Day 2,825

Growth:

My current book is The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard. I’m not quite halfway through and am completely enthralled by the story of exploration. Unfortunately, it is also the tale of ego getting in the way of both proper preparation and appropriate decision making. This story is quickly turning into a dark reminder of the power of overconfidence based on past successes.

One of the reasons I enjoy reading books like this are the numerous life lessons one can extract from the story. This is panning out to be a gold mine of cautionary lessons, stories of adventure, and an interesting history I was completely unfamiliar with. I’d highly recommend this one, so much to take away from this one!

Appreciation:

In contrast to The River of Doubt I am working on being very much prepared for my upcoming backpacking trip. After starting with a ridiculously heavy pack (one of the mistakes made by Roosevelt’s team) I knocked it down to a very manageable load while still containing the necessities for my trip. This evening I practiced taking it all apart and re-packing it to ensure I had everything AND I was able to put it back together afterwards. I’ve got my backpack pretty tightly packed and it was nice knowing that I’ll be able to get it taken care of on the trail. Carrying it on my hike this morning and for a 4+ mile walk yesterday helped me confirm that there would be no rubbing or shifting. I’ve been obsessing about it a bit, but am thankful for doing so as I know I’ve got what I need to for a successful (ie “safe”) trip.

Presence:

Not gonna lie, my morning hike including some of the most ridiculous wildlife watching I’ve had in a long time! As I started up the trail I heard an interesting bird call I didn’t recognize. My Merlin app said it was a Barred Owl so I froze in place and slowly scanned the woods as I listened for what was almost a high pitched wheezing sound – not the distinctive hoots I’m used to. I located one and just chilled on the trail while taking in the sight of it. It kept calling and I could hear another but I couldn’t find the second one. After a few moments of enjoying the moment I headed off again.

On my way back I heard the owls calling again from almost the same location. They’d decided to move a bit closer to the trail and I was able to quickly find one of them. As I started recording I realized just how close the second one was. Next thing I knew one flew next to the other and I got to walk on the trail while the owls watched me from above – it was AWESOME!!!

What a fantastic way to start the day, two owls on one hike!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,824

Growth:

I’m starting to find that “wisdom” seems to be when going through a scenario and realizing that it is the second time you’ve been through it, though it is the first time from this perspective. So often I’m finding myself on the opposite end of conversations leading to growth when I listened to the wisdom of someone who’d been there before.

By living through the experience we can better help ask the questions to guide the other person through their experience for the first time.

I’m very grateful for all those teachers, leaders, and mentors who’ve been there for me and so patient with me as I stumble through.

Appreciation:

Nothing quite like planning out the next adventure or two! Dominic and I are going to be taking a trip with just the two of us seeing as Becky and Gavin are going to be heading to France this winter. This evening we’ve been all around the world checking out places to visit on both hemispheres in search of our destination. So much fun dreaming big and taking in just how many epic adventures there are to experience in life!

Presence:

On this day last year we hiked to the most spectacular and beautiful waterfall I’ve ever seen. We walked through the volcanic river valley, forded rivers, hiked between thousand foot high sheer cliffs, crawled through the entrance of a cave, and then finally climbed a large obsidian structure to view the waterfall. The water poured in through a hole shining up to the surface and was fed by the freshly melted ice of the glacier thousands of feet above us. Standing there I was in complete awe as I looked up. It was so beautiful I wept. What a moment!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,823

Growth:

Remember to take time to pause, zoom out, evaluate, dream, plan, and then zoom back in. Funny how certain things seem to take priority when I’m in the heat of a project or series or projects. With the benefit of space and time those same things clearly should take a backseat to other more important challenges.

Space and distance provide the optimal way to see what is most important most clearly. Make space, come up for air, review the line, and then dive back in.

Appreciation:

For a few minutes tonight I was a little antsy. I was fidgeting and felt nervous about what I was supposed to be doing. I was borderline twitchy! Then I realized what was happening… I was enjoying a moment of unfilled / unplanned / inactive time. What the hell is this??? Once I realized I had nothing going on and had an opportunity to chill it still took me a bit to actually lean back into and relax. After my blog I’m going to head to bed and read for a bit before drifting off to sleep – it kind of feels like I’m getting away with something 😉 So nice to have a quiet night at home with no plans.

Presence:

My business partners and I kicked off our morning with an awesome walk today. It was so chill getting some bonus time outside while also taking time to keep strengthening our relationship. We talked life, we talked business, and about everything in between. There were no glances at cell phones, no distractions, only time outside talking and walking. What a great way to get our brains in the right place!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,822

Growth:

How wonderful to be able to ask for and receive feedback prior to taking action? On more than one occasion I paused, set ego aside, and actively sought out advice. I was able to make a better call in both situations based on the feedback from my questions. So thankful for remembering to pause and seek out the advice of others.

Appreciation:

Two quick takes on appreciation tonight.

First, I’m thankful for the focus on values as it helped me live into a better version of me today! So much easier to make a decision when I’ve got my framework (purpose & values) to guide me.

Pausing to breathe, look back, look ahead, and plan really makes a positive impact on my ability to lead into the correct future. I’m thankful for doing just that today with my partners.

Presence:

This right here…

Thanks!!!

Day 2,821

Growth:

Six years later I still miss Dad. There are so many times I’d love to call him and share a story or two or to apologize for having experienced something the boys did to me that I 100% know I did to Dad back in the day. Father’s Day reminds me of Dad with striking regularity. Rather than a couple of thoughts per day as usual his memory surfaces seemingly many times per hour.

In each of those moments I have a choice to make. I can choose to be sad he’s gone or to wish we would have had more time. Or I can choose to appreciate all the moments we had together, all the memories we created together. I can choose to be inspired and motivated by Dad’s examples and wisdom to help be a better dad for my sons.

I don’t always make the right choice, but I make the right decision more and more often as I practice.

Appreciation:

The boys gave me an awesome card and gift today. It 100% brought tears, so thankful for the gift, but even more grateful for the thought and meaning behind it. 🥹

Presence:

Time outside with my family for Father’s Day, the best gift possible!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,820 – short one as I milked about as much out of today as I could and I’m ready for bed!

Growth:

Nice learning combo today – remembering action must be taken in order for positive change to happen and a powerful reminder of the beauty of taking a third party perspective on the challenges we face.

Appreciation:

I’m so glad I’m getting my gear ready for backpacking early as I do best when I can slowly cut down from the huge pile to a much more manageable pile. My brain works so much better starting very wide and then narrowing down.

Presence:

So much fun hanging out with friends today! One of my favorite parts was going through old songs from back in the day. Had a blast trying to remember who the band was while simultaneously having so many memories from the past come flooding back.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,819

Growth:

As I’ve mentioned before – I love re-reading books as I’m never the same person I was when I read them the previous times. In picking up The Obstacle is the Way again there were two thoughts which stuck with me more than past readings.

First, a quote shared from Man’s Search for Meaning got me thinking…

Man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become the next moment. By the same token, every human being has the freedom to change at any instant.

Viktor Frankl

And then a quote from Ryan to remind myself of when I sense my emotions getting the better of me.

I am in control, not my emotions. I see what’s really going on here. I’m not going to get excited or upset.

Ryan Holiday

Appreciation:

This afternoon I paused work for a little bit to pick up Gavin from his National Youth Leadership Training camp through Scouts. It was almost a full week of learning how to better lead through utilization of the EDGE method. To wrap up they shared skits showing how the method works. What an awesome opportunity for all the Scouts to grow into being better leaders! This is one of the trainings I bet he will go back to often and is one he and I can talk about at home as well.

Presence:

Sharing a trail run with Becky this morning was fantastic! We typically run on a road into a wooded area near our home, today we headed to Hixon to run some of the same trails I’ve been hiking recently.

Talking about the sounds we were hearing, pointing out places I’ve seen deer, and soaking up the wonderful forest smells together was so perfectly chill. An excellent start to the day.

I love my outside time in the woods, time with Becky, and time in physical activity. To have it all rolled up into one was pretty awesome!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,818

Growth:

I may have written about a similar topic just over a week ago but it 100% can use repeating… Questions, questions, questions. There is no better way to engage in conversation, to lead, and to get to know someone than well asked questions. Seek first to understand, then to be understood – and to accomplish that questions seem to be the best place to start.

When I have been most frustrated it is often when I haven’t been asked questions, when I am told without a question being asked prior to direction.

When I have been least effective it is often when I started by giving direction rather than asking questions to truly understand before passing judgement.

Start with questions, listen to answers, ask more questions, listen with the intent of learning, and then provide a statement.

Appreciation:

My favorite time of the day is currently the 45 minutes prior to sunrise. There is a magic in the woods during that time. Everything in the forest is alive and moving, humans are the only ones sleeping.

There’s just enough light to be able to see the trail, but not quite enough light to make out any colors. By sunrise the greens of plants are so vibrant. Such an intense change in a short period of time.

The smells of the trees and plants are especially thick, there’s a different scent in the woods when it transitions from night to day and I love each wonderful sniff of it.

The birds are talkative, the squirrels are starting to play, and the deer snort and crash through the underbrush as they head off in search of breakfast.

Even the silvery strands of spiderwebs that stick to my face and hair as I walk through them seem to tickle and remind me that no one else has been here since the spider left that single strand across the trail, I am alone in the woods.

For all of these reasons and so many more the 45 minutes before sunrise fill my soul like no other time in the day. It is quiet, still, and serene while also being so undeniably alive.

Presence:

This evening I had the pleasure of getting to know one of our associates much better over dinner at the Habitat for Humanity fundraiser. He grew up in Puerto Rico and I got to hear a lot about the food, the beaches, the wildlife, and the economy. I can now say I know someone who was chased by a shark! I’m grateful for the opportunity to spend time with him to learn more about him, his past, and about Puerto Rico – none of which I would have had the opportunity to do had I not been present in the conversation with him.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,817

Growth:

Today was a moment in which there was extreme clarity. Everything slowed down for a moment and I could easily see the stitches on the baseball as the pitch was coming in. Moments like that are often few and far between as a leader, but so powerful and moving when they occur. What was interesting was that I unwound the moment and what led to it there were many other moments in which I should have noticed how clear the path was.

Remember to watch more closely for clarity, it is often hidden in plain sight. Some moments of clarity are hand delivered on a platter with a bow, but most often it is waiting nearby, hoping to be noticed should one look for it.

Appreciation:

I clearly remember Dad telling me early and often how his intelligence – from my perspective – would grow immensely until I was a teenager, then suffer a mind blowingly precipitous drop, and then possibly begin to steadily and rapidly increase from my mid-twenties. Let’s just say Dad knew what he was talking about.

This evening I texted to Mom to apologize for not taking her advice when I was about Dominic’s age and shared the story of what I had witnessed. Her response was an incredible quote. Mom for the win!

“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in 7 years.”

Mark Twain

Presence:

Funny how life works sometimes. When we coach someone else we might learn something that we thought we were teaching the other person. This was very much the case for me recently as I re-read Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday, a reading assignment I had for someone.

As luck would have it, today I had the opportunity to put into practice something I had re-learned from re-reading the book! Had I not recently gone back through that book I would have totally missed the opportunity and the moment.

In that moment I was present, I paused, I thought through the situation, remembered the book’s concepts, filtered the moment through my mental filter, and then took the right action. Presence and learning helped me live into the moment correctly.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,816

Growth:

“Go back to sleep, it’s raining out. No need to get up early and hike. Stay in your comfy bed and chill.”

– Mike’s Sleepy Voice

“Screw that, I’m going hiking.”

– Mike’s Right Voice

Yessir, I had a little battle with my inner voice that wanted to stay snuggled in, dry, and comfy this morning. It was misting when I woke up and there was a high likelihood of rain on its way when I was going to be out in the woods at about 5am. I fought the good fight, stayed strong, and got after it. The hike in the rain was amongst the most enjoyable solo morning hikes I’ve had in a long while.

My growth moment of today? Push past discomfort, that’s where the good stuff is!

Appreciation:

For reals, my hike this morning was truly epic… at least the first half was. The first half I spent entirely alone in a rainy forest. The sounds themselves were priceless. The pitter patter of rain was loud and soothing all at the same time as it seemingly echoed throughout the forest valley. The sounds of the outside world were completely drowned out, only raindrops, birdsong, and deer snorts remained.

At one point I leaned back with my pack against an old hickory and I watched the individual raindrops land on single leaves and cause them to bounce as if my magic. After watching this for a while I moved on to the stand of pines and took time to smell the fragrance of their bark. Such a delight!

While walking past an opening in the trees I chanced upon three deer all frozen and looking at me inquisitively. I spoke quietly to them, slowly walked past, and they bolted ten to twenty yards ahead of me. When I caught back up alongside them they almost seemed to match my pace and direction for half a moment. Such beauty, their tawny fur against the brilliant greens surrounding them. So peaceful, calm, and curious.

About halfway through my hike the trail runners came out in full force. They ran in packs with playful banter or solo with large smiles. Similar to myself, enjoying a moment of peace in the woods prior to returning to reality.

Time in the woods, time to pause and be truly present, time to be grateful for the wonders of nature.

Presence:

While enjoying the rain and the quiet forest I took a moment to record a video of the settings and the sounds around me. After recording for just over one minute I turned off the camera and realized someone was tired of me spending so much time in their spot. When I heard the second snort I couldn’t help but record a little more for everyone to hear the deer snort.

Thanks!!!