“Process saves us from the poverty of our intentions.”
Elizabeth King
As I continue to work on my 2025 goals I am working the plan. It ain’t sexy or earth shattering, but it is consistent and keeps me focused on achieving my goals. Having a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual process has been making all the difference this year. Still a long ways to go in the year and further to go on my goals, but I’m seeing the ongoing progress and the flywheel is getting easier and easier to push.
Appreciation:
Is there much better in the world than a team who is open to positive conflict in pursuit of living their purpose to help others? The grit, confidence, and mutual respect needed to be able to ask each other difficult questions is tremendous! Knowing that a team will push past discomfort to grow and become better is inspiring and moves us all forward more quickly.
Presence:
My ride into work this morning included another magnificent sunrise over the Mississippi River Valley today! Watching the sunlight hit the bluffs in front of me while watching the sun slowly rise from my rearview was epic – moments of wonder in everyday life.
I don’t always have to be busy, productive, or working towards a goal. It is okay, even necessary, to relax once in a while. Pause, breathe, recharge, and be okay with it. This weekend was an awesome lesson in remembering to relax.
Appreciation:
Leave it to dogs to remind us of things we don’t always want to remember. Yesterday Leia was reminding me that it was up to me to have fun in all types of weather including snow. The way she bounced and ran and played in the snow was inspiring to watch, her giant puppy smile was infectious!
Today was more of the same, except there was the other reminder of how we’re able to do so much more than we are comfortable with. As Leia sprinted off to play with some ducks who were not at all interested in playing with her she broke through the ice on the Black River not once, but twice. By the time she came back over to me there was ice in the outer layer of her fur, but her inner coat was completely dry. She stayed warm the entire time. It reminded me that sometimes I hesitate and don’t take an extra chance like I should in fear of getting wet (like doing stand up paddle board yoga). Have no fear, be okay with getting wet, it’s all good!
Thanks for reminding me to enjoy every moment and to keep smiling regardless of whether or not you got wet!
Presence:
Dominic was going to FaceTime us at 7pm as usual on Sunday nights, but instead we heard a car pull up about then. Through the door came Dominic and Caitlyn! Her train back to La Crosse was canceled due to the cold weather so Dominic did the right thing and drove her back to La Crosse. Why not have a face to face conversation instead of through a screen? Absolutely loved and appreciated the truly bonus moments we were able to share, what an awesome surprise!
Today has been a powerful reminder of why I write each day. It’s a practice of reflection—an opportunity to process my experiences, thoughts, and emotions, helping me bridge the gap between who I am and who I strive to be.
When someone lets us down or disappoints us, we have a choice in how we respond. I often find myself oscillating between anger, frustration, apathy, and sadness. But the interesting thing is this: my reaction is entirely up to me.
If we strip away our initial emotions, most disappointments come down to a simple fact—someone took an action they believed was right. Few people intentionally choose to do the wrong thing. The action itself is neutral; it’s neither good nor bad until we assign meaning to it.
Let that sink in for a moment. The action itself is neutral. We are the ones who apply context, emotion, and judgment. And in doing so, we determine our response. Yes, their action may be the opposite of what we wanted or expected, but our reaction? That’s entirely ours to own.
Anthony de Mello captures this truth beautifully in Awareness:
“I have no right to make any demands of you.
I have no right to make any demands of you. Oh, I’ll protect myself from the consequences of your actions or moods or whatever, but you can go right ahead be what you choose to be.
I have no right to make any demands of you.”
Anthony de Mello
At the end of the day, the only thing we truly control is our response. People will act in ways we disagree with. They will frustrate us. They will disappoint us. But they are free to do so. Their actions only gain meaning when we apply it.
Marcus Aurelius offers another timeless insight:
“Choose not to be harmed—and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed—and you haven’t been.”
The choice is mine. Someone else may take an action I dislike, but it’s up to me whether I let it disrupt my peace. I can let it roll off. I can take steps to prevent it from happening again. I can move forward. Or, I can choose frustration and dwell in emotions that serve no purpose.
I choose to move forward.
Why waste time and energy longing for a different outcome when I never had control over it in the first place? Instead, I’ll choose focus. I’ll choose resilience. I’ll choose to protect my energy and not let frustration steal moments I can never get back.
Time is finite. Breath is precious. I won’t waste them in frustration.
Appreciation:
One of the reasons I enjoy blogging is the ability to reflect upon the entirety of the day rather than dwelling on just one or two specific incidents. As I started typing this section I paused and ran through the day from start to end and I couldn’t help but smile at so many positives and moments I am grateful for today!
Waking up to the aroma of coffee, a delicious coffee Becky picked up in her recent yoga retreat.
Seeing a text come across my phone early in the morning saying, “Pulled a Kreiling and went hiking before the sun was up this morning, just me and the dog!”
Stepping on the scale and seeing more progress than expected.
Shoveling snow with Becky while listening to great music, getting lost in the fresh air, movement, and tunes.
Growing through a challenging situation.
Getting to the grocery store on a Saturday only to find it relatively empty.
Sticking to my guns with my weekly goals and preventing temptation.
Seeing a video of Gavin setting his new bench press PR and hearing about how much fun he had with his teammates.
Hearing about Dominic’s rugby scrimmage and hearing the excitement in his texts.
So much outside time snowshoeing with Becky! More on that below.
Making progress on my checklist for the weekend and prepping my meals for next week.
Trading awesome texts with good friends.
Playing cards with Becky and Gavin after dinner, laughing, and joking, enjoying our time together.
Taking way more time than expected writing this blog, reflecting on the day, learning and growing.
All in all, it’s been a pretty awesome day, one made better as a result of taking time to type my blog.
Presence:
There was enough snow for snowshoeing today and we took full advantage of it! We headed out to Great River Bluffs State Park and spent time snowshoeing through fresh and untrodden snow. The fresh air, the untouched snow, and the un-hiked trails all led to an incredibly invigorating experience. Such a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
Gavin and I decided to stay up a little late and catch a movie – Ex Machina. I love the confluences of our common interests, always a great time!
Midway through he had a schedule change for tomorrow and had to pause our movie for a late night shopping run for snacks and lunch for him for tomorrow. Felt crazy heading out on a snowy night like that, but we made the most of it!
To hold on to frustration and disappointment or to release it and be free? One is always right, but the other is always easy. Awareness brings the ability to recognize the unnecessary burden of frustration, which then reminds us that we have a choice to make. Pay attention and choose wisely.
Appreciation:
My plan got the day changed rapidly and often today. Several curveballs provided an opportunity to switch directions and work on other necessary tasks. What was going to be a jammed day still was, but in other directions. As it turned out I ended getting much more done than expected! Nice when there is s supply of bonus time!
Presence:
Laying on my back breathing, paying attention to only my breath, my heart beat, and my body. So peaceful and calming. You know you are in a state of stillness when you can feel your blood pumping from your heart throughout your body.
All great transformations in life start with a very simple step, the awareness of a gap between who we are and who we could be.
If we don’t have awareness we don’t realize how badly we could use the change. We are don’t know that there’s a gap, a place to grow into. This can be such a frustrating moment, unhappy and not seeing a better path forward. We can even begin to feel helpless, constantly fighting against the tide.
Once we have the moment of awareness we can move forward, but can also feel so daunting or impossible. The gap may be significantly larger than we’d thought, possibly on the border of impossible. In its own way, this can be almost more demoralizing than not having awareness as it seems profoundly difficult to grasp.
Once we have the moment of awareness, once we can see across the chasm of where we are versus where we are we should be, we need to put our heads down and focus only on the single footstep ahead. See that spot twelve inches in front of us, will our foot to lift, our leg to move forward, and the foot comes down. One small step, but the greatest step after awareness – the first step! Celebrate it!!! We’ve made our trip across the gap a little shorter AND now we know we have the strength to take a step.
Now take another step, then another. Slow but steady progress, gaining momentum. You’ve got this. After s dozen or so steps look up to make sure you’re still headed the right way, and then head back down and focus on the twelve inches in front of you. In seemingly no time you will make significant progress.
All that progress, all started with a moment of awareness, all started with one tiny and small step.
Over the past 3,424 days I’ve taken tiny steps daily, pausing to reflect on what I appreciate. Each day is one tiny step forward, motion towards closing the gap.
Today I had a conversation with a friend that reminded me to pause and appreciate the momentum I’ve built over the past nine plus years. As I reflect on the journey my mind is blown. This all started with the awareness that I was not happy, in so many ways I felt empty, like a fraud, unsatisfied, always in pursuit of more. I was not in a good place mentally and emotionally. Awareness came first, the awareness of unhappiness and a gigantic gap on the other side of which was full of joy. I wanted to cross. It seemed impossible, but I took one step. And the another. And then more which led to today. The gap is still there, but I’ve made progress.
Awareness, action. One small step at a time leads to profound growth over years.
Appreciation:
Sometimes I get so frustrated I just want to quit. When I get in those funks they can be difficult to get out of. What I’ve found interesting recently is that every time I have felt this way recently I find that the reason for the frustration is something well under my control, something I have the ability to change. I just have pause, breathe, zoom out, look at the situation from afar, have awareness, give myself grace to be frustrated, and then change it.
Today there were several moments in which I saw clearly I was in a perfect position to live into my purpose, to live towards the goal which brings me the most joy and fulfillment, which almost can’t help but pull me across the gap to where I should be.
To all those who brought me a smile, warmed my soul, reminded me of purpose, and helped in so many ways to get out of my own way while simultaneously helping to guide me back to the right path – thank you. Today was a beautiful day, a +2 day, thanks to you!
Presence:
This morning I had a tight deadline for a client. It would be just enough time, but not so much I could take my time. As luck would have it Dominic happened to send a text “Some great hype up songs for your day!” His timing was impeccable. I closed my door, put in my noise canceling AirPods, and proceeded to “massage” my ear drums with wave after wave of excellent music. My field of vision narrowed to only the project and I truly crushed it. With only fifteen minutes to spare I took out the AirPods, inhaled deeply and let it roll in my chest, and turn exhaled slowly as I punched the Send button.
An hour or two of being in a total state flow, consumed by the task at hand without distraction. Glorious!
Where do I choose to put my focus and energy? Life is full of situations, challenges, moments, and unexpected changes. Whatever they may be there is always a choice to make – what attitude will I choose? Once that mindset is chosen there is another choice to make – where do I put my focus and my energy?
In the moments when everything is going well it is so easy to make the right choices. When life becomes increasingly more complex it becomes more difficult to default to the right option.
As I navigate my current reality I’m also reminded to give myself grace throughout. While I can always work and strive to choose wisely there will likely always be times when I stumble. When I trip it is so easy to focus on that and then slowly spiral down. In those moments when I fall I must remember to give myself grace, take a step back to have better awareness of what happened, learn from it, and then move forward. That’s the appropriate choice after choosing poorly.
Appreciation:
Spending time talking with others about their adventures, their travels, and their dreams is always so enlightening! When hearing how others are maximizing their lives and living into their dreams I can’t help but have a heart full of joy and feel more motivated to grow into that myself. So much of our joy is truly to be found only within ourselves and independent of others, yet sharing time with those who live the way you wish to so quickly amplifies our joy as well. Tonight I’m grateful for the moments over the past few days in which I’ve been surrounded by those in noble pursuit of joy and living their dreams, they’ve warmed my heart for sure!
Presence:
On my drive home from work my mind was racing a million miles per hour and I was feeling very overwhelmed. As I happen to glance to my left I noticed the full moon rising over the Mississippi River Valley. It was stunningly vibrant, while simultaneously softened by the clouds. The silvery reflection off the snow, ice, and bluffs was simply breathtaking!
An old though came back in the midst of yoga class this evening. While working on a pose I have never quite been comfortable with our instructor offered up coaching and an opportunity to try the pose again. I hesitated for a moment, went into a learner’s mindset, and then took her advice. Next thing I knew I was into it! So many times before I was afraid of failing, not trusting my body, not thinking like a learner.
When we are in a learning mindset we’re open to coaching, we take advice, and we are willing to try even though there’s a high likelihood of failure. When we are in an expert mindset we are often afraid of making a mistake, less tempted to try something different as we already know what works. At any moment we can choose either mindset. Why don’t I choose a beginner’s mindset every single time like I should? Definitely a gap I can work on closing!
Yoga for the win yet again!
Appreciation:
This morning I had an absolutely engaging client meeting! The conversation was a nonstop thrill ride of ideas, insights, and thought exercises. So many strategies were discussed, excellent questions asked by all parties, and a perfect example of how similar cultures in different industries can help each other via the common ground of shared values. Super excited to see where this leads in the future!
Presence:
This afternoon my teammates and I shared a handful of moments as we walked through our values, purpose, and what drives our business. During a specific part of our conversation I shared the story of my last hug with Dad. The love and support they shared as I shared my full emotion warmed my heart and was greatly appreciated. It was a moment I’ll remember for sure!
When in doubt, get out in the woods. Life is better with fresh air, the outdoors, and walking. So glad Becky enjoys the same activity!
Appreciation:
What a perfect Sunday! Relax and read in the morning, church with the family, lunch, and off for a long hike with Becky in the sunny winter wonderland woods. Come home and relax while watching the Super Bowl with Gavin. All chill, all day. Perfect!
Presence:
Spending time laughing with Gavin watching the Super Bowl while texting Dominic and Nick was awesome. We may not all have been together, but we were all together enjoying the game.
This whole remembering to ask for help thing might be growing on me! Dominic saved me forty five minutes by stopping at Menards quick on his way over today. I normally wouldn’t have asked, but it seemed like a good idea. He was happy to help, I saved a lot of time, and it only took him a few minutes. Super grateful for his willingness to help!
Appreciation:
Nothing better in life than the moments we get to share with all four of us at home. This afternoon Dominic and his girlfriend stopped over for a few hours of laughing, lunch, and games. While this time doesn’t happen as much as it used to it is almost more appreciated now as we don’t have it as often. Those hours shared as a family are the best!
Presence:
When Becky and I took Leia out on a walk / hike this afternoon we got into the woods and found there was an area of open water in the backwaters. Splashing and playing in that water were about eight mallards! They were seeming to have the time of their lives, swimming, splashing, hopping on the ice, and then running after each other before diving and falling back in. Watching them was such a chill moment, made all the more magical by the sound of falling snow. Nice sharing a moment with Becky taking in the wildlife like that!
Thankful for Forty 