging at you.

Whatever your reason for wanting something different.

Just get started. Do what’s necessary to get the train headed down the tracks.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Daily Attitude Email 03 11 25

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

Prayer of St. Francis

Wow. The world sure needs this right now.

The level of maturity required to live this out is beyond me most days, but it’s still worth trying.

Even if we just got one or two of these right today the world would be a better place.

Pick a couple to work on this week. Watch what God does with your step of faith.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Daily Attitude Email 03 10 25

For the mind disturbed, the still beauty of dawn is nature’s finest balm. – Edwin Way Teale

I heard the other day that at one point humans spent 85% of their time outside.

I don’t know about you, but I sure don’t spend enough time outside.

As winter winds down its seems like I feel the urge to get outside more and more.

As the weather warms up, I’m hoping it’s a good excuse to spend more time outdoors.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Daily Attitude Email 03 06 25

It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them. – Benjamin Franklin

That would be a great new year’s resolution – don’t pick up any bad habits.

Probably something worth thinking about for a few minutes – how to avoid picking up bad habits.

Avoid hanging out with groups that have a habit you don’t want.

Avoid going to places where bad habits you don’t want get started.

Avoid thinking thoughts that could lead to bad habits.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Daily Attitude Email 03 05 25

https://youtu.be/1Kyvgzw43fw?si=84ZW-Ua7VdA3aaMJ

“You are insufficient. You can do something about it. If you aim low enough.”

What an interesting way to look at things.

Find the lowest, simplest objective that begins the positive process. Build momentum.

Jim Rohn talks about things like an apple a day or a walk around the block.

What’s something low you can aim at today?

Transfer $50 into savings?

Walk around the block?

Read your Bible for 5 minutes?

Go to bed 30 minutes earlier?

Find something low to aim at. Hit it. Then do it again.

Make it a great day.

Jake