Month: October 2025

Thankful for a Quote on Resilience, Non +2 Days, & a Lifetime in a Nanosecond

Day 3,685

Growth:

Beyond the very extremity of fatigue distress, amounts of ease and power that we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength habitually not taxed at all, because habitually we never push through the obstruction.

William James

Appreciation:

Not all days are going to be +2 days (each day I track where my day was on a -2 to +2 continuum of joy), and that’s okay. It is in the most difficult of days when we have the unique opportunity to learn the most about ourselves. Those are the days when we have to choose our attitude. The days we have a choice to make – throw in the towel or dig deep and go harder. They are not easy days to work through, they are not easy choices to to make, but they are the days that provide us an opportunity to grow into who we are supposed to be.

Presence:

The split second before my half full Diet Coke spilled in my lap while driving down the highway going 65 mph when I don’t have enough time to drive back home to get new pants and realizing that I don’t have any napkins readily available in the car… Who knew one could be so hyper focused and cycle through so many thoughts in a nanosecond before squealing as the ice cold liquid hits my crotch?

Thanks!!!

Thankful for a Voltaire Quote, Time with My Family, & My Blogging Time

Day 3,684

Growth:

This quote read yesterday kept going through my brain all day today. I can’t help but wonder how much happier I would be if I asked more questions, listened more, and talked less. Listening leads to understanding.

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.

Voltaire

Appreciation:

Hearing Dominic talk about his upcoming intern search for the next year. Reading Gavin’s college application essays and reading his social psychology poster. Talking with Becky about her day as spend moments of calm together. Amongst the craziness and chaos and demands of a ridiculously busy work day those moments are the bastions of joy, my moments of calm amongst the storm. So grateful for the time with my family as I wrap up my evening!

Presence:

Taking these moments on the couch to relax, reflect on the day, and mentally account for what I am grateful for. They are moments I can easily take for granted and miss in my appreciation, but they are the reason my appreciation happens as often as it does. This quiet time in contemplation, organizing my thoughts, and concentrating on what I am grateful for is amongst my best times of the entire day.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for an Early Bed Time

Day 3,683

LOL – I am still not quite sure how or why I am this exhausted, but I’m going to listen to my body and totally roll with it!

I’ve got an early start tomorrow followed by a long day, might as well get myself recharged and ready for tomorrow. A great night of sleep is always appreciated, so glad I’m taking advantage of an evening with no plans to lay down and knock out the ZZZ’s a little early!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Learning from Yesterday, Supercommunicators, & Hiking Date Night

Thankful for Learning from Yesterday, Supercommunicators, & Hiking Date Night

Day 3,682

Growth:

One of the questions I ask myself each day is “If I had ten years to live, what would I quit doing?” While an insightful query it also leads me to act differently in subsequent days. Most recently I answered with “Stressing imaginary issues that haven’t happened yet and are unlikely to happen.”

At one point in my day I caught myself not heeding my own advice, I was focused on something that hasn’t happened and likely won’t happen, wasting emotional energy for no good reason. As I caught myself stewing I laughed when I realized I just wrote about this yesterday. With that I became aware of my folly, smiled, and moved on with no stress.

Such a benefit to pause and consider the answer to this question at the end of each day!

Appreciation:

One of my favorite books of 2024 is currently getting its second read. Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg is an absolute masterclass in learning how to communicate with others in a more effective manner. There have been so many moments in which I’ve had to set the book down to think on what was just covered and then take notes to help me for later. Well worth the second read!

Presence:

While we normally have “Yoga Date Night” on Mondays we opted to take advantage of the beautiful weather and had “Hiking Date Night” instead! Nothing like wrapping up the first day of the workweek with a hike in the wonderfully fresh fall twilight.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Launching a Dream, Winterizing the Campervan, & a Perfect Morning Moment

Day 3,681

Growth:

Nothing like leaning into an epic dream launched by a friend! As James mentioned Sleeping Giant Provincial Park for a backpacking trip I totally jumped right into planning and prep mode. Not sure which part I’m more excited for, the trip itself or seeing him enjoy something he’s wanted to see for a while.

Appreciation:

While it is a little sad to start closing up the campervan for the season there was something so chill and therapeutic about going through the steps of winterizing it. Basic cleaning and organizing, cleaning out the pipes, and getting it washed before putting it into storage for a while.

Many adventures have been had over the past eight months or so, time to let it rest, and then pull it back out to create more memories next year!

Presence:

Sitting outside in the morning with friends, watching an eagle fly over with a fish hanging from its beak as it glides by the bluffs alongside the stream. Not a bad way to stay off the day!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Learning from Blogging, Gavin’s Last Home Football Game, & Walking to Nebraska

Thankful for Learning from Blogging, Gavin’s Last Home Football Game, & Walking to Nebraska

Day 3,679

Growth:

One of the most beneficial aspects of writing this blog is the ability to help coach myself on things I would benefit from in the future. Today was a study in the recently blogged lesson on taking a moment to use logic and then respond. Past Blog Mike helped Today Mike be a better version of himself through that reminder a little while back!

Appreciation:

Gavin’s last high school football home game was this evening and it was a blast to watch! His team won, he had a handful of tackles, and he even got to kick off! The smile on his face after the game was priceless!!!

Throw in the almost dozen person personal cheering section he had and it was quite the fun experience!

Presence:

Walking through the foggy side streets while listening to the end of Deliver Me from Nowhere and then chasing it up with Springsteen’s Nebraska. Chillingly still and perfect moment. The weather and lonely street fit the mood of the album like a glove.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Difficult Questions, the Mundane, & Flow State

Day 3,678

Growth:

Remember to be grateful for the challenging questions! They help us stretch our thought processes, push us to think more critically, and consider things differently. I was asked an interesting and engaging question at work today which led to some mind bending research and a very clear and simple answer. While the question was a bit frustrating when first asked I can now see how I grew as a result.

Appreciation:

While none of the projects I worked on today were very sexy they were all very helpful and useful. Even at home the process of cleaning out the summer clothes and rotating the fall and winter clothes forward will make life easier. Going through our old hard drives to make sure I’ve got all our old family photos pulled will also make life easier. Work projects were nothing crazy, but all necessary today. Life doesn’t have to be exciting all the time, the mundane can be an excellent source of joy!

Presence:

Diving into the data, testing a hypothesis, checking for errors, expanding my mindset – nothing like getting into a nice flow state to close up the morning and early afternoon!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Trying Not to Pull a Dad, Gavin’s College Application Essays, & More Vacation Reminders

Day 3,677

Growth:

LOL – this one is going to sound interesting, but I’m thankful for the moments when I stop myself from sounding like my dad. For sure, Dad was my hero, someone I looked up to greatly and respected tremendously, but there was something he did that used to drive me bonkers… In the moments in which I catch myself I know he’s smiling while simultaneously rolling his eyes.

Dad was a master of asking me to help, not sharing any direction, taking on the work himself, and then getting frustrated when I couldn’t read his mind. This was usually manifest in the moments in which he was trying to manipulate two or more large pieces of wood in a very short period of time with very serious long term impacts if done correctly. I would do what I thought he would want, he woudl say it was wrong and not give direction, I would guess again, and I would be told I was wrong while he grunted, worked three times as hard, and somehow got the work done while being frustrated.

Sadly, I hate to admit it, but I was way too good of a learner of that habit! I’ve caught myself often doing the same thing, getting just as frustrated, and then laughing at myself for being a moron afterwards. The more aware of this tendency I have become the earlier I start laughing at myself.

This morning I caught myself long before it happened, chuckled out lout, and then had to explain the entire story to a couple of teammates.

Take a deep breath, communicate clearly on what needs to be done, allow time for questions, and then take action. Everyone will be much happier AND the project will be done correctly.

Appreciation:

Gavin has been sharing a few of his college application essays with us over the past week. Each has left me smiling from ear to ear, so proud of the person he has grown into! While I won’t get into the topics (those are his to share), I can say that my heart is beyond full today. Having this opportunity to look at the world through his eyes has been enlightening and rewarding!

Presence:

During a lull in our onsite hiring event my teammates and I got into a conversation on traveling to Iceland – one of my all time favorite conversation topics, no doubt! As we talked about different things to see and experience there my mind kept racing back to the memories created from our trips there. The pictures and videos I shared with the team put me back into those moments, re-living the memory while sharing it with others.

The investment in vacation and travel to create memories and be present – always well worth it!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Remembering to Rest, The Kite Runner, & Memories of Backpacking

Day 3,676

Growth:

We can only run so fast for so long before we need to take a deep breath and recharge. In those moments it is okay to relax, to rest. Don’t feel guilty about not working on something all the time, sometimes the work needed is working on not working, on resting.

Appreciation:

I can’t help but be grateful gut a story which has been top of mind for me throughout the past week, The Kite Runner. As I near the climax of the novel I cannot help but pause and consider how fortunate I am to have been born when I was and where I was. Seeing the world through the eyes of someone born about the same time as me but in Afghanistan has been mind bending. Such a different life, such a different experience. Books like this that make me very uncomfortable, but in a growth mindset way, are amongst my favorite reads.

Presence:

Crazy to think it was a year ago that Becky and I were backpacking through the Grand Canyon! That entire trip is burned into my brain, the grandeur and beauty were so much more than I’d expected it to be. Spending time away from all of the busyness of life, present in each awe inspiring footsteps remains so clear in memory. Moments lived intentionally present make a much deeper impact than the live we sleepwalk through.

Thanks!!!