Day 2,945

Growth:

On a whim I took a left turn on my way to the office this morning. The sunrise was hitting the top of the bluff just right and lit up the autumn leaves. I followed my intuition and drove into the Woodlawn Cemetery to take in the sight of the leaves and to re-ground myself. The moments spent taking in all around me were intensely impactful and helped remind me of what’s important in life. Pause, think, remember life is temporary, enjoy the beauty all around us. This will likely become a new routine to start my mornings in Winona.

Appreciation:

Dominic is back home for the first time since he left for college in mid-August and it was soul warming to have him back home. Jumping right back into old routines and conversations over dinner filled me with such joy, so glad for the time we get to share together!

Presence:

On my ride home I played a song that caught me a bit off guard. For some reason it hit me right in the feels and got me thinking about Dad. Without really thinking about it I just started talking with Dad like I used to after he passed away. Speaking out loud to him really helped me through tough times even though he wasn’t there. Something about it helped me feel like he was closer, was there to help, and I could hear his old advice coming back to help. Today was a similar result, similar sensation, and a wonderful reminder that while Dad may be gone he’s still there to talk with. What a pleasant handful of moments today!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,944

Growth:

Jim Collins really had the right idea when he decided to start tracking each day on a scale of -2 to +2 based on how he felt as he went to bed. When trends appear he reflects on the why behind them and adjusts his behavior. Definitely time to get back to doing that daily!

Appreciation:

There are times when I am leading the direction of my life and other times when I feel as if I am adrift, succumbing to the powerful tides and storms around me. Each can be the right response in the appropriate moments, but when mismatched unhappiness draws near.

I’m currently feeling very mismatched and it is uncomfortable, there’s almost a gravity pulling the wrong way.

The reason I’m appreciative of this today is that I know why I’m feeling off, I know how to fix it, I know I can fix it, and I know it’s okay to give myself a little grace when it takes me a little bit to get out of it. Not ideal, ready to be out of the funk, but glad that I’ve been here before and know I can get out of it 😁👍

Presence:

The changing colors of the autumn leaves were brilliant today! There was a wonderful balance of clouds and sun to make the colors pop!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,943

Growth:

What a difference a break of a few hours can make in a busy schedule! I had an open few hours to get caught up on everything that had been piling up over the past couple of days at work and it was such a relief / release to get it all done! Slack in a schedule is a wonderful gift we can give ourselves.

Appreciation:

So often all of the reps and practices we put in towards a craft go unnoticed. Sometimes progress doesn’t seem to happen, but when we look back and then at where we currently are we can see the huge improvement that was actually made. Being so close to it each day blinds us to the incremental growth. Today I had an opportunity to pause and see the growth from the past twenty plus years and it was incredibly rewarding.

Presence:

Watching Orion make his slow march higher in the sky each time we run has been pretty cool. I usually don’t notice him until he’s way up in the sky in the middle of winter, kind of fun noticing him now while it is still nice outside!

Day 2,941

Growth:

Me describing this week: “I’ll breathe on Friday when the craziness is done.”

The advice I received: “Maybe you should breathe the entire week?”

Appreciation:

Gavin’s parent / teacher conferences went very well tonight! So cool hearing how he’s interacting with his teachers and classmates, very proud of him. Afterwards we ran a quick errand for him and had some additional bonding time which was awesomely appreciated. There haven’t been too many moments like that over the past couple weeks, it made the moments tonight all the more special.

Presence:

That moment when I realized that the 8,000 texts I’d sent out all contained a broken link. That moment when I realized I screwed up and didn’t actually send the texts and was able to re-send them for the first time with the correct link! 😂

Thanks!!!

Day 2,942

Growth:

A line from The Killers kept ringing through my head all day…

What kind of words would cut through the clutter of the whirlwinds of these days?

The Killers

Appreciation:

Several moments that stick out today, not sure there’s a theme…. Hmm….

I think what seems to be coming to mind is the focus on knowing what’s really important and putting the intensity of presence needed in that direction. While I didn’t necessarily stay exactly where I needed to be I was able to improve my clarity on where I need to be in the future and am now working on ways to improve gif tomorrow.

Yup, definitely time to pause and re-read Awareness, Meditations, & The New Seeds of Contemplation again!

Presence:

The drive up and over the bluff south of Arcadia showed islands of woods amongst a sea of fog filled valleys.

The scent of freshly cut grass in mid October was such a gift later in the afternoon, one more opportunity to savor the smell of spring and summer before the winter.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,940

Growth:

Take a deep breath and let life work itself out. There is so much out of my control, I need to remember that rather than trying g assert my will when it is not within my control. Breath, pause, and choose my mindset and response – the only true control I have.

Appreciation:

This evening we grabbed dinner with an old friend and had a blast! We hadn’t seen him since right before COVID and it was so much fun getting caught back up. There are some people who are larger than life, this friend is one of those folks, and I’m grateful for the laughs, the stories, and the insights!

Presence:

After working on scheduling a future trip I saw how calm and relaxed Leia was just chilling on the floor. Rather than push through I opted to close my laptop, lay down on the floor, and I snuggled with the dog. It was awesome!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,939

Growth:

I really struggle with balancing productivity and relaxation. My mind is wired to go nonstop, but I know I need better balance. Today was a wonderful practice for me!

Appreciation:

What really helped out the above was knocking out many of the things I wanted to get done right away in the morning. Having the checklist completed earlier made it much easier to finally lay back on the couch and enjoy a movie.

Presence:

Becky jokingly referred to a nearby hiking trail as the “LuLu Memorial Trail” as it was one of her favorite spots. A little over a year ago we stumbled upon it with LuLu and it quickly became one of our favorite places to hike, especially when it was just the two of us. Today that tradition continued as I walked it alone with Leia twice today.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,938

Growth:

Make time for relationships. There may be a never ending task list, but sometimes it needs to get set aside for building a relationship.

Appreciation:

On Tuesday night after Gavin’s soccer game I ran into one of my favorite yoga instructors. She made a joke about me not attending her 4:45pm class on Friday for a while and we both had a laugh. From that joke a little seed was planted. With Becky out of town tonight I knew I’d be flying solo if I went to yoga, something I don’t usually do. For whatever reason I knew yoga was going to be exactly what I needed to start the weekend so I got signed up for class.

While in class the sticker marking my spot had a wonderful phrase – “Make a ripple.” I’m grateful for the ripple my instructor made when she mentioned me going to class on Tuesday. That ripple led to a wonderful practice and exactly what I needed today.

Presence:

There’s nothing quite like the quiet calm of an intense yoga practice. The focus on breath and movement, the twisting, the stretching, the sweat, and then the final rest. A beautiful cycle of calm to intense and back to calm. Yoga after work tonight didn’t disappoint and I’m so glad I went!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,937

Growth:

It is easy to settle, resist the urge and search out greatness. In hiring remember that the right candidate should leave you jumping with excitement and dreaming huge possibilities.

Appreciation:

Three days in a row of running to start the morning – it’s been a while since I’ve done that! Waking up at 4:40am each morning feels like it’s taken a bit of a toll, but the outside time while the stars are out and the world is asleep has felt amazingly refreshing. Early-ish bedtime tonight, catch a few extra zzz’s, and I’ll be feeling ready to take on the world again in the morning.

Presence:

In the office today there were several moments of joy, laughter, thought, and extreme satisfaction. Each of those moments left a mark and led to a wonderfully productive and positive day.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,936

Growth:

So easy to get drawn into the busyness and complexity of life, so difficult to pause and ascertain priorities rather than react to stimuli. The discipline of staying the course can be difficult, but can become easier if I remember to embed routine priority check ins with myself. Make the most of the effort, be efficient with energy, clearly identify what is most important.

Appreciation:

Okay, I know, I’ve said that Becky is the dog person and if it were only me I wouldn’t have a dog, but…

…maybe I’m more of a dog person than I thought. 😉

Presence:

On a four lane stretch of highway on my way home I passed a semi truck. As I did so a red Jeep flew up from behind and was tailgating me. When it was safe to do so I slid into the right lane and let him pass and he sped by, increasing his speed as he went.

In less than a mile the road went down to two lanes and the red Jeep slowed way down even though the speed limit had remained. Next thing I knew I had a choice to make – tailgate him as payback for what he’d done to me, sit back and be frustrated, or slide back and be grateful for the opportunity to practice gratitude and stillness.

The decision took more time than I care to admit, but I finally made the right call and enjoyed the moment.

Thanks!!!