Day 2,935

Growth:

Never feel above certain work, be willing and open to that which one would ask others to do, and do so without recognition.

Appreciation:

Quick scary moment at the soccer game when Gavin went down with a knee injury – he should be fine, nothing traumatic. The not knowing for a moment as he sat in the grass was brutal. When he got up and walked off on his own power, with a limp, I felt elated. It was a reminder to me to be grateful for the health both boys have been blessed with thus far. Funny, I realized how surface that was – having health through sports – when really they’ve been healthy throughout their lives. Very grateful for that!!!

Presence:

I’m typing this from the comfort of my warm bed and I’m enjoying the contrast of cold skin in the warm covers. Last week I appreciated the cold, today I’m grateful for the literal pocket of warmth!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,934

Growth:

Someone once shared a piece of wisdom that really stuck out today:

” ‘Joy’ isn’t the same as happiness, and it is often the opposite of comfort.”

Much of our most important growth comes as a result of discomfort.

Appreciation:

I’ve written about this in the past, but there are times when it seems like the world slows down just a bit. It’s kind of like when a hitter in baseball and see the stitches on the pitch hurtling their way. You can see it in slow motion, understand the movement, and prepare to be in the right place at the right time. Today held several of those moments, and it helped me do just that. Similar to what I just wrote in the Growth section above, discomfort can lead to future growth.

Presence:

While we weren’t all together as a family we were still all together as a family tonight. Dominic FaceTimed us from his dorm and we had a nice 30 minute conversation as a family. Not the same as what we were used to but fun catching up nonetheless!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,933

Growth:

Sometimes motivation can strike at the most unexpected of times, when it does, roll with it. This afternoon I caught myself trimming the bushes coming over our fence into our yard. The weather was right, I had some bonus time, and it felt like a good idea. I could have easily stuck to the script of knocking off more stuff, but it just felt right and I had a sense of accomplishment afterwards. I leveraged that right into making my lunches for the next couple of days and cooking supper. Not too shabby!

Appreciation:

We were supposed to have plans for the evening but that ended up getting pushed back a week. That gave us some bonus time on a weekend – woo hoo! It’s been a great opportunity to get a few more things knocked off the list than expected while also mixing in some bonus chill time. That’s all good by me!

Presence:

The weather this afternoon was perfect for walking Leia! The sun was out, the air was right in between cold and warm, and it was just gorgeous outside. Couldn’t ask for anything more. Nice to have that last positive taste of great weather before fall starts to turn on us to winter.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,932

Growth:

Pause and recharge and be okay with relaxing. Sometimes I beat myself up for not being productive or for “doing” something. This evening I took some time to chill out and do some Sudoku and it felt wonderful! Let my brain chill while working on something I’m doing just for fun rather than for work.

Appreciation:

Mom came down to hang out and watch Gavin’s soccer game today and we had a blast! During the game we shot the bull about nothing important, had some time together watching our spaz of a pup go nuts in the living room, got more time together over dinner, and then enjoyed some of her homemade apple crisp back at home. I really grateful for having the time chilling with her today, it was great to catch up and talk about nothing in particular. Just spending time together was awesome and appreciated!

Presence:

Ahh… yoga! This morning what really stuck out to me was the moment right before final rest when our instructor opened the windows to allow a cool breeze to blow in after we’d all gotten crazy hot and sweaty during the practice. The sensation of the cool breeze blowing across my sweat damp skin reminded me of the hike Gavin, Steve, & I had in Iceland when we hiked up to the overlook of the waterfall. As I lay on my back in the hot yoga room I was back in those precious moments atop the hill overlooking the multiple layers of the waterfall; So peaceful!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,931

Growth:

Trust your gut feelings. They aren’t always right, but it is interesting how often your mind already knows what you need to know. This was reminded again today after a client meeting that never happened as planned. Based on past experiences I was a little nervous in advance and I should have trusted that thought, it would have saved me a few hours.

Trust your gut, validate when possible, stay open minded to being wrong, and make the most of what happens.

Appreciation:

Such a temperature difference between our run this morning and our run on Wednesday morning. There was about a difference of 20 degrees and 10-15mph in windspeed – only a couple of days apart!

While I think my favorite running weather falls somewhere between the two days there is something awesome about having such drastic temperature swings. The same weather everyday would be too monotonous. The variety of weather from day to day (heck – even in a span of 30 minutes in Menomonie today we had sunshine, dark clouds, pouring rain, and sunshine again) really reminds me to appreciate the weather in all its shapes and sizes. At the football game tonight I was bundled up in a winter coat, hat, and gloves and it felt pretty comfy. At the soccer game earlier this week I was wearing a polo and shorts and it felt pretty comfy. It’s up to me to adapt.

Last night I enjoyed the cooling of our bed cover and tonight I’ll equally enjoy the heating of our bed cover. Fun to take time to appreciate the swings in temperature, the drastic swings make it all the more noticeable.

Presence:

I’m going to use a little time travel trick I’ve talked about in the past, but in a slightly different way today. On my way up to Menomonie I stopped in Winona to find a couple of specific old paper files that could be useful for a couple of reasons. While combing through those old stacks of paper I found some absolute gems!!! Copies of my offer letter from Express in late 1999. My first performance review from 2000. Old notes from trainings that were spot on and way more insightful than I should have been back in the day. Old notes from trainings that helped me see how totally clueless I was about certain things back in the day! 😉

Going through those old paper documents brought back so many memories, such a wonderful way to start the work day!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,930

Growth:

Active listening is fantastic and can lead to incredible breakthroughs, and intentional active listening exponentially increases those breakthroughs! Throughout a day spent with our NextGen Leadership the choice of intentional active listening led me to see connections I’d missed in the past. I saw so many things more clearly and was able to better grasp them in the context they were intended and through the lens I’d intentionally chosen. This led to seeing an awesome coaching opportunity, a better understanding of a teammate I thought I already knew inside and out, and a variety of other ideas leading to connections and ideas that will help lead to future successes. I need to remember that active listening is good, but intentional active listening is better.

Appreciation:

Today’s NextGen Leadership retreat included me sharing my “partner presentation” with this year’s class. The intent is to share where I came from, my path to ownership, and the lessons I’ve learned through this journey thus far. My business partners and I have come from a variety of backgrounds and have all taken slightly different paths to get to where we are, we want our NextGen Leaders to see how the destination is available to all of us if we choose to pursue it. In preparing and reviewing the presentation there was much thought and reflection. So many memories, emotions, ups and downs, lessons learned all rolling through my head over the past few days. In sharing the presentation today it seemed to draw out so much more emotion than I’d thought it would.

This evening I sit with slightly glassy eyes for a variety of emotions, all stirred up from the preparation and the presentation of my past, and watching a couple of music videos that were very moving for similar yet different reasons. All in all, I’m tired and worn out, I’m in an emotional state, and completely full of joy on a profoundly deep level. If this were my last day on Earth I’d be going on out on a high note with a heart full of love.

Presence:

Jim Valvano’s famous ESPY speech talks about what makes for a full day.

“To me, there are three things we all should do every day… … Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think, you should spend some time in thought. And number three is you should have your emotions moved to tears. Could be happiness or joy, but think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day.”

Jim Valvano – https://youtu.be/HuoVM9nm42E?si=F40Bj9tMyXRyUoZM

Rather than focusing on a specific point of presence it feels most appropriate to share that today has contained each of those three and in multiples with a variety of people. It’s been a heck of a day! Thank you to everyone who played a role in making today a memorable one – whether in person, in past experiences, or in the ways you helped lead me to today.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,929

Growth:

Sometimes the best ideas are sparked from conversation loosely pointed in a specific direction. Rather than forcing the dialogue or asking questions in a pointed direction set the ideas free in the sandbox of an unstructured discussion and see where it goes, the themes that keep arising, and the common frustrations that cause the directions to branch off. Amongst that space we create for our brains to play we can find some of our best solutions and strategies.

Appreciation:

There are a few different directions to go today, but I think there’s a common thread. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be in a career that allows me to utilize my strengths while living my passions and provides countless opportunities for growth while working with awesome people. Yup, that pretty much nails it all today. In one of my conversations today I was asked why I work so hard when so many others in similar roles do not – “because I love it” was the immediate response. So thankful for that feeling!

Presence:

OMG – I almost blew this one due to recency bias! One of the best moments of presence today came when the light rain started to fall during our unseasonably warm morning run. The light pitter patter of drops reminded me of the rain in Hilo, HI – peaceful, warm, and soothing. To experience that sensation in October in Wisconsin was quite the moment!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,928

Growth:

There is a wisdom to be found in determining when to teach someone, when to do for someone, when to help by questioning someone’s idea, and when to allow someone to do for themselves and learn through the experience. I seem to struggle on this one, today I’m grateful for the reminder to pause and consider the right option rather than reacting from personal preference.

Appreciation:

This has been a very full day from start to finish. So much positive stuff all around, feelings of productivity, moments of joy, shared laughs and stories, and time of reflection. I’m laying in bed feeling spent in a positive way and will be waking up tomorrow to see how closely I can replicate today.

Presence:

OMG!!! The last chunk of my Stephen King novel had me riveted and on the edge of my seat (Finders Keepers)! For real, I kind of want to go back and see what my heart rate jumped up to as it ended. What an awesome exercise in presence, I was completely enthralled.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,927

Growth:

Taking time to blog helps me process the day. It’s a moment to check in with my awareness level from the day and see the positives. Some nights, like tonight, I’m tired, ready for bed, and not feeling super thoughtful. If I still pause and recount the day – even on days like this – I always end up smiling and coming out ahead. Even if it is not my best practice I’m still sharpening the edge and putting in the reps to keep the flywheel turning, and that’s s plus. I used to beat myself up over days like this, now I use the as tests to practice even when I don’t want to, a test of endurance, an opportunity to find growth even when it feels difficult.

Appreciation:

Tonight was a nice chill evening with no plans! Some quiet-ish couch time gif the three of us seemed to be exactly what we needed. Ahh… and another night of early bed!

Presence:

So easy to get lost in a good book! My drive home this evening seemed to take almost no time as I was thoroughly engrossed in Finders Keepers by Stephen King. I’m currently in the fiction phase of my reading cycle and enjoying every moment of it!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,926

Growth:

Taking Gavin driving today was a wonderful reminder of just how easy it is to take what we’ve learned for granted. In explaining each step and talking about so many possible outcomes and obstacles I couldn’t help but realize just how much learning there is in the process of driving!

I often wish I could know everything about something all at once and then get frustrated when I don’t. Today reminded me to pause and appreciate the learning that happens little by little over an extended period of time.

Appreciation:

What I am really grateful for tonight hasn’t happened yet, but it will shortly after writing this blog! I am off to bed to get more than eight hours of sleep tonight – woo hoo!!! This has been an awesomely fun filled and productive weekend and I am feeling exhausted as a result. Bring on the sleep, loking forward to catching some extra zzz’s to start the week in style!

Presence:

We wrapped up our time with Dominic on the University of Minnesota campus this morning. In a wonderful little park we ate breakfast as a family and relaxed while we talked. This was similar to many meals on the deck on especially nice days throughout the years, but the recent scarcity of moments like this made it all the sweeter. Such an awesome moment, relaxing as a family.

Thanks!!!