Author: Michael Kreiling

Day 1,833 – Thankful for the Simplicity of Nature and Hiking the Ridges

Day 1,833 – Thankful for the Simplicity of Nature and Hiking the Ridges

I have a tendency to make life so much more complex than it needs to be. Busy schedules, technology, financial management, business, and so on. There is so much I pack into life that is unnecessary and self imposed.

In the woods everything fades away. The noise of daily life is muted by the simplicity of existing in nature. Trees who’ve stood before I was born demand my attention. The rocks and hills I observe have existed long before man walked the Earth will remain long after I’m gone. The sounds of the streams provide a more beautiful music than any I would play on my iPhone. Everything I need is there in the woods, in the simplicity, and in that exact moment.

In that moment all of the busyness of life fades from existence. There are no deadlines and tasks, only serenity and wonder. My ego is replaced with the reminder of how small and temporary my life is compared to so much of what exists around me. I am lost in the moment at the very time I find my true self in the woods.

The simplicity of nature surrounding me is deafening.

Today that simplicity was shared with Becky and Gavin (Dominic was refereeing soccer games). The ridges we hiked were so amazing. I could bring a hammock and backpack and stay up there for days. The peacefulness provides a profound state of chill and introspection while my wonder and curiosity often lead me off the trail to observe interesting plants, rocks, and tree roots. Those heavily canopied maple and oak forests are some of the most magical places in the Driftless.

My soul is full.

Thanks!!!

Day 1,832 – Thankful for Kicking the Day in the Butt

Hey there Today, how are you doing buddy? Sorry for kicking your ass today (not really 😉).

Seriously, this has been a jam packed day from start to finish. If each day were this productive and full of life I can’t even begin to imagine just how much more life I could fit into my living years.

Up before 5am to get moving and out to my Uber. At the airport sit down and focus on reading my most recently edited manuscript and don’t stop until I land in La Crosse. Unpack and start cleaning floors with Gavin. Pause quick to see how far the Oktoberfest parade has made it so we know when to leave to see Dominic. Hit the road, find a parking spot, walk miles, watch Dominic, follow the Logan band for a while, and the head back to the car and home.

Pound a giant plate of Becky’s homemade lasagne. Yes, that is worthy of its own paragraph 😉

Finish floors, work with Dominic to put his roof rack on for his snowboard. Quick tune up of bikes with Gavin. Chill for a couple of minutes and head to church. Eat supper outside. Schedule a couple of Gavin’s school conferences. Play family games on the deck. Head inside and play a game with Gavin. Bed, blog, read, sleep.

Whew!!! Crazy, but it was all fun, focused, and exactly what I was hoping for today. If I stay this focused more often there are more dreams I’ll be knocking of the list quick. Days like today remind me of how awesome it feels to make focused progress.

Thanks!!!

Day 1,831 – Thankful for a Wonderfully Meaningful Short Story – The Artist of the Beauty

I’ve read portions of Walden by Thoreau but haven’t read it all the way through. When I went to order a copy online I happened across a book with that story as well as a handful of others. My plan was to read from Walden through the rest of the book, but last night I felt compelled to read the last story for some odd reason.

Laying in my hotel bed last night I read The Artist of the Beautiful by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I could hardly lay still in bed afterwards as my brain was consumed by the tale. The story has been on my mind all day long for a variety of reasons. I have a suspicion that it will haunt my thoughts the entirety of my life moving forward.

I do not want to spoil it for you if you have it read it before and will do my best to describe without giving anything away. If you’d ever like to talk with me about it in more detail I would be happy to.

While reading it there were many emotions stirred in my soul. Grit – the determination to see something through to completion. Self-worth – doing something specifically for oneself specifically because one can and also possesses a desire to do so. The stoic mindset of controlling only what one can control was seen throughout. Belief in one’s own ideals and a refusal to bend to the thoughts of the world. The beauty and simplicity found in nature. The passion that drives one to accomplish great things. Sacrificing desires for the grandest of dreams. The importance of living into one’s true self. All of these thoughts, themes, and emotions in one short story from a century and a half ago!

As I face my own personal trials and am at a crossroads of pursuing my true self this story has inspired me to be the best me I can and to trust and follow my dreams of creating something beautiful. I plan on revisiting this story often both as reminder and warning to help my choose and stay on my right path.

Thanks!!!

Day 1,830 – Thankful for Space, Old Friends, Stoking the Flames, and Reflecting

Whew, it’s been an awesome first day of Express Sales Summit! Being able to have an event in person has been an excellent breath of fresh air. There’s been several specific things I’m grateful for at the event today.

First off, today’s been a great reminder of why I need to create space sometimes. Life is busy and my calendar is often full. In open space like this ideas seem to gel better and my brain can connect what’s truly important, I can hear behind the noise. The extra space has been amazing and eye opening.

Thanks to the pandemic it’s been a while since I’ve seen many of my old Express friends in real life. Seeing them in person has been AWESOME!

Seeing how well other offices are doing is a way to really stoke the flames. Hearing my teammates get fired up by the possibilities they are seeing has me smiling from ear to ear. 2022 will be a spectacular year.

Last, but not least, spending time reflecting has also been very powerful and greatly appreciated. Seeing my teammates experience Summit for the first time brings back so many memories and emotions. Their energy is infectious and it helps me pause and remember to see the world as a beginner again, full of opportunities.

A successful first day is in the books, off to bed and then start day two in the morning!

Thanks!!!

Day 1,829 – Thankful for Alex the Uber Driver

Before getting into my Uber from the airport I was hoping for a driver who wouldn’t want to talk much. It had been a long day and I just wanted a little bit of quiet to chill and unwind. As luck would have it I got the exact opposite and that was exactly what I needed.

Within a minute Alex and I were laughing and trading vacation stories. He shared that he and his wife had just been on a trip to Miami and shared all fun they had by the beach relaxing.

About 10 minutes in Alex shared the story of how he had moved his family away from a rough part of Chicago only to lose his only son in a tragic act of violence. We talked about family and faith.

Another few minutes in and Alex shared the story of how they just had a surprise baby girl not too long ago – even though their other daughter was 21 and they had been told that they couldn’t have any more kids. We talked about the joy of being dads. We talked about having trust in the plan of The Big Dude Upstairs – especially when we don’t quite understand his reasoning.

As our ride was wrapping up we talked about his son and my dad sitting up above and laughing at the two of us in the car joking, laughing, and loving life. We shared our belief that life is best lived with kindness and love for all people. Alex reminded me of the impermanence of life and to appreciate each and every moment we are blessed to have.

Alex brought so much joy to my heart that I can’t even begin to explain it fairly in words. In his willingness to engage in conversation with a stranger, his openness to sharing all aspects of life – good and bad, and his courage to stay positive and optimistic in the most difficult of times reminded me of what is truly important. Love and kindness for each other.

Alex dude, thank you for an incredible ride, amazing conversation, and a truly inspirational time together. Before I got in the car my heart was closed and my skies were cloudy. Big hugs to you and your family Alex, you made my world a better, brighter, and more beautiful place today. I cannot thank you enough!

Thanks!!!

Day 1,828 – Thankful for Birthday Bacon, Texts from Friends, a Deep Quote, and an Excellent Day

As soon as we got home from our morning walk I fired up a little birthday treat for myself… Birthday Bacon! 🥓 Not gonna lie, that may have to become a tradition.

In all seriousness, I am very thankful for the text messages from so many friends. Nothing like hearing from friends and reconnecting! While I really don’t find my birthday to be a big deal it is a pretty sweet tripwire to encourage some conversations.

My WeCroak app had a deep quote that really hit home today:

Today has been an excellent day in so many ways. Time with family, productive day at work, re-connecting with friends, delicious food, and a helluva soccer game to wrap it all up. I’m exhausted… and all smiles.

Thanks!!!

Day 1,827 – Thankful for Giving Thanks as I Wrote My Acknowledgements

My writing yesterday was amongst the most fulfilling to date. Spending time putting my acknowledgments to paper was a soul filling endeavor. Once again I am amazed by the ability of such a seemingly simple, easy, and small action to have an extraordinarily profound impact on my attitude and well being.

Spending time in gratitude is such an easy thing to do. It is 100% under my control to do. It has zero cost involved. There are no materials necessary. It can be accomplished in any conceivable location and at any moment of any day. All it requires is my intention and focus. That’s it!

Focus on someone specific I’m grateful for, keep them in mind, focus on what qualities they have, experiences we’ve shared, or my respect for them and I can’t help but smile. Taking time to write those thoughts down and share them enhances the experience all the more.

Taking time yesterday to write my gratitude for a handful of people was wildly joyful and experience I’m very grateful for.

Thanks!!!

Day 1,826 – Thankful for a Morning Hike, Writing with a View, and Completion

The weather was perfect for a nice solo hike this morning. Rather than follow the usual trail I opted for a game trail and ended up seeing a whole new forest than the one I’m used to.

Afterwards I showered up, grabbed my hammock, and hit Granddad Bluff to do some more writing. Writing with a view like this was so easy!

And the best part of the day? I’ve now completed everything I needed to finish for my book! There’s sure to be more work once I hear back from my editor, but for the moment it is complete!

Thanks!!!

Day 1,825 – Thankful for the Writing Process & Unexpected Laughs

As I wrap up the last few items in my book I’m reminded again of how grateful I am for the process of writing a book about losing Dad. Each moment spent on it has been a moment of growth, memory, and love. By focusing so deeply on this topic I have had the opportunity to learn so much more about myself and to more thoroughly embed so many memories into my soul.

This evening in particular I’ve found myself laughing out loud frequently. One of my last few pieces was to go through old text messages with Dad to screenshot any that might better round out the story. Much stomach hurts from laughing so hard! Going through those old texts was pure medicine for the soul.

I’m thankful yet again for each step of this process. In rereading those texts I heard Dad’s voice in my heart and laughed along with him as I did so many times before. I’ll be sleeping with a huge grin tonight.

Thanks!!!

Day 1,824 – Thankful for an Early Morning Coyote & an Energized and Optimistic Gavin

Our favorite running area is only a mile or so from our house and provides us an opportunity to disappear into the woods for a while. Now that the sun is rising later and later the entire run is in the dark. On our run this morning I heard a noise in the woods that was a little louder than the rabbits we regularly scare up. The moonlight wasn’t quite bright enough to see well so I stopped and walked back towards the sound. I scanned the woods with my headlamp and couldn’t quite make anything out. When I caught back up to Becky I told her it had to be something bigger than a rabbit as I heard a twig snap.

After we got home Becky took Skywalker for a walk and I took LuLu for a ride down the same road we had just run down. About a mile and a half in a coyote appeared out of the woods and started running down the road away from us! It was fairly close to where I thought I’d heard it. For the next half mile or so it ran up the road in front of us as we slowly drove along. It was awesome!

Nothing quite like spending some time early in the morning watching a coyote! That was amazing 🙂

When I got home from the ride with LuLu Gavin walked through the kitchen with a huge smile.

“I believe today is going to be a great day,” he loudly proclaimed in a voice that was even more upbeat and happy than his smile.

He had no reason other than he just decided that it was going to be a great day – how awesome is that? It was like a blast of Red Bull and espresso to knock my attitude right into a great place!

Nothing like a huge smile, positive attitude, and an optimistic mindset from Gavin to ramp up my morning in an awesome way!

Thanks!!!