Day 3,047

Growth:

Taking time to define the true issue is time well invested. It is easy to shoot from the hip and guess, but so much more successful to pause and make sure the right challenge is being solved in the first place. 

This came up in two different ways yesterday, and both were handled better as a result of clearly defining the issue. Much research was involved, many different factors were examined, and once correlation it was found it was much easier to solve.

Appreciation:

While it may not be the most exciting thing to most people, I am very thankful for my list of books I like to read at least once per year. Each of them hit me for different reasons and are excellent reminders to dig deeper rather than just go wide. This month I’ve already read the following for the umpteenth times:

• Awareness by Anthony de Mello
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Essentialism by Greg McKeown

Today I started re-reading Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card and I have the following books all ready to go next:

• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
• The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
• Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
• Die with Zero by Bill Perkins
• New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
• The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Bishop Tutu

Though the books are the same each time the me who reads them is always different and happens to learn new things from each. Their depth and complexity seem to increase with each read and the nuances catch me at different levels than the times before. Throw in some excellent reminders and I’m always so excited to read and re-read these books.

Presence:

This weather is AMAZING!!! The moment that really sticks out to me today was when I took my lunch cooler back out to my car a little before noon and soaked up the glorious Spring feeling weather – in late January! Later in the evening Gavin and I snuck out to the park next door to throw the football around while also taking in the unseasonably warm fresh air.

Thanks!!!