Day 3,017

Growth:

Taking the time to track certain activities can take a little extra time, but it is often well worth it. For clarity, not everything needs to be tracked and logged, only what is most important to our dreams and goals. Also, we have to create time to pause and review those notes to determine how to best adapt and adjust our future actions to live better into our dreams. 

As I pause and begin taking time to review 2023 I’m quickly seeing I should have carved out more time for this practice as it always seems to take longer than expected. This evening I started reviewing my reading list from 2023 and quickly caught myself drifting off to the major lessons learned throughout each book (both fiction and nonfiction). Taking time to go through the list of each book I read last year reminded me of so many things and I was surprised to see just how many pages I covered last year (61 books – down from 112 in 2022, but I felt much more balanced).

So much knowledge and wisdom can be drawn from reviewing the past year, but only if we track it. Here’s to doing more tracking and to living more closely into my dreams and goals in 2024!

Appreciation:

For the past handful of years (I think almost a decade or more) I’ve taken the week between Christmas and New Year off to spend time pausing from work. It initially started as a way to watch the boys as they didn’t have daycare & school available. Those days off created some pretty epic memories throughout the years. We’ve worked on projects, gone camping, played games, gone hiking, and have had so much bonus time together. I’m beyond appreciative for the time we’ve been able to share together! 

Not only has that time off provided opportunities with the boys, but it has also given Becky and I an opportunity to hang out a little more too. Sometimes an afternoon off, a walk over lunch, and some extra time to head out to see our families. 

This year I am also reminded of how grateful I am for the time I have to myself to pause and take a deep breath as I transition from one year to the next. Time to pause and reflect, plan, and reset. When I jump back into work I do so with a renewed fire and intensity as I’ve taken the time necessary to rest and prepare for the next push.

This time off is quickly coming to an end, I’ll be off to bed shortly after typing. As I reflect on it and think about all this time has provided my heart is full and I know I’ll be planning on this again next holiday season.

Presence:

This morning the combination of walking the dog, spending time in the woods, sharing time with family, AND drinking a hot cup of coffee on a chilly morning was magical! Our short-ish walk felt great, allowed time as a family to talk and relax, gave me a dose of fresh air, and was exactly long enough to let me start and finish my entire Yeti mug of coffee. Perfection to start the New Year!

Thanks!!!