Day 2,965

Growth:

How often I run through mild annoyances over and over again, thinking I don’t have the time to actually pause and fix them. Today I finally paused to fix a couple and the results were palpable! From a slightly faster computer to an easier to use and consistent way to take care of travel my life was made easier by pausing to fix the little things. Usually I just want to plow through and get things done, today I remembered to take a couple of moments to sharpen the blade to save hours of cutting.

Appreciation:

This evening I haven’t really had much of an opportunity to talk with Gavin. When I got home he was catching up on some homework. After dinner he went right back to homework while Becky and I FaceTimed Dominic. As I worked on a couple of small things Gavin kept working away. Now as I’m blogging Gavin has taken a little break – to do dishes quick – before going back to homework.

For sure, it is not his idea of a good time, but he knows it needs to be done. I haven’t had to push him on it, he knows what needs to be done. The work ethic he has worked on developing has me smiling from ear to ear. He gets plenty of time to relax and be a kid, but he also understands that there is a time for work as well. Seeing Gavin “get it” at such an early age has been a highlight of my night!

Presence:

Spending time catching up with an old friend over lunch is such a fun experience! Today I was able to catch up with a past teammate for the first time in a few years. We quickly fell back into our old patterns and conversations while laughing our butts off and having an excellent idea or two. Time flew by as we closed the gap between the years. Such a great way to be one hundred percent present!

Thanks!!

Day 2,964

Growth:

Challenges, unexpected obstacles, and frustrations are going to happen, they are a part of life. We cannot “opt out” of difficulties, they are part of the cost of admission on the ride called “A Human Life.”

We can 100% choose how we respond to them. We can choose to see them as unfair and wallow in our victimhood…. or ….we can choose to see them as opportunities for growth.

I wish I could say I immediately make the right call and see them the right way from the start, but my ego’s gravity pulls me towards frustration. That said, if I remember to pause I can find a way to grow through this, to become a better me as a result of this, and to possibly help others through their own similar experiences.

What happened today will not define me. How I respond and grow through it will.

Appreciation:

Today I was reminded how much I appreciate the decision I made over eight years ago to start blogging daily on one thing I’m grateful for. This process has brightened my life in more ways than I could ever begin to count, brought me strength to grow through many difficult challenges, and has helped me grow into a better version of myself than I was eight years ago.

As a daily habit its impact can easily evade my radar, sometimes I need conversations like today to help me recalibrate and realize just how much positive change it continues to foster each day. The quiet time spent focused on reflection of my day – good, bad, and everything in between / has helped me grow more as a person and helps me live more intentionally and more joyfully.

So thankful I stumbled upon this practice over eight years ago when I was struggling. Another excellent reminder that difficulty can be the catalyst of profound positive growth if we choose to make it so!

Presence:

There were a handful of conversations today in which I was one hundred percent present. Some positive and fun, some frustrating, some ordinary, and others keenly unique. Each struck me in an interesting way as I pause and think about them now. They were like being in a state of flow, they were timeless in spite of it being a ridiculously busy day. I wasn’t thinking about next steps, other calls, or anything, I was only in those conversations completely.

Interesting to me, I know I’m usually present, but the intensity of presence in this high of a volume of conversations in one day seems very high. Maybe it was how packed the day was, my mindset of focus, the topics of conversation, or some other aspect? Regardless, I’m grateful for those conversations today and look forward to attempting to replicate them tomorrow.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,963

Growth:

Sometimes we feel “nudges” to take a certain action, one which we likely would not have taken on our own. I don’t always follow them like I should, but I have yet to regret taking action whenever I’ve followed a nudge. Even though my day was packed I paused and followed through on three specific nudges and they made all the difference to my happiness today. Fingers crossed that they did more for the others they were intended for, I’ll have to wait to see those results. Regardless it reminded me of the importance of taking action on them as soon as I feel them. There’s never regret for taking action, there’s only been regret at not acting on the nudges in the past.

Appreciation:

During my drive home I fired up an audiobook for a while and it got my gears turning. After a while I had to pause it and drive in silence as I started to piece together ideas of an upcoming project I want to work on. I’ve got time set aside, I’ve got the tools I need, and I’ve got a plan, but after taking in some insights from the book I had several additional ideas of ways to vastly improve my project. So pumped to start working on it in a few weeks!

What really helped today was the spark of inspiration from the audiobook coupled with the extra space to think on the drive. I was almost tempted to drive an extra few miles just to finish the thought I was working through, but thanks to the epic sunset (more on that in a moment) I did the right thing and paused my thinking to savor the view.

Presence:

On my drive up this morning there was an awesome moment in which I had a very chill song playing (The Woods by Hollow Coves) and I saw a large whitetail buck standing in an empty field in the dawn light. On the way home the western skies were painted with dark pink and purple waves from the sunset. Driving may get tiring, but there are so many wonderful sights to savor on the way to and from work!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,962

Growth:

When life gets messy remember to follow these thoughts. Pause to prioritize. Make one small positive action towards the priority. One step at a time. Gain traction. Make a bigger next step. Repeat. Grand results often follow many small steps.

Appreciation:

I’m so grateful for so many incredible friends we’ve made through the past few years of soccer. This evening we celebrated the season and I enjoyed sharing moments, memories, and laughs with so many wonderful people!

Presence:

Dad life is rewarding in so many ways. Sharing highs. Sharing frustrations. Sharing experiences. Sharing laughter. Sharing love.

Each of these were moments I was present in today.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,961

Growth:

Behold the healing power of sleep! For reals, getting about 10 hours of sleep last night helped to make some huge progress on the chest cold and cough I’ve been fighting off. It also helped me sharpen my focus and make progress on my thoughts while avoiding distractions. When in doubt catch more zzz’s!

Appreciation:

We all go through difficulties in life, it is a part of the human experience. What a gift it is to be able to help others through their struggles by creating something positive from our own!

In the moment of frustration and hurt we can easily get lost in only that present moment, in the pain of that time. with the benefit of time and hindsight we can see how we may transform the pain of that experience into something beautiful in helping someone else through their struggle. Our pain was still real, but the pain fit another may have been softened and absorbed through ours.

Presence:

Hiking in the fall with family is one of my very favorite things! The smells and sights are amazing, but what really stuck out to me today was listening to the trees groaning and talking in the wind. So clear, so loud, so beautiful.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,960

Growth:

Running ragged and feeling exhausted is not recommended for long stretches of time, but there is a uniquely transcendental benefit to be found within. When I am feeling thoroughly exhausted everything is so much more raw, like exposed nerves. The sensations I normally lightly feel are compounded to a profound level, like salt in a cut or sugar in a cavity. Thanks to the increased sensation I can feel them more deeply, pay attention to what my mind and soul have been numbing, and get a better grasp on my mindset and world around me. The exponentially improved sense of awareness can bring about insights which I would never have faced in the comfort of “normal life.”

For sure, I am totally ready to die to the world for a while to rest and recover, but I am also grateful for all I’ve experienced in this worn down state, the real me without defenses up.

Appreciation:

What a week and a day it has been! The past eight days have been a solid focus on work – an owner meeting, a leadership retreat, training our teams, and lot of unexpected twists and turns. Throw in being on a panel and then giving a presentation while feeling completely wiped out with a cough and the remnants of a chest cold and is has been quite the stress test. And I passed. Now on the tail end I can look back with gratitude at all that was experienced over the past week and see what went well, what I would change I were to do it all over again, and rest well knowing I’ve had a hell of a productive week.

Presence:

My ride home from Wausau was a wonderful experience. No audiobooks, only music, played very loudly, and there may have been a little car dancing. I’m still not feeling great so it wasn’t anything too crazy, but it was a stunning contrast to the nonstop focused week I’ve had thus far. Taking time to have thought and time with music was exactly what my soul needed to wrap up the week.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,959

Growth:

My brain does best when I can take time to pause, digest, and then implement rather than just gorge on new ideas and the implement. It almost seems as if I need to schedule 1-2 hours break after an insightful training specifically to dissect it and digest it. When I go from one training immediately to another my brain struggles to maintain the momentum from the first session. Part of me cringes when I consider missing a training, but isn’t it better to execute well on one rather than half ass two others? Definitely something to consider!

Appreciation:

Wow, so many amazing ideas shared in the past two days of training! Honestly, it was s perspective shifting experience that I’m excited to dive more deeply into over the next few days as I consolidate my notes and start to put them into action plans. Yesterday I was most appreciative for the experience with my cohorts, today it’s the paradigm twisting reality of the strategies and ideas shared.

Presence:

There’s a magic to walking through a crowded airport with noise canceling headphones on. I find that it’s a weird detached reality, like I’m walking behind the scenes, almost invisible. Walking Terminal A in Dallas did not disappoint today!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,958

Growth:

Clarity is such a truly important component of success. Throughout a couple of learning sessions today I was reminded of how critical it is to share the clarity of expectations. Whenever there’s a gap between the goal and result there’s often an issues of clarity which may have resulted in failure. So glad I had the reminders toady before they could have become issues!

Appreciation:

There’s always a reason to say I’m too busy or that the timing isn’t quite right. There are some things that are too important to pass up, things that time should be made for. Our annual Express Leadership Academy Retreat is one of those events.

I’m beyond grateful for taking the time to get together with so many cohorts to learn from them, to bond with them, and to grow with. This time has been worth every moment and every cost, no question! This was exactly what my business soul needed to get back into the right headspace.

Presence:

So often we don’t learn the impact we’ve left on others until long after the fact. Over the past 24+ hours I’ve had multiple conversations with others who made changes to their business thanks to past trainings I’ve done. Each has left me smiling, full of joy, and feeling so blessed to have had the opportunity to help. Each of those moments have left a positive mark and remind me to stay the course of living into my purpose.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,957

Growth:

After a while it seems as if many books, stories, and the like all lead back to a common place. Trust in something larger than ourselves. Find peace in the humbleness of knowing just how tiny we are. Love others freely and make a gift of ourselves. Challenge ourselves to grow. Take in intentional moments of solitude. Learn and grow from mistakes. Make the most of each moment we are blessed to have. Be okay knowing that one day we will die.

All so easily said/typed and all so difficult in practice.

Appreciation:

I’m struggling a bit on this one tonight. There are a couple of threads and many individual fibers, but it doesn’t feel like a list day. I think I’m going to push myself for one today.

Hmm…

What I’m most thankful for today is realizing more clearly that it is okay to say when I am not doing okay. To be humble and realize that even though I am known by others for always smiling and being joyful that there are times when I’m not and it is okay.

Truly, I’m all good, all is well. That said, I’ve got frustrations. I’ve got internal struggles. I’ve not fully lived into the person I should be. It is okay. Give myself grace to accept that and to occasionally not be happy as a result. That said, continue to see what lies across the gap, work to grow into that person, and don’t get discouraged. When I scrap my knee it is okay to swear and acknowledge the pain, it is okay to do the same in other aspects of life.

Interesting dude note – in those moments of being down it is wild to see how many nudges The Big Dude Upstairs sends your way to raise you back up, to help you grow. Today those nudges were plentiful and they filled my soul.

Wow, I’m really glad I worked through that one tonight! Never would have guessed this would be where I ended up.

Presence:

We’ve got so many opportunities to connect virtually that we can often express everything we want in an instant. That said, there’s something about a big hug that just doesn’t translate quite the same way. Getting the opportunity to see my buddy Johnny in person to give him the hug I owed him from when his father passed away will be a memory I will never forget.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,956

Growth:

Travel is an investment in joy. This evening Becky found a short video for us to watch talking about traveling around Iceland for two weeks. As we watched highlights of what we’ve already witnessed and found new sights to see next time we bonded, smiled, remembered, and dreamed together. So many travel moments we’ve shared which continue to bring us so much joy!

Appreciation:

Ever since about 5pm we’ve had loud noises emanating from our basement. Screams, howls, yelling, and so much laughter! Gavin’s got a group of his buddies over to hang out and play games while devouring pizza and snacks. It has been nonstop noise and I’m loving every minute of it! During many of the sports seasons Gavin’s so busy that there just isn’t time to hang out like this. Hearing all the sounds of fun roaring up show that they’re all taking time to do exactly what they should be doing, acting like the goofy teenagers they are, loving every moment together.

Presence:

Watching Leia experience her first snowfall was sublime. I could do nothing but stand in awe as she pivoted her head from side to side to observe the snow falling upon her. Leia then spent time bound in the snow across the backyard, stopping only to sniff and lick it. After a few minutes she became more adventurous and hopped up on our patio table and slid around with a huge puppy grin. Pausing to take it all in through eyes filled my soul.

Thanks!!!