Day 2,788

Growth:

After icing my Achilles for a while at work I stood up and it felt amazing! There was no tightness, no soreness, and it felt like normal. How many times have I taken “normal” for granted? Had I not started getting some pain in it I likely would never have noticed normal. Pain and soreness suck, for sure. They are both excellent tools for reminding me to appreciate health when I have it. I’ll do my best to avoid pain, but when it happens I know I can still choose appreciation.

Appreciation:

Tonight was a good balance of some family time with each of the boys and Becky. From the point I got home until now as I am heading to bed I’ve gotten some time with each person one on one. Always love getting all four of us together, but sometimes being a little disjointed like this can be nice too. Being able to focus 100% on each other is pretty cool and allows for different conversations. I wasn’t expecting that tonight, it just worked out that way, and I’m very thankful for it.

Presence:

Last night I’d typed up my blog and was just about to head to bed when Gavin got home from his track meet. I thought he’d be pretty pumped, he had a successful first meet with the long jump, but I was way off. He came in frustrated, angry, and ready to come unglued. Turns out that he had not prepared for his speech for the next day (today) as he should have and he was having a minor meltdown due to the stress. Rather than go to bed like I wanted I stayed up and worked through the speech with him. I listened intently while he practiced while simultaneously keeping my cool and remembering to “coach” him rather than give him a hard time or get frustrated with him. It took all my focus, but I stayed present with him. I promptly crashed into bed… about an hour later than expected. All good and all worthwhile. He crushed it in his practice round this morning before I went to work and got excellent reviews in class.

Sometimes I’d rather be sleeping than present, or I’d rather get frustrated than keep my headspace where it should be, but last night I’m thankful for staying present when Gavin needed it. I’m thinking this may be one of those memories that will stick with him for quite some time – it will for me! 😉

Thanks!!!

Day 2,787

Growth:

Better to ask a question rather than talk and offer an answer. So often my initial assumption and response are proven wrong quickly when I start with questions rather than answers. Today a question led me to a brain breaking moment that will take me some time to work through. My head was going in one direction until a question led to an insight that spun into a completely different direction. It was like Morpheus offered up a blue pull or a red pill straight out of the Matrix. My brain still hurts!

Appreciation:

Becky and I had an awesome time watching Gavin’s JV conference track meet at Tomah today. The sun was out, we were sitting in the grass, and looking at some notes on where to hike in our vacation in late July. When Gavin or a teammate’s turn came up we paused and watched and snapped some pics. Then we’d go back to relaxing and talking about nothing. Such a change from the last time we went to Tomah when we were bundled up and freezing our butts off!

Outside time, sun, fresh air, hanging out with Becky, and watching our boys do what they enjoy? Yes please and twice on Tuesdays!

Presence:

This morning I woke up feeling great! I was a little tired but my entire body was loose, relaxed, and ready for our run. There was no stiffness or soreness, everything was in tip top shape. Shortly after getting out of bed I took a moment to appreciate that awesome feeling – what a moment it was!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,786

Growth:

So easy to pause and be thankful for someone, all it takes is intentionality. Mother’s Day is a perfect example of why it is important to use a date as a reminder, as an intentionality trigger. While we’re all thankful for moms all the time we do a better job of sharing and celebrating that gratitude when we have a specific day set aside for it.

How I can I be more intentionally grateful for all the wonderful people I’ve been blessed to know?

Appreciation:

What a wonderfully mom filled weekend it was! Mom came down and spent the day with use at the track meet yesterday. Becky and I spent last night and much of today with the boys and the two of us closed out the night with yoga, dinner, putting in a small fence, and the relaxing. All weekend long I was surrounded by moms and it was a perfect way to spend Mother’s Day weekend.

For sure, moms are some of the strongest, toughest, wisest, most giving, and best humans on the face of the earth! So thankful for all they do to keep the world turning, our lives are so greatly enriched by their love, support, and kindness.

Presence:

Yoga tonight was ridiculous! What I thought was going to be a very chill session quickly evolved into a beast. By the time we were done I was dripping with sweat and totally spent. Almost the entire practice was spent in a flow state. So much presence as of awareness throughout!

I need to remember how to lock in to the vibes of the teacher while simultaneously letting go of all focused thought more quickly. There’s no reason I couldn’t be in a state of flow like that more often.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,785 – Short one tonight, it’s been a very full and enjoyable day!

Growth:

Grit and focus lead to incredible performance. As Vince Lombardi once said:

“If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.”

Vince Lombardi

Appreciation:

Mom came down to watch the boys compete at their conference track meet today and they boys put on quite the performance! They each helped a relay team take first place and Dominic also took a strong second in the 800m (which he was projected to take 5th in based on past performance). So much fun experiencing that with Mom, Becky, and a handful of our friends!

Presence:

The conference track meet came down to the last event of the day, the 4×400. In order to win conference Logan HS had to win AND Onalaska had to take third of worse. Dominic and his team crushed it and the second place team just barely held off the Onalaska team.

Seeing the total elation of the boys and their teammates was AWESOME!!! So many athletes over performed and ran their guts out to lead them to victory. Their celebration was s moment I’ll never forget.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,784

Growth:

Full disclosure, I wrote my blog in revers order today. Most days I start at the top and work my way down. Today’s blog started with my decision to get up and run outside even though it was raining (more on that in the Presence section). While running I started thinking back to some great memories created by the same friend who inspired me to get outside for the run in the rain (which became the Appreciation section). Now, after I’ve typed up the first two sections – (first two or last two sections? Wow, I’ve even confused myself! 😉 – I’ve started to see where the growth from today comes in.

We don’t know how long we’ll have to live, we should use that to inspire ourselves to live to the fullest in each day we are blessed to be alive and to be grateful for each moment we have. Such is the same with friends, we never know how long our paths with walk side by side.

Over time we may walk side by side and over time we will likely split up as our paths wander in ever increasingly different directions. That doesn’t change the fact that we walked together, inspired each other, and created memories together. The paths may split but the connection remains, the memories last, and the impact continues.

Enjoy each moment with friends as each day of life, not knowing or caring how long those moments will last, rather appreciate those times, be present in those moments, growth through the shared experiences, create as many memories as possible, and live each day of friendship as if it may be the last before our paths diverge.

Appreciation:

On my run this morning I spent a good chunk of time thinking about so many wonderful memories made with my friend Brian McGovern way back in the college days. He was one of the first people I got to know well when I transferred to the University of Minnesota my sophomore year. I’m pretty sure it has been almost an entire lifetime since we’ve hung out in person, but at least we get the occasional online hang out. Throughout our time together at the U of M he was always supporting me, laughing with me, hanging out, and encouraging me. He always was smiling and saw the best and most positive in everyone. Even after all these years he has a positive influence on me as you’ll read below.

While we may not have seen each other for 20+ years Brian still had a large and positive impact on shaping me through some pretty wild and formative years of my life. Through example he taught me patience, compassion, looking for the bright side, open mindedness, and how friends should really support each other. All these years later I’m grateful for days like this when so many of those memories come flooding back.

Here’s to Brian and all those people in our lives who have made a huge mark in our lives!

Presence:

Today I’m grateful for a response to a Facebook post from my buddy Brian. About a week ago he mentioned how much he enjoys running in the rain. I normally opt for the treadmill or bike trainer on those days, but today I took his advice and hit the road. It felt amazing! What a wonderful way to kick off the day – enjoying the drops while getting some fresh early morning air.

Postscript:

Bonus section after writing the other sections in reverse! Brian – why am I starting to suspect there’s a road trip in our future? 😉

Thanks!!!

Day 2,783

Growth:

We had a client meeting today in which my role was to almost exclusively listen. What a treat! It was one of three most fulfilling and insightful meetings I’ve been in recently as the act of listening was so intentional.

Excellent reminder for myself today, good things come to those who listen without prejudice or intent to speak.

Appreciation:

Two normally minor things most went without notice until I started typing this evening. When I got home from work I started pulling some weeds in the yard while I talked with Becky. So chill, so purposeful, and do productive!

Then we fired up one of my all time favorite meals – leftovers! What a treat, a home cooked meal without the work!

Two simple things, so underrated, and so appreciated today!

Presence:

This morning I went for a hike well before sunrise. The birds sang away while I walked up the bluff. The sunlight started to shine a little while I was on top. There’s a bench with a spectacular view of the city and the Mississippi River Valley and it seemed to call my name as I approached it. I sat on it, turned and laid down on it, and proceeded to spend the next five minutes with my eyes closed as I listened to the birds and just breathed. Amazing!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,782

Growth:

It is so easy to judge a situation based on my gut feel based on my personal experiences. It can be difficult to pause and listen to many perspectives to better and more completely understand a situation.

Over the past few days I’ve seen a few instances of a similar situation. The first time I was very judgmental. After creating space to consider other perspectives I became more open minded. Todays interactions gave me so much more to think about that I realized I’ll never really know the right answer so why bother judging?

I do not need to judge, I do not need to be right. I should focus on trying to understand, to learn. So simple to type, so much practice needed to live into it better.

Appreciation:

Over the last six months or so we’ve been sharing a presentation we completed on our 2022 Retention and Engagement journey. At this point I’ve been involved in over thirty iterations of the presentation between practice, live events, and webinars. All this practice continues to lead me to deeper insights into why this was so successful and how I can continue to grow and improve as a leader.

Today the biggest aha moment was realizing how powerful the combination of a strong and clear purpose & values framework and trust in allowing teammates to adjust as they see fit within that framework can be. Set the direction, allow the team to grow and play in that sandbox, and everyone wins!

So much like reading a book several times, giving this presentation several times starts to unlock the secrets buried within!

Presence:

Driving up the Mississippi River on Highway 61 while the red sun slowly rose over the horizon this morning was breathtaking. Between stealing glances at the sunrise while driving, enjoying a delicious coffee, and taking in some wonderful music with the moon roof open it was an epic drive to Winona today!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,781

Growth:

This past week’s episode of Ted Lasso was an inspiring one. This morning as I drove and enjoyed a wonderful cup of coffee in silence (more on that in a bit) one of the interactions really hit me between the eyes and honestly helped me be a better human.

No spoilers here so here’s the important details. The dad of one of the players shares a comment with his son who has just faced some serious difficulty and adversity.

“If you really want to piss off the people who did this, forgive them. Don’t fight back. Fight forward.”

Ola, Sam’s Dad, Ted Lasso

While driving and focused on how frustrated I was with a specific situation I realized I needed to pause and breathe – and pick up coffee. When I did I hopped back in the car, sipped my coffee, and let my brain settle down. When I was in a state of calm and peace the quote above hit me like a bolt of divine lighting. I laughed, my eyes misted up a bit, and I was immediately aware of what was the right action. The rest of the right was driven with a smile, my heart was lighter, and the result was more positive than had I stayed the path of frustration.

For sure, I’m still frustrated, but I am living a better way forward.

Appreciation:

On Sunday I spoke about the conversation between our priest and the church secretary that inspired me deeply from a leadership perspective. Interestingly enough, when talking with a friend last night she mentioned the lesson about allowing others to help as one of the most insightful parts of my book. I guess The Big Dude Upstairs knew I needed to hear it a few times to sink in.

Today I was presented a moment in which I could either try to do it on my own or learn from the interactions from the past two days. I allowed someone to help and the result was amazing! In fact, it really set the path for one of the best work and leadership based conversations I’ve had recently. So thankful for the opportunity to grow!

Presence:

Sometimes I need a moment of pause and focused breathing to get myself back into the right brain space. Today I was able to do so when I needed it and it made all of the difference throughout the day… along with coffee. Coffee also helped me be very present in the moment. The moments spent driving from Arcadia to Independence with a fresh Kwik Trip coffee in hand (with a back up loaded and ready) was pure presence bliss. That was the crack in the clouds I needed to remember to soak in the sun.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,780

Growth:

We are who we choose to be. In any moment, stressful or frustrating or joyful or delightful, we choose how we respond. Here’s to realizing where we naturally go first and accepting it and giving ourselves grace until we’re ready to choose the right response. It is easy to react, it is difficult to pause and do what’s right. It’s wise to wait to react until we’ve chosen the right headspace.

Appreciation:

Moments of shared appreciation are truly moving. In the moment I’m which two people express their mutual appreciation for each other there is true joy. One of those moments happened today and it filled my heart.

Presence:

Moments of presence don’t happen only during delightful experience. Moments of stress and frustration have the potentially positive opportunity to create presence. We shared one of those moments tonight and we were each 100% in the moment, even though it was frustrating. Difficult for sure, but a moment of presence together and knowing we were there for each other.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,779

Growth:

I normally try to fix things myself. Something breaks, I fix it. As one cohort once told me, “you have an addiction to fixing things.” It’s not a good thing all or most of the time. It is an ego issue I continue to work on.

While greeting at church today I had the opportunity to witness something awesome. Our priest was running late, something I’d never seen from him before, and when he was appeared he had a look of stress. The church secretary asked what was wrong and he shared that there was a leak and flooding in the bathroom. Within seconds they shared a plan, she was off. He took a deep breath, put on his game face, and proceeded with mass.

As he led mass she got the problem fixed. Done. Just that easy. He trusted her. They communicated a brief plan. He was present where he needed to be while she did the same. It was incredible to witness.

What a wonderful reminder for me… allow others to help. Ask for help. Trust and be present where I need to be.

Appreciation:

Dominic’s last band concert was this evening. For the past eight years or so we’ve regularly watched him play with his band mates at school concerts and now they are done. He’s got a song or two for graduation and then the Memorial Day parade and then his high school band career is over.

I know I’ve been prepping for this and being extra appreciative for all these moments, but I’m still struggling to accept that his high school career is almost over. Each of these lasts are helping me to stay present and appreciate each of them tremendously.

Presence:

Hiking at Perrot State Park is always a great idea. Today was no exception! In addition to the normal natural beauty we were treated to seeing the hickory buds blooming, pretty awesome!

Thanks!!!