JAKOB'S JOURNAL

5 Thoughts that People (who stress about family and travel) Should Keep in Mind Over the Holidays

December 22nd, 2017
This post is about: #family, #holidays, #stresstips | Read time: 3 min

If you have the perfect family, and the perfect life, disregard this blog and go enjoy your break.

If you’re like the majority, where dealing with family and travel adds some level of unnecessary stress over the holidays, this might help:
1. MODERATION: Reminisce, indulge in laughter, stuff yourself with joy, but in all else, keep moderation in mind. “Too much” means something different to all of us, so be sound in your own judgement. People frequently regret eating too much, drinking too much, arguing too much, etc. The holidays are a time to relax your standards, but gluttony rarely results in happiness.
2. COMPOSURE: Family can test your patience. Stay composed. Travel adversity can break you down. Stay composed. Negative emotions multiply quickly. Stay composed.
3. AUTONOMY: You are not your family. You are an individual part of your family. This should resonate specifically with young adults still struggling to find an identity of their own. You are not your parents. You are not your grandparents. Staying respectful and cognizant of your families culture is essential, but not at the cost of your own well-being. If it means renting an AirBnb instead of sleeping on a blowup mattress next to your snoring uncle, or sneaking out with your fiance for a drink when everyone else is bickering, TAKE CARE OF YOU FIRST! Unhealthy habits are NOT something that you need to partake in just because your family considers it normal. You do you. You can’t bring joy to others when, personally, you feel miserable.
4. BE PRESENT: Put your phone away. Engage in conversation. Show some interest in people. You’d be shocked how much pertinent wisdom your family members can share with you. It feels good to detach from pop culture for a bit, really, it does.
5. PERSPECTIVE: When you really think about it, holiday gatherings are the most (and maybe only) memorable times that you’ll have with family. Make the most of it while you can. At the end of the day, you have the luxury of going back to your own routine soon enough. Family is about sacrifice. Make others smile, even if it’s at your own expense. It’s not about you. We all fight our own battles. Showing empathy can give you great perspective with your family. Don’t boil over when you start to get heated. Put it on low and simmer down. Bite the bullet. Hold your tongue. Smile more. Even if it takes some fortitude, be the light for your family this holiday season. Odds are, some of them might be having as hard a time hanging out with you as you are with them 😉 You might even find common ground there, haha. Spread love, I hear it’s contagious this time of year.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE

LOVE OVER EVERYTHING,
Be all things

December 18th, 2017

You cannot be all things to all people.

You can, however,

be loving

be kind

be energetic

be enthusiastic

and be inclusive

You cannot be all things to all people,

but there are no prerequisites to be any of these things, every single day, to everyone you encounter.

And that’s pretty close to being all things to all people.
4 Poor Choices College Basketball Players Will Make This Holiday Break

December 17th, 2017

Most college basketball (CBB) players won’t even take the time to read this. Odds are, if you’ve clicked on the link, you’re a coach or a fan.

MOST players will make poor choices over the holiday break. FEW will not. Those few will reap the benefits later.

(more…)
Winter is Coming

December 15th, 2017
Finance and The Inuit are two topics that I am only averagely versed in.

I am no layman, though. I study.
1. I plan to make money — financial objective.
2. I plan NOT to freeze to death in the CanadianArctic — just a general objective.
That said, I refuse to be someone unprepared for the long, wintery ‘bear market’ that is sure to come after this 7.5 year long ‘bull market’ finally ends. The majority of you will fuss about the market ruining you, and tragically, the prepared minority won’t have much sympathy. If you know something bad is looming, prepare for it. Pretty simple logic.

Prepare for winter, don’t react to it.

You’ve been blessed with this knowledge. The burden is yours to educate yourself now, or to wipe your tears later.

“People love to say that knowledge is power. But the truth is that knowledge is only potential power. You and I both know that it’s useless if you don’t act on it.” – Tony Robbins

Start with this book by Tony Robbins.

I did, and while I’m still no expert, I feel a whole lot more secure about my financial future than I did before reading it.

Start there. Start anywhere. Just don’t grizzle and grumble to me about your frostbitten fingers if you’ve never read up on how the Inuit keep warm in the winter.
Approval, Access, & Opportunity

December 13th, 2017

Teachers, managers, owners, bosses, coaches, parents, or other people in positions of authority, privilege, or power, are often seeking to mentor or train-in a “worthwhile” candidate. Finding a young successor helps to ensure the future existence of their world-views. It’s a legacy thing. (more…)

5 Thoughts that People (who stress about family and travel) Should Keep in Mind Over the Holidays

Be all things

4 Poor Choices College Basketball Players Will Make This Holiday Break

Winter is Coming

Approval, Access, & Opportunity