Day 3,075

Growth:

Sometimes a dose of stillness, reflection, and awareness is what the soul needs to quiet itself and get back on level.

Appreciation:

I’m not sure how to write this one today – too many concepts and ideas, though they all flow together. If pushed for one word I would go with purpose.

Living into purpose leads to increased joy. Not living into purpose causes dissonance and discord.

Today was joy filled.

Presence:

Laughing until my abs hurt, so much fun over dinner this evening with work friends.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,074

Growth:

Has there ever been a time when I wasn’t thankful for taking the time to make an act of kindness? When I feel a nudge – trust it and follow through! We never know the possible impact, but we will never regret taking the action.

Appreciation:

With so much going on all at once I had to remind myself to pause and breathe on a couple of occasions today. For sure, it was a daily largely full of great things, there were just a lot of things. Rather than just plowing through I remembered to pause and breathe to collect myself, to make space to put it all into perspective, and to create an opportunity for reflection.

The day was still very full, but it was also very fulfilling. Had I just rushed ahead without creating space I doubt I would have seen all its beauty and felt all the joy.

Pause, breathe, reflect, and enjoy the moments of stillness.

Presence:

Wow, so many individual moments of connection with others that I don’t know how to distill them into words. Through the day there were no less than ten times when I was 100% present in conversation with others, all in meaningful ways! Thank you to all who I connected with today!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,073

Growth:

When a quote is stated by three different sources in the span of less than a month it seems to be The Big Dude Upstairs’ way of telling me to pay attention.

Surrender the outcome.

What this means is to focus on the systems and processes for growth and success, to put in the reps and the hard work that will help you grow towards your goals, but remember that there is much out of our control. Rather be be 100% tied to the result, letting us be raised up by success or feel crushed by failure, don’t worry about the outcome. Put all the effort and energy into the work itself and see that as the success itself.

Appreciation:

This evening we had Gavin’s preseason track meeting and I can’t help but be overjoyed and grateful for the superb head coach and coaching staff he has the privilege of working with. The coach puts a huge emphasis on growing the students into young men while also pushing them to find their inner grit to get the most out of their performance on the track. He and the coaching staff help push the students toward success in not only the current season but help to grow them for the future seasons as well. The relationships built between Gavin (and Dominic) and these coaches have me glowing as a parent as it is clear they are having a profoundly positive impact on the boys.

Presence:

This afternoon I paused and took a few minutes to write out a follow up email that I would normally have skipped due to timing. Taking the time to type it out helped me to collect my thoughts, clarify the message, and share something much more helpful than just a quick quote out loud. I’m glad I took that moment to dig deeper into that thought.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,072

Growth:

Joshua Medcalf wrote a line in Chop Wood Carry Water that really struck a chord in me.

Greatness isn’t for the chosen few, but for the few who consistently and persistently choose.

Joshua Medcalf, Chop Wood Carry Water

That sentence really hits home on the concept of living intentionally. It is so easy for me to drift with the flow of life rather than direct it. Each moment provides a choice of how I will respond. By not choosing I am still making a choice, and likely not the choice that will lead me towards closing the gap between who I am and who I should be.

Appreciation:

I’m not sure if I’ve blogged about this before or not, but it bears writing about regardless. I am eternally grateful for the relationship I have with my sons. We can treat each other as father and sons when necessary and can just as easily act as best friends giving each other a mix of support, encouragement, and a hard time in seemingly just the right doses. Dad laid this path so well for me as I grew up with him, I am appreciative for the way the boys and I have been able to continue to grow into this relationship. As I’ve often shared with others, I swear that each day with my sons gets better than the day before. What a gift!!!

Presence:

Playing board games with my family with the addition of Dominic’s girlfriend was a blast this afternoon and evening! Such a wonderful way to get to spend time together and have lighthearted conversation. As I cooked supper the sounds of the four of them playing and laughing left my heart feeling very full. Shared laughs with family, does it get any better?

Thanks!!!

Day 3,071

Growth:

Scarcity can bring out our best sometimes. An insanely busy couple of weeks has caused me to very clearly choose what is most important and then work to prioritize and create the space necessary to complete those goals. Yes, I am tired, but I’m also calm, focused, and feeling very fulfilled.

Appreciation:

This may sound odd, but I’m grateful for becoming more and more okay with just being myself. Sometimes I feel as if I am supposed to be acting different or being a certain person rather than just being me. Pausing to be aware of when there is dissonance has been rather enlightening. The more I live into me each day the more joyful I am.

Presence:

On our drive home from the grocery store there were well over FIFTY – yes, 50 – bald eagles in one smaller area on the Black River. AMAZING!!!!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,070

Growth:

Short blogs – like tonight’s – are showing a pattern. Some of the busiest days which have been stuffed with the most life result in the shortest of blogs. ¡Viva la short blogs!

Appreciation:

After work today I drove up to pick up Dominic from school. From our car ride home to time in the living room with the entire family to playing games with the boys to now typing in bed hearing their laughter from the living room life has slipped right back into the old rhythms we’ve lived through before Dominic went to school. How I’ve grown to appreciate this pattern and rhythm!

Presence:

At noon there was a short memorial service for a neighbor we had for about sixteen years. Before the service we spent time with two other dear neighbors and shared a moment together. The reason for the gathering was difficult, but the hugs were joyful.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,069

Growth:

Jim Collins talked of a simple and clear question he asks himself daily.

“How have I impacted the lives of others?”

The more often I remember to ask myself that question the more fulfilled I feel.

Appreciation:

Since I’ve been back from vacation I have been intentionally choosing to steal back moments of my day while also staying focused on what I need to accomplish in the moment. Today everything flowed almost effortlessly in that direction, there were few times when I needed to consciously choose to act differently. So gratifying to feel and experience progress being made!

Presence:

The moment when awareness occurs is a wonderful moment! In an instant the world you’ve perceived changes completely. You are changed as a result.

Being present in the moment as an observer when someone else gained awareness was quite the experience.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,068

Growth:

Two growth opportunities stick out today. First, knowing that a concise blog is okay AND can really focus the mind is an effective exercise. Second, working through a task list always increases my productivity.

Appreciation:

Working with positive people reminds me of why I am passionate about my career. From teammates to clients to candidates to friends being surrounded by positive people with high energy motivate me to be a better me when working with others who may be negative.

Presence:

Dad has been gone for almost seven years, but I still have crystal clear dreams of him once in a while. When I awaken my heart is so full from feeling him so close.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,067

Growth:

Which part of the day will I focus on? The 95% positivity or the 5% frustration? So simple and clear to choose from this perspective, so much more difficult to choose in the heat of the moment.

Appreciation:

In many ways this practice of blogging has become a lint filter for me. It is the opportunity to choose how I am viewing the day – and I’m choosing growth, appreciation, and presence. Sure, I had frustrations, but there was so much more positive to focus on, this typing is reminding me to focus on that.

Presence:

The quiet time in the office long before anyone else came in was amazing! I had the entire building to myself for almost an hour and was able to get caught up quickly from the time away. The mornings are definitely one of my happy places.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,066

Growth:

Additional through subtraction, what a productive way to better utilize one’s precious time. When the desire to make better use of time abounds one of the best places to go first is our goals and purpose for reminders of direction and what is most important to us. Immediately afterwards we can turn to our actions with a scalpel and surgically remove the habits which don’t live into our goals. Delete the unnecessary to make space for the necessary.

In a small handful of minutes I was able to go through my cell phone and tablet to eliminate the apps which don’t help me grow towards closing the gap between who I am and who I should be. Quite possibly the highest impact activity I could do on a flight!

Appreciation:

A few months ago a teammate gave me a gift that keeps on giving, the book All It Takes Is a Goal by Jon Acuff. This was exactly what my brain needed to help me balance out huge goals and the incremental steps needed to progress towards them – while simultaneously reminding me of the importance of trying on a bunch of tiny goals to see which ones I really could and should invest in.

Not only that, but the book also reminded me of how critical it is to make time for taking on new goals. Just because I have a new goal doesn’t mean I get more time to do it. I have to cut something else out in order to make space, hence my section on Growth above. Today’s blog post has been written in that vein, I’ve been writing it in the minutes I’ve stolen back from time wasting activities. Pretty solid return on my investment for sure!

Presence:

Shutting down my audiobook, turning on some chill music, and then watching the Driftless from above as the jet floats over was a serene moment today. Watching the bluffs and valleys rise and fall below was stunning, especially with the sun lighting up the streams and rivers. Particularly awesome was seeing one of our favorite hiking trails (The Quarry Trail) from up above as we glided down.

You haven’t really been anywhere until you’ve been back home.

Terry Pratchett, The Light Fantastic

Thanks!!!