Over the past week I’ve been working on making a couple of changes. I’m focusing on my diet and setting a clear goal based on helping me achieve more of my other goals. Additionally, I’m taking more specific action towards another goal thanks – more on that one at a later time. Both of these changes have been largely inspired by friends of mine. I’m grateful for friends who have a positive influence in my life. Thanks everyone!!!
This is the second time I’m blogging from my hammock and I’m pretty pumped about that. Yes, I have a perfectly good bed that I could be sleeping in, but I really felt like soaking up a little more fresh air today.
The weather today was outstanding! What a perfect day to get outside to clean the grill, mess around with my camping hammock, and to eat outside. The sun was out, the temperature was perfect, and I was able to enjoy it with my family – how perfect is that?
Maybe I’m a little strange Okay, I know I’m a more than a little strange, but I am thinking I may not be alone on this one. When you’re talking with someone who is by the ocean do you ever suddenly remember the scent of the sea, hear the slow crashing of waves, and feel a cool ocean breeze?
This afternoon I had the pleasure of talking with someone who lives on the ocean… like right off of one of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California. When she mentioned walking her dog on the beach I swear there was a change in the air in my office. Suddenly I was no longer in Wisconsin, I was on the coast. The funny thing is that while I immediately pictured an amalgamation of several of my favorite beaches they fit perfectly into a uniform whole. There was the smell of salt water and ocean in the cool breeze blowing in from across the sea. It took all my concentration to stay focused on the conversation at hand as opposed to drifting off to memories of perfect days at the beach. When she mentioned spending time on the beach meditating that same sensation of being at the coast rolled right back over me. It was awesome!
COVID took much of the wind out of the sails of traveling to the ocean this year. In times like this I’m thankful for the memories I’ve already made by the ocean and for the dreams I have that I’ll live one day of being back (and possibly living there for extended lengths of time). While I can’t be at the ocean right now I can remember to use my passion for being on the coast to fuel future dreams while also creating smiles from excellent memories.
I can’t believe this was from eight years ago and that the beautiful view behind us is now covered with 12+ feet of hardened lava.
Ahh… the ocean… the beach… the coast… I may be missing you now, but I’ll be back before you know. In the meantime I’ll keep smiling as I look back to memories made by the sea.
It is way past bed time for this old dude! Up before 4:40am and now late to bed before another early morning tomorrow. Should I have gone to bed earlier? Totally. Am I thankful for making the right decision and staying up late laughing with friends? 100%.
Hanging out online with a few of my buds was a total blast tonight! Just joking around, playing a game, and laughing until it hurts were the only items on the agenda. So much fun on a Thursday night.
Yup, I’ll definitely be tired in the morning. Each time I yawn tomorrow I’ll pause, remember the laughs, smile, and I’ll know it was well worth staying up late for.
Sometimes I’ve got a blog in me all bottled up and ready to go and all I need to do is let it loose. Other times the act of sitting down to type my blog is exactly what my brain needs to process the events of the day. The writing itself becomes a combination of thinking, learning, reinforcement, and therapy. Tonight? Tonight is totally one of the nights when I’m looking forward to taking the time to pause, slow down, and think.
My morning started off with intentionality. I was sure to go to bed early last night to be well rested to jump right back into reality. It felt wonderful to get back into my normal routine of reading, thinking, and reviewing my goals before getting out of bed.
Last week I was grateful for the opportunity to let a thought sit and ferment over a long period of time before taking action. I utilized that process again today and it paid huge dividends. My initial train of thought would not have been nearly as effective as where my thoughts eventually led. At one point I paused and smiled and soaked in the joy of seeing something come together almost perfectly. Without intentionality I usually tend towards taking action. Pausing before taking action was exactly what led to success.
Today I’m thankful for not visiting Dad. Dominic learned a valuable life lesson about driving today. Meanwhile, I am pretty sure he shaved a year off of my life in the process. Everything is good, nothing was damaged and no one was hurt – excepting, of course, my heart. After the shock subsided and my blood pressure went back down I got a laugh out of knowing that I must have done the same to my parents way back in the day when I learned to drive.
I’m also thankful for perspective. In thinking about Dominic’s maneuver while driving I couldn’t help but think about how I would have reacted if I were in the other car. Would I have been frustrated and angry or calm, forgiving, and understanding of a novice driver? I know the answer, it wouldn’t be the right one, and that’s something I need to remember.
I’m grateful for open mindedness and seeing new metaphors to help me understand some of the deeper thoughts of life. There are so many things I’ll most likely never understand while I walk this earth, but I know that if I keep a closed mind I am certain to never see or understand them. By keeping an open mind I can provide an opportunity to possibly see something to help me truly see. When listening to a podcast on our trip there was a discussion about finding ways to see different types of energy in outer space. Before we learned how to see them we didn’t know they existed. Once we saw them we were able to better understand. What in life am I not seeing as I am not ready to see it yet or haven’t been looking for in the right way?
One of the other thoughts ringing through my head over the past day or so is the need to create space for creative time. There is a time and place for busy-ness and action, but there is also a time for quiet thought and creation. In many ways, that is exactly what this has become for me tonight. I am thankful for so many things today – some I’ve written about and others I’m holding in my heart – but taking the time to write and create this evening is what is providing me the opportunity to appreciate all of those blessings even more this evening.
There was more I’d like to write, but I have a LuLu to attend to. With being away from home she’s decided it’s time for me to stop writing. My focus should be on her – according to her. 😉
COVID may have thrown our vacation plans for a loop, but we were still able to figure out ways to have a safe family road trip. From the St Louis Arch to Hot Springs National Park to digging for gems to spending time with Becky’s sister and our brother in law our road trip was a huge success. There were many smiles and many memories made while also remembering past trips as a family.
One part of the road trip I’m always grateful for is a safe return home. It’s easy to get missed and taken for granted, but it’s definitely something to be thankful for. Getting home on time, in one piece and 100% healthy is the best part of wrapping up any vacation.
Something else I’m thankful for is a specific podcast that Becky downloaded and got us both hooked on – StarTalk by Neil deGrasse Tyson. What an awesome way to be reminded of the wonder of the natural world (and many other topics)! In our time on the road I learned more about black holes, the concept of time, volcanoes, and astrophysics than I’ve learned in my entire life combined. The funny thing was that Becky really nailed the way we were feeling about black holes – “the more I learn the less I understand.” The podcasts were a perfect way to keep learning while also staying entertained during hours and hours of driving. I haven’t done the Patreon thing yet, but this would be one of the first I’d contribute to.
What’s your favorite autobiography? If you were going to recommend one autobiography to a friend, which would it be? What is it that you appreciate the most about that book? What was the biggest insight you took away from it? Why are you grateful for reading it?
One of the reasons I enjoy reading autobiographies is the ability to see the world through someone else’s eyes. By pausing my life to read about theirs I’m able to see how differing thought processes work. Often I catch myself in my own paradigms of thought as those thoughts are the ones I know best. When I think of my life experiences I have the tendency of thinking that everyone has had the same life experiences.
The most recent autobiography I’ve had in hand is The Push by Tommy Caldwell. I’m only a little ways in, but I’m already enjoying the story behind how one of the greatest climbers of all time grew into that title. Reading about his childhood has left me scratching my head on more than one occasion already. A few times I’ve had to pause, go backwards, and then remind myself that he was only 6 when he climbed Devils Tower, only 12 when he climbed The Diamond at Long’s Peak. I like to think I’m pushing the boys by having us go out to camp several times each year. When he was six he’d go off camping by himself. It’s wild!
Reading an autobiography like this is such a great way to help me expand my mindset and views. Hearing the extremes people will go to for their passions motivates me to do the same for mine. When I think something isn’t possible I can remind myself of how many times others have done the impossible. It is also common to go through periods of questioning themselves – the difference is that they push through instead of listening to the voice in their head.
Way back in late July / almost August 2019 my Express Leadership Academy cohorts and I met in St Pete’s in Florida. The last night of our awesome training was one I’ll remember for the entirety of my life.
While others had invited me to join them for dinner and a night of drinks and camaraderie I felt compelled to decline and spend some time alone. We’d had a mind blowing couple of days of training on many different topics. More than anything my brain felt like it needed time to process all the information it had just taken in. I politely declined and opted for my own Plan B.
I ordered an early dinner via room service. After a great meal in my room in silence I put in my ear buds and went outside to the beach.
While sitting on a chair on the beach I watched what was one of the single most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever watched in my life. In my ears I heard the album “Sleep” by Max Richter. When the entire experience was complete I had a mind blowing sunset crossed with a wildly peaceful musical album with a side of solitude. This mix combined to create what was one of the most profoundly serene and peaceful moments of my entire life.
Almost two years later when I hear that album I think back to that time on the beach. When I have a feeling of deep peace I think back to this time alone on the beach. When I know I need to slow down and relax I think of my time on the beach. Two years later that moment of wonderful serenity is tattooed into my psyche.
Over the past few days that moment on the beach has come to mind several times. The instantaneous peace that comes to my soul is nothing short of beautiful. It was a moment in time when I remembered to stop and just listen to life and all it had to say without using words. It reminds me to enjoy those wildly beautiful moments of life and to appreciate the moments of perfect serenity in life.
Lots of driving today. Hours and hours. Well worth it for where we’d been. Well worth it for where we were going. All went well on the drive and we arrived safe and sound.
Something that really helped to not only pass the time but kept my brain going a thousand miles per hour was a steady diet of podcasts. Relatively short segments of learning certain topics. Amongst my favorites were a handful of Star Talk by Neil Degrasse Tyson focused on some pretty wild physics concepts. there were also a few wildly thought provoking others as well. Finding a way to keep the entire family learning while driving was pretty awesome.
Another thing I’m thankful for today are mental bread crumbs. What do I mean by those? Things like this pic from yesterday:
I snapped this pic on our hike yesterday. Without fail, at some point in the future I’ll stumble across it in my photos. I’ll pause and stare at it. I’ll read it and remember where, when, and why I took it. I’ll smile and re-live the mindset I was in when I took the picture.
This works not only with pictures, but with other random notes and quotes and thoughts saved in one of a variety of different formats including apps and paper. Today I stumbled across a quote from Walden that made me think and smile. On an almost daily basis I’ll run across a mental bread crumb or two. days like today I’m reminded of how thankful I am for the moments when I take time to leave them as well.
Number one on my dream list is to visit all the National Parks with Becky. Prior to this morning we’d had visited 29 of the 63 parks. Late this afternoon we knocked out #30 – Hot Springs National Park.
While this wasn’t the craziest or most scenic parks we’ve been too it was pretty wild to visit. The trails were completely quiet and peaceful with only a couple of other people on them. The hot springs are very interesting to see and put our hands and feet into.
One of the other parts I’m really liking about this National Park is that one of the old bathhouses that is technically in the National Park has been converted to a brewery – with beer take out! Whoever would’ve thought that beer made in a National Park made with natural hot spring water would be so delicious?
Seriously, this visit has been an awesome double whammy. First, we’re one step closer to a lifelong goal, something that’s always worth celebrating. Second, we created many memories as a family doing something we love doing together – the something that makes the dream even more worthwhile and meaningful.
Yesterday I was plowing through my task list early in the morning when an email caught my eye. A good friend is working on a project and asked if I could help. Without hesitation I started typing up an email saying yes and seeing how many different ways I may be able to help. I was smiling from ear to ear at the opportunity to help and repay her for all the ways she’s helped me. As I wrapped up the email a bell rang in my brain…
One of my big three goals for this year is totally in her wheelhouse. Seeing I was already in contact why not see if she might have an idea to help me move my goal closer to conclusion.
The email I received bag was incredible! Not only was she happy to help she immediately introduced me to an individual who could really help me out drastically! How awesome is that?
In the back of my head I’d planned on contacting her at some point for help, but I probably would’ve waited way longer than I should have per my discomfort with asking for help (see yesterday’s post). The email she sent was so cosmically well timed I can’t help but pause and be thankful for such a serendipitous moment.
Another thing I’m very grateful for today is intentional scarcity. My brain works in strange ways. When I’ve got a project due I like to spend much time tossing it over and over in my brain. The longer I can let it ferment and rough out many different ideas and solutions the better the final product.
Unfortunately my brain has a tendency of wanting to continue working on an idea much longer than I should. As soon as I come to a right solution I immediately go to work on creating a “more right” solution. If I’m not careful I can quickly cross the threshold of diminishing returns and have no finished project.
What I’ve been working on for the past week had a deadline of late this morning. With three hours to spare I put a stop to all the ideation and moved into creating the finished project. I put myself into an intentional mindset of scarcity.
With that scarcity mindset I was able to hyper focus on putting all of my ideas into a concise and consolidated whole. I then took a step back, reviewed the “why” behind the project, looked at it through my eyes, my team’s eyes, my customer’s eyes, and then back to the why. Several revisions were made and then there it was before me.
From the outside it’s be easy to think that it was created just in those short couple of hours. In reality it was the hours upon hours of thought beforehand that was the majority of the heavy lifting. With that foundation laid the focused mindset of scarcity helped to force me to build the solution on the foundation.
For sure, a state of constant and uncontrolled scarcity would have doomed this project. That said, using it to apply the right pressure at the time and in the right place was pure gold!
It reminds me of the story I’ve mentioned many times of Dad telling me about taking time to assess the solution completely before choosing the right tool and plan of attack. I’d just spent minutes grunting, groaning, and sweating as I wrestled with an old cabinet I was attempting to remove. As he told me the story he calmly picked up a crowbar, sized up the cabinet, stuck one end of the crowbar into a very specific spot. Finishing his story he smiled at me, winked, gently nudged the crowbar… and set the entire cabinet free.
That is the smile Dad gave as he taught me this valuable lesson 😁
Intentional scarcity as a tool… definitely a lesson I need to remember more often!
The most recent autobiography I’ve had in hand is The Push by Tommy Caldwell. I’m only a little ways in, but I’m already enjoying the story behind how one of the greatest climbers of all time grew into that title. Reading about his childhood has left me scratching my head on more than one occasion already. A few times I’ve had to pause, go backwards, and then remind myself that he was only 6 when he climbed Devils Tower, only 12 when he climbed The Diamond at Long’s Peak. I like to think I’m pushing the boys by having us go out to camp several times each year. When he was six he’d go off camping by himself. It’s wild!
Thankful for Forty 