Day 3,290

Growth:

Sleep is an essential component of health. Due to getting home super late last night I slept in the morning. I’m still crazy tired so I’m going to bed early. By the time I fall asleep I’ll have been awake for almost exactly twelve hours. Normally I’d go nuts, but today it is exactly what I need.

Appreciation:

This afternoon Gavin and I went to work on figuring out how to adjust the awning on the camper-van. After a bit of research and trial and error we got it figured out.

We then took on making a small fix to a small piece I’d damaged on one of the cabinets. Thanks to his help we got it fixed more quickly than expected.

In preparation for his homecoming dance we zipped over to buy a dress shirt for him. As is always the case with clothes shopping we had to work through some challenges together to get it dialed.

All afternoon we worked together, joked around, and had an excellent time. Dominic and I used to have days like this when Gavin was younger, so nice getting them with Gavin now.

Presence:

Sometimes you just have to hit the pause button and enjoy nature! Look at this big dude we found outside our camper! He was probably about the size of a fifty cent piece. So awesome when you can see a spider so up close and so big that you can see its eyes!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,289

Today was a perfect birthday, couldn’t have asked for more.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,281

Growth:

Watch for the moments of joy, of engagement, of flow state. Those are the cues pointing towards what you should be doing more of. Create opportunities for more of that.

Appreciation:

Yoga is always the right answer! Tonight it got my mind relaxed and focused where it should be. Joanna got us all stretched and twisted in new ways which felt exquisite. Throughout was a constant struggle to stay focused on breath and present, in a very good growth kind of way. Even when my brain wandered it was towards a dream specifically created out of the aether by yoga! The perfect way to wrap up a week!

Presence:

This moment this morning…

Thanks!!!

Day 3,280

Growth:

Collaboration seems to help in almost every situation. An extra set of eyes looking it over, an opinion slightly removed from the situation. Getting outside our own minds and thoughts can often help lead us down a better path.

Appreciation:

Our Grand Canyon backpacking trip is sneaking up on us. Somehow the past few months have silently slipped by and now we’re getting closer to go time! This evening I took some time to start working ahead on my gear, very fulfilling to start making some progress!

Presence:

This evening held a very welcomed surprise, bonus Becky time! Her work dinner plans changed and we were gifted with some bonus chill time. Nothing crazy, just dinner together and relaxing, just what I needed!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,279

Growth:

True awareness is a difficult state. Rather that observation I’m often compelled to fix whatever I notice. Not always the right approach as quite often I may not really know what needs to be fixed. Awareness is in being one’s self, observing one’s self, and not taking action, only observing in order to understand.

Appreciation:

The books I’ve been reading as of late are completely unrelated, one a fiction and the other a no fiction on a completely different topic, but they’re both twining together in some interesting and insightful ways. Both are helping me observe the world a little more clearly from multiple angles through several axis. Either one would be beneficial in this moment, the combination of both is divine!

Presence:

Moments of laughter throughout a couple of conversations, the moments of sunshine to shine through any period of dark!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,278

Growth:

How much emotional energy do I waste when I react rather than pausing to think? Learning opportunity for sure today, 30+ minutes of frustration which was completely unnecessary, especially after a few minutes of collected focus found it was completely unwarranted.

Listen, breathe, think, then act.

Appreciation:

Once I’ve made the decision to choose the right mindset everything seems to fall right in place and all for the good. Attitude, attitude, attitude. The one thing under our individual control, the one thing that makes such an outsized impact.

Presence:

My mind was jogged to an old song as a result of the book I’m currently reading. While driving to work I turned on one song with the intention of getting back to my audiobook, but next thing I knew I was in full on car concert mode! An epic morning drive!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,277

Growth:

Am I choosing to go after a goal for myself or for someone else? Is this goal getting me closer to my dream or is it feeding my ego?

Appreciation:

My work week is the story of three very different roles. Rather than mishmashing them all together I focused on one role specifically today. Tomorrow I’ll be almost singlemindedly focused on another. Depending on how the week shakes out the third role will be the headliner of Wednesday or Thursday.

While my brain likes variety and enjoys going in a few directions at once it seems my productivity increases as I put the hammer down on one area at a time. Here’s to doing that which doesn’t come natural in order to do be more more successful and better use my strengths!

Presence:

Running in the 50ish degree weather was AWESOME!!! This morning it felt like autumn, my favorite season for getting in my morning miles. The stars were out, Orion is slowly making his way up the sky, and the air had the fresh fall smell to it. Perfect!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,276

Growth:

Sometimes I feel as if I should like and enjoy all the content my favorite thought leaders produce, I owe it to them for the past works they’ve created which meant much to me. Sometimes, their offerings just don’t resonate with me. Usually I push through out of a silly sense of responsibility. Today I chose to turn it off, and it felt great!

Appreciation:

Waking up, packing up, and on the trail in less than an hour. Outstanding! So fulfilling to get our morning hike in thanks to the new set up. This was an enormously positive first taste of what we can expect in the near future.

Presence:

Oh my goodness, the sound bath yoga session this evening was intense! The sounds felt like they echoed up my spine and down my soul. I don’t know how better to describe it, a transcendental experience through which all felt still and calm.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,275

Growth:

Everything takes practice, even the fun stuff. As we unpack ourselves and get set for the evening in the van I’m reminded that we will need many more nights to get everything figured out and settled. Kinda nice when it is practice that is so enjoyable!

Appreciation:

Our first night of family camping in the campervan this evening! So enjoyable getting to try this bad boy out in real life with Becky and Gavin, especially after watching Dominic’s rugby match and hanging out with Mom. Nothing too exciting in the agenda, just getting outside and sleeping with the smell of campfires, hearing crickets, and feeling the cool fresh breeze. What a great first night!

Presence:

Riding through the country with Mom shooting the bull and enjoying each other’s company. Priceless!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,274

Growth:

Pay attention to the moments in which you’re most engaged and in a state of flow. That’s where the magic is. Find ways to do that type of activity again and again.

Appreciation:

Working remotely from the campervan early this morning atop the bluffs with a wisp of fog was one of the most productive mornings of work I’ve had in a long time.

Presence:

So, I was going to go in a very different direction until Gavin’s high school football game happened this evening. After being down 0-21 they somehow managed to get it all back on track and WON on a thrilling play in overtime!!! The intensity was through the roof, so much presence I may have shaved a few years of my life off 😜😂

Thanks!!!