Everything is simply better in the campervan. Everything! Food, driving, working, downtime, you name it – I swear it is better in the campervan. I really should spend more time here!
Appreciation:
We had so much fun watching Gavin get a ton of playing time tonight in his football game! The smile on his face after the game was priceless, he was having a blast!!!
Such a great time watching his game tonight!!!
Presence:
I had a blast hiking with Becky this afternoon! I cut out of work at noon and we were on the trails before 2pm. So chill to get one on one time alone with her in the woods, my favorite place for us to reconnect!
The more we keep our goals in front of us the more we grow into those goals, the more we take action towards them. Help me help myself, keep my goals in front of me more often. While I’ve found other “hacks” to take on other life changing habits (blogging daily, my daily scorecard) I need to find a way to keep these in front of me intentionally and with daily focus.
Something to continue to work towards for sure!
Appreciation:
Oof… Some of our best moments of learning can come from revisiting inconceivably difficult times in the past. At the recommendation of a friend I’ve been reading A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The story is a fictional day in the life of a prisoner of a Soviet labor camp – inspired by his EIGHT years of survival in a similar prison camp.
Each bite of food I’ve had today has been savored so much more so with that perspective in my mind. Each moment of freedom to choose what I want to do next in each moment has felt so much more liberating than normal. So many common and ordinary moments to remember to be grateful for, they could all disappear in an instant.
If you haven’t read this one (or The Choice by Dr Edith Eva Eger or Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl) do yourself a favor and pick it up. You won’t feel comfortable as you read it, but you’ll likely feel very fulfilled.
Presence:
In a complete counterpoint to the above section, the “did we just become best friends?” clip from Step Brothers always leaves me smiling! Nothing like those moments of humor that bring smiles for years and years and years!
Short version tonight – I’d love to dive into it more but I’m exhausted from the day and need to crash.
This evening we had the opportunity to have dinner with a mentor who’s had a tremendously positive impact on my life. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten together, I appreciated the chance to reconnect, share old stories, and talk about life’s upcoming adventures!
So easy to get caught in the drift of the normal stream of life. So easy to allow gravity to slowly pull us off track and then trap us in orbit. Remember to jolt ourselves awake, to stay vigilant of our dreams and goals, to remember to fully be alive!
‘Stuff your eyes with wonder,’ he said, ‘live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask no guarantees, ask for no security, there never was such an animal. And if there were, it would be related to the great sloth which hangs upside down in a tree all day every day, sleeping its life away. To hell with that,’ he said, ‘shake the tree and knock the great sloth down on his ass.'”
Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
Appreciation:
Once in a while we need to get caught up in a rut. The fight against the hills on either side get our blood pumping. The jarring sensation of popping out of it awakens our soul.
Today I was in a rut for the majority of the day. Just woke up feeling that way, no real good excuse. Just a “meh” kind of feeling for the day. There were several positives, specifically, a handful of extremely engaging conversations that got my mind working, but then, just as quickly, the spark sputtered out. Oof.
As I pause I realize it was largely due to the feeling of above, the sense of drifting rather than charting my course and controlling the rudder. I’ve been reminded that I am the captain of myself, I need to choose my direction and go after it rather than the winds of life to blow me askew.
Even bad days give us a reason to be thankful if we look closely enough!
Presence:
This morning a song came on the radio that led to me sharing a story with my teammates from back in the mid to late nineties.
Some friends and I were taking a road trip and someone put in CD by Hootie and the Blowfish. My buddy ejected the CD (which was his own), rolled down his window, said something along the lines of “who would listen to this garbage,” and then promptly threw it right out of the open window!
The only sound was the dropping of all of our jaws as we kept driving well over 60mph on the highway as the shining CD sailed into the distant woods.
“Why did you do that???”
“Umm… I was just joking, but the wind caught it.”
More stunned silence… …then thunderous laughter from all of us!
That moment is still brought up often, such a surreal and hysterical moment of presence!
In life we are sometimes blessed to feel certain “nudges” from the universe. Seemingly out of nowhere we encounter the same concept over and over again. If we’re very fortunate we see this enough times to realize we should be paying more attention. If we are wise enough we take the time to notice, appreciate, and heed those nudges.
The most recent flavor of nudge I’ve felt is centered around the concept of resilience and how it seems to be cultivated largely through facing adversity. Whether it is in books, through stories, written in blogs, or shared via human conversation this concept is continuing to appear over and over and over again.
Appreciation:
Gavin’s parent teacher conferences this evening and it was an absolute delight to hear how well he is doing in class! The comments on his grades and coursework were great, but what really hit home were the comments about his focus, his drive, his willingness to help others, and how much his teachers appreciate having him in their class. Hearing the stories of the positive things he’s doing made my heart full of joy.
Hard to believe that we are in the home stretch of his time living at home, less than a year before he begins the next chapter of his life. Hearing how well he is doing helps me see how prepared he is. So excited for where he’s growing next and for all he is doing now.
Presence:
Running outside in the cool fall weather that actually felt like cool fall weather was outstanding! The nice autumn breeze helped it feel like the season had finally started to shift. Even the woods smelled like fall, everything seemed ot have changed overnight. Nothing like an early morning run in the perfect fall weather!
This quote by Anthony de Mello has been rolling through my head for the past few days. Beliefs lead to anger, hatred, and fear. Faith is the stronger of the two, one which can be shifted and molded rather than that which we identify with.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is faith! An openness to the truth, no matter what the consequences, no matter where it leads you and when you don’t even know where it’s going to lead you. That’s faith. Not belief, but faith. Your beliefs give you a lot of security, but faith is insecurity. You don’t know. You’re ready to follow and you’re open, you’re wide open! You’re ready to listen. And, mind you, being open does not mean being gullible, it doesn’t mean swallowing whatever the speaker is saying. Oh no. You’ve got to challenge everything I’m saying. But challenge it from an attitude of openness, not from an attitude of stubbornness. And challenge it all. Recall those lovely words of Buddha when he said, “Monks and scholars must not accept my words out of respect, but must analyze them the way a goldsmith analyzes gold— by cutting, scraping, rubbing, melting.”
Anthony de Mello, Awareness
Appreciation:
Gavin knocked out the majority of his Eagle Scout project today! There were about a dozen and a half of us all working together to help him turn his vision into reality. What I appreciated most was watching him grow as a leader throughout the hours, learning the difference between leading and doing and how leading will usually lead to bigger goals and successes for a team. He did a masterful job of sharing the specific tasks to be done, putting the teams together, and then working in a way in which he was in regular contact with each team while still contributing towards time goal.
By the time all was said and done it was awesome to see how much the group was able to accomplish together under his leadership. As a dad I couldn’t be more proud of how well he rose to the occasion to help give back to his community today!
Presence:
So much outside time today! I think some of the moments in which I was most present were when I was digging three foot deep holes for the sign pots for Gavin’s project. Just me, the outdoors, physical labor, and a task to be completed. Perfect!
But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority. Oh, God, the terrible tyranny of the majority.
Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
Appreciation:
What a nonstop day it was! From start to finish we’ve been going a hundred miles an hour. The best part was all of the awesome we were abel to accomplish – from an invigorating hike to getting grocery shopping done to Dominic’s rugby match to dinner with family to driving back home to blog. I’m exhausted, and it was worth every ounce of tired.
To spend the entire day with Becky, to spend a lot of time with Dominic, and to get a little bit of time with Gavin was fantastic – a day filled with loved ones!
Presence:
So much fun watching the boys participate in the sports and events they love! Watching Dominic play his butt off in rugby was great today! On a kick off he out-hustled the opposing team, stole the ball from them, and hit the jets to score a try right out of the blue. It was so much fun to watch! After that he went bonkers on defense and had a handful of tackles and stops. His intensity was amazing and definitely made me proud. So glad to have been there for this!
Such a perfectly eloquent quote by Ray Bradbury in Fahrenheit 451:
We have everything we need to be happy, but we aren’t happy. Something’s missing.
Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
This quote coupled with a couple of recent articles and a podcast or two really hit home. In so many ways we each already have everything we need to be happy – maybe joyful is the more appropriate term. We could feel fulfilled with all that we have in this present moment if we choose to. Instead we allow want / desire / greed / fear / envy get in the way and cloud our judgement, they block our gratitude.
Should we choose gratitude we have all we need right now in this present moment and in every present moment moving forward. When we try to sate our hunger for more by buying more we only push ourselves further from joy.
We have everything we need to be happy, but we aren’t happy. Something’s missing… Appreciation for what we have.
Appreciation:
As one of my teammates put it this morning as we talked about a book we are both reading based in the mid 1800’s based in the American Southwest and Northern Mexico:
“This book makes me grateful to be alive NOW as opposed to any other time”
No kidding!!! When we think of the challenges we face daily and then compare them to that specific timeframe and location I’m also grateful for being alive now as opposed to then, no question!
One of the reasons I enjoy the occasional historical fiction is the ability to see times long past through the eyes of today. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy is staggering in its ability to punch me in the gut over and over and over… and this is the second time I have read it!
What also really blew my mind today was learning how much of it was based on real life people and their stories! It is nothing short of ridiculous to think we used to be at such a different place as a people and culture.
Nice to pause and be grateful to be alive now, today.
Presence:
Nothing like a surprise visit from a friend bearing a batch of pumpkin rolls to start off a morning in the office!!! Thank you so much to Trissa for an awesome conversation AND delicious treats to boot! There may have been a few more than a few during the day, maybe one or two on the ride home, and definitely more at home. Always fun spending time catching up with some of the people who’ve left an onngoing positive impact!
Quite often we talk about learning from our heroes, wanting to exhibit their courage, strength, wisdom and whatnot. Just as often we can learn from everyone – including our heroes – on how we would prefer not to act, on how not to treat others, and on how to let our personal fears negatively impact our ability to love others.
We can learn from both halves, we each are both halves. Rather idolizing our heroes, remember to learn from all of our human failings. We all fail, we all struggle, we all act without love and kindness.
When we see that may ew also remember not to return their actions with similar actions of our own. Learn from the experience they’ve given, act as you’d hoped they would have.
Appreciation:
Two parter for today as there are a couple of points to cover in my blog to help remind “Future Mike” of why I was grateful today.
First off, I am most grateful to those who have reached out to regarding the impact of the government shutdown. Even a short message, text, or quick phone call helps others see that they are not alone. Those acts of kindness may seem so tiny to the person providing them, but they can make a huge positive impact on the person who really needs to hear them at the right moment.
Second, I appreciate my reminder to give myself grace, to remember the intent behind the goal, and to take care of myself from a mental standpoint. With so much going on my mind was racing as I listened to my audiobook on my drive north this morning. I quickly became frustrated with my inability to focus on the book which in turn added more stress which added more things for me to get frustrated about. After a quick facepalm I shut off the book, turned on some music, and sang and relaxed while I drove. I then turned everything off and thought through the challenges and created my action plans. Finally, I went back to reading and was able to stay completely present. Slow down Kreiling!
Presence:
Sitting on the deck with Becky on an unusually warm October evening, relaxing, reading my beloved copy of Fahrenheit 451 as the sun goes down. Hearing the sounds of nature, taking in the fresh air, simultaneously completely absorbed in the exquisite writings of Ray Bradbury. Each page causes me to pause for a moment to step back to the ledge upon which I see across into reality and down into the story, the horizon a mixing of the two realities. I melt into both.
Sometimes life can be rough, dishing out things we really would prefer not to have to deal with. We don’t have a choice in these events that happen, but we do have the choice of how we will respond to them. Will we face them with a positive attitude or will we let them cause negativity?
As I drove home tonight I was very frustrated, the government shutdown is particularly maddening – for a variety of reasons. I caught myself getting worked into such a lather that I couldn’t focus on my audiobook. As I sat in anger and silence I realized that I was missing something. I am not in control of what is happening, but I can control how I respond to it. My response was lackluster, if only I had already started working on a way to get my mindset in the right place 😉
With that stroke of insight I literally chuckled to myself and decided it was time for me to hone my own practice. The following is where that took me. Fun fact, it just follows the same blog order I do each day.
Growth (What can I learn from this?):
This is an opportunity to control my emotions, to choose intentionality over emotion. Rather than responding with worry to what I cannot control why not take a moment to appreciate how I can grow through this. This is a chance for me to learn to relinquish control, to accept what is happening and then choose how to respond correctly. Rather than being angry how can I channel this into growth? I can learn to better control my emotions, I can learn to accept reality, I can learn to find ways to best make an argument, I can learn how to better help others see the error of certain actions, I can help people see how fear leads to hate and how love is the real answer (which means accepting others – all others). I can pause and consider how so many of our greatest humans heave thought – how would Jesus, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, and Muhammad handle this situation? What would their advice be?
This is a unique opportunity to get outside of myself, consider the wider perspective, and then determine how to act accordingly. This is an opportunity grow into the person I should be, to close the gap a little.
Appreciation (How can I be thankful, even in this challenge?):
If I can find a way to grow through this I’ve already started to find a way I can appreciate this moment. I am certainly not grateful that this bad thing has happened, but I can be thankful for an opportunity to learn and grow. I can pause and think about all of the past difficult times I’ve gone through in my life and see how each of those – even though they’ve hurt in the moment – have led to some of the greatest moments of growth in my life.
Difficult things suck, no question, but they are the furnaces our souls are forged within. This challenge is an opportunity to grow into a better version of me, an opportunity to work through the discomfort to see what I am truly made of. I can be grateful for anything, including and especially this frustration.
Presence (How can I stay focused in the moment, even when it is difficult?):
It would be so easy to gloss over this, to say it really isn’t so bad. I could numb myself with distractions and just not think about it. I could choose toxic optimism (which is really a thing) and delude myself into thinking this is not a big deal. All of that would be so easy, but it would be a complete waste of an opportunity.
If I know I can learn from this, if I know I can grow through this, if I know I can be thankful even in this challenge, I can be present in the moment. I can soak in all of the anger, pain, hurt, frustration, all of it, and then transform it into something truly beautiful, into growth, into a display of love over hate. I can only really grow in this moment if I am present in it, an active and intentional participant. If I am strong, I stay intentionally focused, and I choose to be completely present it will hurt, for sure, but that is where I know I will actually grow. In that pain I will find growth, I will find appreciation, but only if I am present in it.
And that was how I worked myself through this. I took it apart, I worked through the circle of Growth to Appreciation to Presence and back around. By the time I got home I was still very frustrated, but I was able to find joy in moments of growth, in moments of appreciation, and in the present moment.
In moments of frustration we all have a choice to make. Choose to mind the GAP, choose Growth, Appreciation, and Presence. Choose joy and love.
Thankful for Forty 