Things work out very well sometimes even when we don’t immediately see the upside. This morning we were up crazy early (4am) to go for our run due to the super early start to my work day in Eau Claire. The alarm seemed a bit more intense than usual, I was definitely not ready to get up and moving. Regardless of how I felt we were out the door by 4:15. Nice temperatures, very little wind, and it was very close to perfect running weather.
As luck would have it, the rain started to fall at the exact time we would have been a ways out on our run, which would likely have been pretty miserable.
Had we gone through our normal routine the run would’ve been a rough one, due to the luck of a little initial discomfort it worked out pretty slick!
I’ve realized today that life before a vacation and hot off a work trip lead to life seeming a lot like Doppler Effect! The closer I get to the calendar date the more everything seems to get louder and intense.
Today I felt my heart racing, like the walls were closing in, and there just isn’t enough time. By the time I am wheels up on Monday all of that pressure will decrease significantly and gig the entirety of the time I am away. Now I need to keep that in mind while simultaneously remembering that I have limits, even if I don’t care to admit them.
Deep breaths, chill thinking, calming forward motion.
Wake up early and get a run in. Drive 90 minutes to Eau Claire for work. Work through all types of coaching, challenges, and projects. Drive 90 minutes back home. Get tax info pulled together. Knock out a walk with the family before dinner. Help someone work through their resume and cover letter. Have a conversation with my brother. FaceTime with Dominic to catch up on his week and get excited for Italy. Play an epic chess match with Gavin. Type my blog, and then off to bed.
Wowza, that was a very full and very rewarding day!
There’s a large difference to be found in the sensation of feeling tired when the work is towards a purpose rather than something we need to “just do.” When it is towards our purpose the passion helps us to see the exhaustion as almost a reward for the effort. Interesting to see that difference clearly. A wonderful lead measure to see if I spent the time and energy in a meaningful way – how do I feel about my exhaustion?
Appreciation:
There are a few different nuggets I am grateful for this evening:
Realizing that I am gettin nervous for an upcoming trip, not because I’m worried about my team performing, but for my ability to accomplish all I promised to accomplish for them prior to when I leave.
The comfortability in sharing all types of feedback – constructive and complimentary – with similar ease for both.
How the souls of best friends can be very much connected and in sync, even hours apart.
The way that difficult activities and exercises help us measure our growth.
Remembering that the intent behind a goal is so much more important than the details of the goal itself.
Presence:
Taking time to laugh, relax, and unwind – Gavin and I did just that this evening as we laughed constantly through the movie Eurotrip. After a very busy handful of days it was music for the soul to chill without an agenda, laughing and laughing as we took in one of our favorites together.
We are all capable of so much more than we think we are. For some reason it often takes big challenges and difficulties to help us see that. In the moment those experiences are difficult to be thankful for, but with the benefit of hindsight we’re able to see that those difficult moments were what led us to growth.
Appreciation:
Today I’m especially grateful for the people who push me and make me feel uncomfortable from a growth standpoint. They challenge our ideas, help push us to become better, and help us view the world from a slightly different perspective. It is especially effective as we know they want the best for us. Very thankful for those influences in life!
Presence:
A morning run and yoga, sweet yoga… Exactly what the doctor ordered while the body is stiff from a lack of sleep and a bunch of time on flights. Getting back into the normal rotation of activity felt amazing today, exactly what I needed to get back into the swing of things.
Nothing like getting home after a work trip to be able to get back to normal-ish!
The work event was amazing, blew well past my expectations, and provided a ton of value – it was still time away from home, from my family. This evening I’ll be calling it an early night (the 2:10am alarm this morning was a bit extreme, even by my standards) and am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed.
Pause to think. Get outside of our normal routine, break out of the cycle, step back, reflect. That time spent zooming out on ourselves leads to incredible growth, but we must intentionally choose it.
Appreciation:
So many thoughts on this one this evening. I’m grateful for seeing the world through the eyes of a novice. I’m thankful for going home. I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate with friends. Hearing clarity and aspirations of others is another thing I’m grateful for. I’m appreciative of the time we’ve created with our sons, the time away from our sons, and all of the ways our love for them seems to only grow, I’m grateful for the fun Becky and Gavin had today, the time Gavin and I have had, and the adventures Becky and I have had, realizing that each permutation and combination adds deeper joy to ALL of the relationships regardless of who is directly involved.
So many moments, so much to be grateful for!
Presence:
The celebration of the success of others always seems so much more fulfilling than celebrating our own success. Looks outwards to others, love them, through our shared love we somehow receive more love than we could’ve hoped for.
From a recent session with one of my all time spiritual leaders my brain keeps going back around a very specific thought.
“Who “I” am often is answered in terms of what other people say about me.”
As externally focused as much of my professional career is I can get so focused in an outward focus that I put off the difficult work of looking inward – and knowing this will most definitely improve my external interactions as well.
Remember to take time to enjoy the moments of calm cultivation of my soul.
Appreciation:
So grateful for the way technology has allowed us the opportunity to soak up new music so quickly. I still remember back in the day having to drive a minimum of 45 minutes to buy a new CD album – knowing there was only a small chance it would be available.
Today I hear a song I like, fire up the Shazam app, and I’m streaming the album from Apple Music within seconds… able to dive into not only that album but also to all of their songs, their videos, and their random versions. All within literally seconds. That access is amazing!
Taking the time during a people filled couple of days to pause and spend time alone, sitting on a bench, relaxing while listening to music, letting my thoughts run free, allowing my souls to enjoy the calm and stillness. Time well spent, time invested in helping me grow more into myself, time to put together all of the pieces of the day which have been laid in front of me. Time to be.
Our perspective has an outsized impact on our lives. When we are able to nudge it a bit we’re able to see the same parts of world a little different, a little more clearly.
Maybe it’s our experienced eyes seeing through the eyes of a newcomer. Maybe through the eyes of someone we thought was larger than life, only to find they’re just as human as we are. Maybe we’re seeing the world through the eyes of an incredibly awesome human with an amazingly positive mindset.
When we shift our perspective, just nudge it a little, their positive impact can make an outsized positive impact on our world.
Cheers to all the wonderful people who brighten my day through allowing me to see the world through their eyes.
Appreciation:
So many connections with so many amazing people within the Express family today! I didn’t realize how much I was really looking forward to our annual reunion! So many people rekindling connections, bringing each other smiles, spending time re-connecting.
Presence:
This evening we had a concert at The Ryman in Nashville and the voice of Madeline Edwards was truly a banger! Her vocals more than filled the concert hall, it was the best song of the night! Check her music out here: https://youtu.be/tHfdTpmXwg0?si=EMYxElX1IqzsZl8p
During a conversation today a teammate and I were connecting on a couple of pieces of news related to a couple of our clients. In very short order we both realized how many additional anecdotes we hadn’t shared over the past two days. By the time our conversation wrapped up I realized why my brain has felt so exhausted over the last business week…. The amount of large scale changes has been mind bendingly large in a very short period of time. The intensity of the changes are amongst the highest I’ve seen in a stretch of a couple months, let alone one week.
So what is one to do in a time like this? Hit the panic button and freak out? Pretend that all is well and don’t respond? Compartmentalize?
Over the past few hours I’ve realized just how hard I’ve been swimming against the riptide, it’s time to let go, to shift towards the side, to allow the tide to do what it will, to not push back, but to accept and adapt. Pushing harder won’t fix it, it will actually most likely drown me. Better to accept, adapt, and head for the edge – the time to swim for shore will be coming, don’t rush it.
It reminds me of this beautiful line from Golden Son by Pierce Brown:
“We all have our own tides inside. They go in, out. Not really ours to control. The things, people that orbit us do that. At least more than we’d like to admit.”
Thankful for Forty 