Day 2,353

Growth:

As I started planning for 2023 one of the lessons I wanted to remind myself of daily was:

Add changes slowly – improve by 1% daily.

Me

Throughout my life there’ve been many times when I’ve attempted to change way to much all at one time. I usually make some progress but quickly tire out from all the stress of changing so much. When I take changes one small piece at a time I’m able to build upon small successes and have much stronger endurance.

This week I was going to make a couple of big switches back but then that advice I gave myself really sunk in. One small step each day. Even when I feel encouraged to add another I’m going to pause and focus on one percent per day. Slowly building for sustained improvement.

Appreciation:

Hmm… another day of multiple options of what to write about. Honestly, this is a really difficult one to choose from as there were a handful of times I started blogging in my mind. There’s one though that sticks out the most.

I’m grateful for the reminder that we are each so much more than a number, a score, or a grade. We are not the result of one test, one grade, or one class.

We are the effort we put in. We are the practice we put in. We are the level of the challenges we take on. We are the growth we learn after we falter. We are the guts it takes to stand back up. We are the strength we use to try again. We are the humility to know we are not perfect.

We all have a choice to make. Risk faltering through the greater challenges for greater reward, to truly challenge ourselves and grow – or – risk nothing and live in the comfort of safety.

I would always prefer to have a teammate who has chosen the struggle, who’s proven themselves in the crucible. They may have scars from losses, but they also have the guts to rise and try again.

Presence:

LOL – a little tongue in cheek on this one, but 100% truthful.

As I was getting ready for bed tonight I pulled a good one on myself and slammed the tip of my left middle finger in the closet door. Our closet doors are essentially sheets of plywood that slide tightly between the wood case and I got all the momentum of that wood crunching my finger. In an instant I was howling in pain.

Now, several minutes (and maybe several obscenities) later I’m looking back at that moment and realizing just how present I was. In the moment it happened for a good minute or two there was nothing else my mind was focused on other than my finger. Yowza!!!

Presence – it comes in all shapes and sizes. While I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone I have to admit it was an effective way to live right in the moment!

Thanks!!!