Thankful for What’s Truly Important, a Life Lesson Remembered, & a Kitchen Cacophony

Day 3,955

Growth:

This song at church really hit home this morning:

“Where your treasure it, there your heart shall be. All that you possess will never set you free. Seek the things that last, come and learn from me. Where your treasure is, your heart shall be. “

Words to remember and live by, no question! What’s actually important, how do we hold on to that?

Interesting side note, this was the first time I’ve been greeting when there were three other people who all asked if they could keep their copy of the copied music aids. Their smiles were priceless when I winked and told them, “I sure hope so,” and then showed them the one I’d already folded and tucked into pocket. Seems to be a message many of us need to hear a little more often – myself very much included.

Appreciation:

Today I was reminded of a lesson learned so many times over. Pretty sure we all hear it at one time or another, heeding it seems to become increasingly difficult as we mature and develop a stronger sense of “fairness.” For some reason our thoughts.. maybe I shouldn’t other-ize this section, I really need to take more ownership of this. For some reason MY thoughts often go towards the wrong path… it’s not MY fault. Why should I fix the mess someone else made? So much easier for me to pretend to ignore the wrong, but that doesn’t fix anything.

The lesson? It doesn’t matter who’s fault or why something happened, just fix it. Don’t walk by the garbage and complain about the person who dropped it on the ground, just shut up and fix the problem. When there is wrong, make it right.

How many times in life have I walked away from the wrong of someone else? How often have I walked over the trash? Looked past the issue? Ignored someone being wronged? How much better would life be if I’d just taken the right action? How much of a positive ripple would have been made? Instead, though it wasn’t initially my issue, have I become complicit in the crime, an accomplice of sorts as I could have just fixed it rather than let it continue?

To be clear – I’m sure many others through time have had to either fix or ignore the results of my wrongs hundreds of thousands of times, but that’s a different lesson for a different time. Today is the focus on me fixing whatever challenge there may be.

As a result of those moments I’m seeing right action more clear and will work to do the right thing right away. To those who created something I actually chose to tend to today – thank you. Please don’t do it again 😉 but thank you for the opportunity to learn and grow so I can do better moving forward.

Presence:

A moment of total pandemonium in our typically quiet house. Becky and I were working on finalizing details for a short campervan trip and all of a sudden it was like the Tazmanian Devil rolled into our kitchen. Dominic, Gavin, Caitlyn, and a couple of their friends all poured into the kitchen in a feeding frenzy and when to town on the leftovers in the fridge. Total pandemonium! Laughs, burps, jokes, clinking of dishware, all the nonstop noise was quite delightful! I had to pause for a moment as I was trying to focus on one detail while the noise came up, but I was quickly reminded that these are the sounds of a happy home full of love. That stopped my frustration in its tracks and changed the tune quickly to appreciation.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for a Chill Weekend Loaded with Family Time

Day 3,954

Starting the weekend with yoga and a chill night at home. Following it up with a morning hike. Knocking out a little adulting before playing some games in the afternoon. Make pizzas for the family and play some more games together at the kitchen table. Start to wind down, type my blog, read for a little bit, and then off for an early bedtime and a ton of sleep. Pretty much perfect!

Tomorrow morning wake up early, knock out a hike, a little adulting, do some greeting at church, and then hang out with the family until it’s time to hang it up for the night. Not a bad way to roll for the weekend!

We’ve had a lot of go go going over the past month, this weekend has been a very chill counterweight to the busyness. Starting it off with yoga was outstanding, it primed the relaxation wheels. The morning hike with all its fresh air got me up and moving. Having a very rough agenda without anything crazy on my plate has helped to keep the chill.

Cheers to a very chill weekend filled with bonus family time!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Enjoying the Footsteps

Day 3,953

One of my all time favorite books is Life Lived Wild by Rick Ridgeway. The book is his memoir of a life spent at the edge of the map, where adventure, friendship, loss, and conservation become inseparable. I was fortunate to find a used copy of his book online with an inscription he wrote about his signature:

The goal isn’t the summit, it’s the footsteps to get there.

Rick Ridgeway

That one sentence says it all, doesn’t it? We need to have a summit to shoot for, it is the start of the dream, the reason we start the journey. But it is so much more important to remember that the actual goal is to live the life that could lead towards the summit. We never know what may happen, what challenges we may face. If we spend the entire time thinking that it is only the summit that will bring joy we’re not only crushed if we don’t make it, but we’ve lost so much of our life looking fifteen miles and 5,000 feet ahead rather than savoring the exquisite wildflowers along the path, the time spent working towards the summit with our loved ones, the noble pursuit of working hard to be a better person than we were the day before.

If we choose the right summit each footstep we take should bring us joy (which, remember, is quite often not the same as comfort), each step forward an expression of living the life that could lead us to the summit, each step taken intentionally and in a deep state of presence.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Affirming the Impact of Different Pasts on a Shared Present, a Good Night of Sleep, & Talking on the Deck

Day 3,952

Growth:

This quote from Max Brooks crept into my mind on several occasions this morning


“People only see the present through the lenses of their personal pasts.”

Max Brooks, Devolution

Several of us can all be in the exact same present, facing the exact same challenge, and all see it exactly different. Our personal pasts will skew each of our perspectives in a different way, causing us to see the present in a different way.

Remember this happens. Pause, ask why the person is seeing the present the way they are. Help each other share the perspectives and find a way to create a combined present.

Appreciation:

Did I mention something about getting a good night of sleep? I can’t remember, I was pretty exhausted last night! 😉

For reals, a solid night of sleep, eight glorious hours long, completely undisturbed, and without and exploding sinus issues, what a gift!!! I felt like a brand new person today.

Still have a deficit to slowly catch up on, but well worth the extra non-waking hours. They make the waking hours so much more vibrant and useful!

Presence:

This evening after dinner Becky and I sat on the deck and talked with Dominic on Zoom. The time flew by as we talked about what he’s been up to at work, how his summer class is going, and his upcoming adventures. We were joking, laughing, and having a splendid time hanging out, albeit virtually. The perfect summer weather and fresh air were quite the bonus!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for a Rough Night of Sleep

Day 3,951

Oof! Last night was a rough night of sleep for me. My sinuses were ready to explode and I was awake from 2am until our morning run at 5am. The pressure just kept my sinuses pounding while the breathing issues caused me to struggle to get comfortable and relaxed enough to breathe well, let alone sleep. I pretty much felt like the walking dead.

Throughout the day and especially after our run my energy kept building. There were a couple of projects at work I was psyched for, some engaging conversations with teammates that led to what will become future growth, and the curveballs thrown in were largely good ones right down the middle!

By the time we got to Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga this evening I was feeling pretty solid. While on the water I was almost hyper focused on the birds singing and flitting about, the big fluffy clouds hovering above, and the beautifully reflective ripples on the water. Everything seemed a little more clear and crisp than usual, kind of like at the eye doctor when they’re locking in your right lenses. I then realized that much of that had to do with how deeply exhausted I was.

Have you ever noticed that there’s this window of exhaustion in which everything is so clearly in focus? Somehow the chemicals in our brain have been amped up to keep us going and we’re right in that sweet spot of not quite needing the dosage our brain is giving us, and not to the point where we are so exhausted everything still blurs. In that wedge there is a phenomenal hypersensitive state of bliss and presence and clarity. It is only for a fleeting moment, but that moment is spectacular when we pause, recognize it, take it all in, and savor it.

This evening that moment hit while I was suspended on the calm lake, floating on my back on the paddle board, with all the wonders of nature and none of the busyness I typically live in anywhere around me. Amazing! All that because I was gifted with a rough night of sleep.

To be sure, I can almost already start typing tomorrow’s blog… Thankful for a Great Night of Deep Sleep 😉

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Notes and Nuggets

Day 3,950

Ha – I’ve now started this blog post four different times in an attempt to say what I’m grateful for only to realize that as I dug deeper there was a more appropriate perspective to view my gratitude from. I then deleted what I’d written and started over… and over… and over… Sometimes distilling the idea into it’s core concept is the most difficult act.

What I am most thankful for today is the pile of old notes, ideas, blog entries, scorecards, and journal entries I make on a regular basis. Those mountains of data, emotions, information, lessons, memories, and the like all add up to a much larger resource than I would ever have imagined they would be! Throughout days and years those little nuggets compile and grow almost exponentially, providing me with so much data to draw from, sparking so many memories I would have otherwise lost.

This evening as I worked on my project my mind kept getting blown by how many different stories and examples I had to draw from. As I would dig back for one there would be another two or three that would also capture my attention. Each note a bread crumb to remind me how I got to where I am today.

Each note only takes a moment to create, the return on them is amongst be highest rates of return of anything in life. Cheers to each of my little notes and nuggets, you’re the best!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Mile Markers, Mornings with Becky, & Yoga Presence

Day 3,949

Growth:

As I’ve been working more and more on my next project I’m realizing just how important measurement without judgement can be. If I decide that in order to get more healthy I should count my calories every day there are a few ways it could turn out:

  • Out of fear of what I might learn I just don’t count them. If I don’t count them, they don’t happen.
  • I count every calorie and then shame myself incessantly for not being able to control myself, likely causing me to stress eat even more and spiral down into oblivion.
  • I count every calorie without judgment or shame, I review the data as a scientist and realize what I’m eating. Slowly but surely I’ll start to find ways to make small increases, maybe just 1% better each week, slowly improving my health without realizing I’m really doing it.

The phrase that I see this concept as is:

A mile marker tells you where you are, it does not tell you what you’re worth.

Mike Kreiling

Appreciation:

My morning run with Becky was the best possible way to kick off the week! She’s always in a great mood and ready to go while I slowly get out of bed and stumble around as I take my time waking up. By the time we’re out the door she’s bright eyed and bushy tailed, smiling away, talking about the day, asking me how I’m doing… and I’m groggily wondering if I can run while I’m still half asleep.

True to normal form she was up and ready right off the bat this morning! Her energy and conversation woke me up and got me going. We shot the bull, talked through different ideas, emotions, challenges, and upcoming trips while the rest of the world around us slept. The run itself was mediocre at best (the air quality was a bit rough), but the time together was very invigorating and energizing. As luck would have it we also got back to the house shortly before it started raining, always nice to be on that side of fate!

What really stood out to me today was how much better my life is with Becky in it. This morning’s run was another encapsulation of how much I appreciate our shared passion for many similar things, the way we help balance each other out, and the way we can each do the majority of things we enjoy doing most – together – as we have so many common interests.

Because of Becky I got out of bed and got moving early in the morning. Because of Becky my morning started off with a run and activity – all leading to smiles and higher energy throughout the day. Because of Becky I was a better version of me today.

Presence:

Yoga, yoga, yoga. This evening’s session started off brutal! I had a cramp in my foot in child’s pose, my mind was racing, my breath was garbage, my muscles felt weak, and I kept thinking about how awful I felt. As the moments and poses and breaths went on my mind slowly shut itself down. The incessant self talk quieted to hushed whispers before slipping completely away. All that existed was breath, motion, sweat, and the wall in front of me (yup, I’m an odd one, I prefer being in the front row so all I have in front of my is a blank and completely undecorated wall). My waking mind was lulled into submission by the motion and the breathing. As that happened my soul was awakened, I was fully present, and I had no thought, only sensations and existing.

The magic of yoga is the ability to calmly and quietly rip us from our noisy self inflicted reality into the peaceful chill of the here and now. Tonight that was exactly what the doctor ordered!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Choosing Mindset, Minding the Seeds, & Adding Another Memory

Day 3,948

Growth:

Interesting how chores and housework can sometimes be the calming center of a busy time. The task is relatively simple, provides a sense of satisfaction, and provides an opportunity to have quiet thinking time while being completed. Tasks like mowing the lawn also have the added bonus of extra time outside and some physical motion.

Yet again our perspective powers how we actually feel about specific things. If I wanted more time I could see those tasks as a burden and a frustration. If I wanted to have a quiet moment of productive activity I could see those tasks as calming and relaxing. Same task, different mindset, all the difference!

Appreciation:

Most of the time I’m a pretty open book, willing to share about anything. Today was full of reminders of things that I am grateful for that I’d rather keep to myself. While I’m typing the list of them is still growing a little, each deserving of its own little space, its time to breathe in my mind, and the opportunity to be recognized. I’ll keep them all inside today, maybe a couple might grow roots and pop above surface at some point, but for today I’ll keep the seeds in the ground and let them grow.

Presence:

Spending a couple of hours with the boys while watching the World Cup Final (while also having a group text between all of us and my brother) was another moment we’re not likely to forget. The game itself wasn’t that big of a deal, but having the opportunity to act like chuckleheads while watching the game and and joking around was fantastic! Throw in a bonus addition of Becky and it was even better by the end. Nothing like utilizing a relatively abstract or unique event like that game to help create some great memories!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for a Day Outdoors with Family

Day 3,947

Super short one tonight, going to bed late, exhausted from a full day of breathing in fresh outdoor air.

Had an excellent day with family sharing the outdoors. From an earl morning walk to camp breakfast as everyone got rolling to some stand up paddle boarding to boating to chilling around the campfire it was a day full of family being outside almost the entire time.

Time to crash and enjoy a little more tomorrow!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for a Day Full of Family Time Outside

Day 3,946

Wonderful day of outside time with family! The day started with a wonderful walk with my pack on with Becky and Leia early. It was followed with a very productive and insightful half day of work, and then extended into an afternoon and evening of camping.

Time outside with family, regardless of temperature, always a great way to spend the day!

More to follow tomorrow, off to bed to get a solid night of sleep with all the fresh air in the lungs. Good stuff!

Thanks!!!