Day 3,746

The past weeks have been chock full of planning for 2026. My personal goals and plan are just about wrapped (just a couple of tweaks to make). Tomorrow we meet to walk through our 2026 goals for my teams, continuing the direction we set for ourselves this past summer. Planning on Gavin’s upcoming college career and all the things he needs to do in order to be ready for it. Setting a plan for future adventures and travels, all getting close to the point in which they need to be planned. Financial planning – multiple conversations with multiple people for multiple reasons on this one, it’s all more planning regardless! I almost feel like I need to start a plan to plan.

All joking aside, it’s great to see the combination of big dreams / goals and the inertia already moving in the right direction, momentum on my side. As I plan it’s easier to push the ever increasingly speeding flywheel.

Putting the plans in place for this next twelve months have helped motivate me, to help get my mindset going in the right direction.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,745

Growth:

I started tracking my books read in 2022, and according to those lists this is the fifth time I’ve read Atomic Habits by James Clear, an average of one read every nine months or so. Each time I go back to it there are news points I didn’t quite get at the same level, insights that mad more sense thanks to the life lived between readings.

In 2026 I have a list of 26 books I plan on reading three times each, an opportunity to go deeper than I have gone into them, a focus on learning through depth. Today I’m reminded of why this will be so beneficial.

Appreciation:

Throughout rhetoric day there were a handful of moments in which I was able to clearly live into my purpose, brightening lives through shared experiences. Work habits, financial planning, goal setting, and a few other nuggets of opportunity to live into who I should be. Very fulfilling!

Presence:

So many laughs with the boys last night, the memories are still rolling into today! We had a brief handful of moments together today, so grateful for the opportunity to be together as a family. Best moments for sure!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,744

Growth:

So often we can begin to manifest the dreams we have after we speak them into existence. This isn’t to say that they just magically happen, rather the opportunities to tackle them are so much more readily accessible and visible to us once we clarify them and breathe life into them. The more I’ve added to my 2026 goals and my 2026 board the more opportunities seem to arise.

Appreciation:

Today was the day of perfect calm I didn’t realize I needed so badly. In the morning I practiced my breath work, sipped delicious coffee while reading, and relaxed prior to a nice homemade brunch with the full family before church. The day consisted of a walk in the woods in the snow, relaxing and reading on the couch, and talking with family. No rush, no agenda, no task list. Only relaxation.

Presence:

Nothing quite like getting lost in an engaging story. This morning I finished reading No Country for Old Men for the second time this year while drinking coffee and was so lost in the book that I drank my coffee while standing up in the kitchen reading, I never even made it to the couch!

Quite possibly one of the best paragraphs to end a book, the Sheriff talks about two dreams about his dad to close the story… (not a spoiler, I swear)

I had two dreams about him after he died. I dont remember the first one all that well but it was about meetin him in town some-wheres and he give me some money and I think I lost it. But the second one it was like we was both back in older times and I was on horseback goin through the mountains of a night. Goin through this pass in the mountains. It was cold and there was snow on the ground and he rode past me and kept on goin. Never said nothin. He just rode on past and he had this blanket wrapped around him and he had his head down and when he rode past I seen he was carryin fire in a horn the way people used to do and I could see the horn from the light inside of it. About the color of the moon. And in the dream I knew that he was goin on ahead and that he was fixin to make a fire somewhere out there in all that dark and all that cold and I knew that whenever I got there he would be there. And then I woke up.

No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy

Thanks!!!

Day 3,743

Time together as a family, always a gift! This evening we had the five of us together for dinner and a game, super chill time shared. Always enjoy that time together!

Super cool gift from the boys, a set of personally laser engraved coasters for Becky and I from our family photos from the year! It must’ve taken them quite some time to complete, very grateful for such a thoughtful gift! Means all the more that they were handcrafted.

Earlier today I had the opportunity to work on my 2026 goals in more detail, just about everything wrapped up and ready to go. Nice having a plan set for next year in advance.

Getting some quiet reading time in was pretty excellent, good time to relax, read, and savor the sensation of not rushing into the next thing.

Our afternoon walk was rejuvenating, the fresh air helped keep me going on a dreary day.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,742

Whew – for a peaceful and relaxing day I’m feeling quite exhausted! just finished watching a movie with Gavin and now off to bed, here’s the short version of today’s blog:

• Starting the day with coffee with a chaser of yoga with Becky was outstanding
• Working on my 2026 goal poster was quite rewarding
• Getting out hit a nice long ruck through the Quarry trail felt wonderful
• Spending a little time on the couch relaxing was so chill
• Dinner and board games with Dominic joining us at home was awesome
• Gavin enjoying No Country for Old Men was pretty epic too

Awesome day through and through, more to come tomorrow.

Thanks!!!!

Day 3,741

As I’ve gotten older my tastes have definitely changed. Rather than the anticipation and sprint for presents under the tree I’m more interested in a cup of coffee and conversation with family on Christmas morning. Relaxing in the kitchen while taking sips of fresh coffee and sharing time with family is about perfect. No rush, no stress, no stuff, just sharing a moment.

After driving back home we got in a nice long walk before firing up a Christmas dinner, then spent time on the couch playing games and relaxing. Now off to an early-ish bed.

Super chill, family filled, rather peaceful.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,740

Talk about a full day! Such a great day spent with family, shooting the bull, playing games, and enjoying time together.

This morning Becky and I snuck out with Leia to get a nice long hike in, covering almost five miles across her parents property up north. In addition to all the tracks and trees we also had the opportunity to watch this cute chunker hanging out in a nearby tree.

So cool seeing a porcupine out in the wild!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,739

This morning I got back into a breathing exercise that I haven’t done in years. Laying on my back in the dark, inhaling and exhaling rapidly for forty breaths, holding my breath with empty lungs for as long as I could, deep breath in and hold, and then repeat another three times. A meditation of sorts, a calming of the mind, a singular focus on my breath and body. The sensation of feeling my heart pumping blood throughout my body. Melting away.

I also tried something different while driving, turning the temperature down to Low and savoring the cool air. At one point I noticed the steam from my breath. So relaxing and calming! Becoming comfortable in the discomfort.

Minor shifts, major rewards!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,738

Growth:

Sometimes you just have to roll with what life throws your way. You can’t always predict it, but you can control how you respond to it. How you respond says a lot about who you are as a person. Take a moment, soak in the situational details, make the right choice.

Appreciation:

Dominic and Caitlyn joined us for yoga tonight, it was awesome sharing one of our favorite activities with them! While the activity itself involves quiet and focus, it was very cool just knowing they were taking in the same actions we were and enjoying it. Thinking this could happen a little more often while Dominic is on break! Always fun finding bonus ways to connect.

Presence:

The quiet stillness of our run this morning was a splendid start to the day. The calm of the outdoors, the cool fresh air, the lack of traffic on most of our course, the quiet of the world before it awakes. The quiet mornings like that are amongst my favorite ways to start the day, coffee before my actual coffee to get me up and moving!

Thanks!!!