Day 3,881

Growth:

I really liked this quote for a few different reasons…

“I said that he shouldn’t be scared about that sort of thing. Yes, it could happen at any moment, it’s true, but if we worry about things we can’t control, we start to ruin the things we can control.”

Matt Dinniman, A Parade of Horribles

Appreciation:

In taking time to reflect we can learn so much about ourselves. Why did I act this way? Why did I overeat today? Why did I waste time? How did I do so well on a project? What could I have done differently to make all the difference?

In living without reflection we’re doomed to making the same mistakes or to leaving life up to chance. In reflection we learn.

Presence:

Sharing a heartfelt story, opening up the emotional to share with others. Remembering difficult moments, remembering how much we learned from them. The moment in which you see pain transformed into something beautiful.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,880

Growth:

Sometimes we just have to try it, right? Throw the dyno, launch and trust your skills, and attempt something you’ve never done.

I did just that today, tried something I’d never done before, and had much better results than expected.

Fail forward, try new things, see what happens, learn, and try again!

Appreciation:

There’s a beauty to having the flexibility to adapt a day to fit what needs to be done. Starting extremely early while the endorphins are pumping fresh off a run! Then take some time to pause and breathe and be where I need to be. Get back at it, bust ass, and then take time to breathe where needed as well. The ability to adapt is very helpful to make sure I’m present where I need to be and when it takes the most advantage of my energy levels. Worked well today!

Presence:

Pausing for a moment in the fresh air, savoring the sun on my face, maybe closing my eyes for a moment, and enjoying a perfect moment of stillness. Good stuff!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,879

For sure, no judging for taste here! Last summer Gavin and I crushed this series largely together on our road trips and it’s bringing a dash of nostalgia for those rides.

Nothing quite like ordering something up for the day it comes out, diving in with reckless abandon, and savoring the memories while enjoying the ride!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,878

Growth:

Over the past week I re-read Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. As I’ve felt stress and frustration all it takes is a quick and intentional pause to consider his life in the concentration camps to help me choose a better perspective and mindset.

If you have not read that book I cannot recommend it highly enough. One of the most moving and inspiring books of all time.

Appreciation:

Is there anything type of coaching more rewarding than when you have a player who:

• Actively mines for feedback
• Asks many questions – but never the same one twice, and always in a natural progression of understanding
• Immediately shares what went well and what didn’t in order to learn from the experience
• Zooms out to understand not just the scoreboard but the Why behind the scoreboard
• Who is not afraid to try new things rather than waiting to be pushed

Put those traits together and you have a teammate who reminds us why growing and mentoring teammates is amongst the most purposeful and fulfilling activities we can do.

Presence:

As I sit here and feel my entire body tightening up I can’t help but pause and enjoy the sensation. No, I’m not that sick and twisted, it’s the enjoyment derived from a hard workout in which the stiffness and soreness afterwards is the result of pushing oneself to the point of growth (but not to the point of completely breaking). I’m tired, stiff, sore, and savoring each of those sensations. Progress was made tonight and I’ll enjoy each deliciously uncomfortable moment of it!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,877

Lots of family time this weekend! From Becky’s parents and brother joining us at Gavin’s track meet to Mom and Brad staying at our house to Nick and his family spending time at our house to celebrate our niece’s college graduation to some bonus time with Mom this morning it was a nonstop almost 48 hours or time with family.

Grateful for the time and conversations with all involved, always nice getting time together for sure!

This afternoon has been a very different pace, getting a family hike in, watching Dominic’s rugby matches, and eating dinner with the three of us on the deck. We’re now each wrapping up the evening doing our own things – blogging, studying, relaxing – as we wrap up the weekend.

The next couple of weeks are going to fly by in a blur, it was nice getting in some family time and also a little bit of chill time before life gets all types of busy quickly!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,876

Dominic’s University of Minnesota Gophers were competing in the National Championship tournament for D1AA rugby today (& tomorrow) and he had himself quite the moment, knocking out one of his goals, scoring at Nationals:

Quite the moment for sure! Super proud of all of the hard work he has put into rugby over the past few years, this was a wonderful opportunity to see the benefits of that grit.

I was watching this live from the La Crosse Center as we awaited my niece’s graduation ceremony for her masters degree in nursing – another awesome moment for her and the family! It was excellent being able to share in her moment of celebration after years of hard work.

Two big moments within hours of each other, a great way to spend the day!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,875

I feel like this has been par for the course as of late, but it’s been a nonstop day, from starting at 4:39am until now…. A day of living into purpose in many ways, enjoying time with friends and family, and so much time spent sharing life with others. Too much to recount now, off to bed to rest for another day of fun!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,874

Whew!!! How did it get to be this late already???

Just spent a couple-ish hours on a project that I’m extremely excited about! I’m totally exhausted and off to bed, there was a ton I was going to blog about, but I had so much fun working on this that I can’t help but smile and be grateful for working on this.

Nothing quite like getting into a flow state while working on a passion project!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,873

Hmm… trying to think of how to put this one in a way that doesn’t compromise any conversations with others today, so it will be rather detail-less. Honestly, the details of multiple conversations really aren’t as important to this post as is the general theme.

Growth is uncomfortable. The way we grow is through challenge, through facing something new / different / just outside the scope of what web done before. It can be personal or work related, strategic or tactical, trivial or identity centered.

The struggle, the challenge – always uncomfortable, sometimes unsettling, often not welcomed. But through facing it we can grow. We have an opportunity to close part of the gap between who we are and who we are called to be. Through challenge, growth.

Today I’m grateful for all of the reminders of the discomfort we face that provides us the opportunity to grow more into a better us.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,872

Whew – I am exhausted! I just spent two hours going through old photos from 2023 through 2020 to pull a bunch of pics of Gavin to print for his graduation party in a few weeks. Before that it was dinner with Becky which was preceded with a wildly full work day. Not gonna lie, I’m ready for bed!

So here’s a short version of the blog for this evening. I’m grateful for days in which my brain is full, I’m exhausted from the effort of the day, and I’m feeling fulfilled as the majority of the work was living towards my purpose. Sharing work experiences with those who are interested in growing and learning. Creating something for Gavin while simultaneously giving my self the gift of pausing to view old moments and memories saved in photos.

A day of fulfillment, a day of work, a day that I’m ready to call in order to get enough sleep to do it all well again in the morning!

Thanks!!!