Author: Michael Kreiling

Thankful for Remembering to Live, Starting Early, & Sunrise

Day 3,669

Growth:

This quote struck a chord for me, so much so that I had to pause to let it sink in, and then re-read several times. How true this is for so much of life?

I’m forever getting ready for life instead of living it each day. 

Peter Matthiessen, The Snow Leopard

While I’ve written tonight’s blog in reverse I also see how unbridled “planning” can become a hindrance to presence, but it also helps me visualize how to utilize a plan to help guide me and prepare me for whatever changes the universe throws at me. More guardrails and momentum than a plan maybe?

Appreciation:

I’m very thankful for starting to plan my goals for the next year early. Over the past week my mind has been toying with new ideas, twisting, inspecting, and testing to see what may make the biggest difference in my ability to improve in 2026. Some of the concepts that have been resonating include additional metrics like the number of minutes spent outdoors daily, the number of cravings I have each day versus the number of cravings I give in to, and setting a number of total miles to walk/hike in the year. For sure my mindset/theme of “Less, but More” for 2025 will sustain, but I’m not quite sure how… Maybe something as easy as “More of Less” would be fitting. We’ll see where I end up!

The inspiring part is that I’m already starting to sift through the data of my 2025, find patterns of what brought me the most joy, of where I found purpose, and my mind is already starting to process the path. Yes, it is still quite early to lock everything in, but that’s also the point. I have more time to process and choose wisely to create my best possible 2026 plan.

Presence:

The sunrise lighting up the tops of the bluffs was stunning this morning! The shifting colors were greatly enhanced by the dark clouds slowly wandering the sky, I was reminded of watching sunrises on the mountains in Patagonia. Such a wonderful time of the day, catching the first sun beams ripping through the clouds to light up the hillside. Throw in a shard of a rainbow and the glowing pinkish orange skies and it was a spectacular ride up north today!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Being, a Excellent String of Books, & Couch Conversations

Day 3,668

Growth:

We never know the struggles others are facing. We will never understand their perspective. We will never truly grasp their entire backstory. We are human, known truly to no one, not even ourselves.

Rather than judging each other we should be focused on loving each other. Rather than wanting what others have we should be appreciative for all we have. How much more simple would life be if we were but thankful for this present moment, this breath? In that presence and contentedness there is no room for envy, fear, or anger, only love and appreciation.

Pause, breathe, be thankful for the breath we have, for the moment we are in, for all the beauty surrounding us. Don’t want, instead be.

Appreciation:

I’ve been on a pretty epic hot streak of reading recently! After a book on Roman history that was a pretty big miss I’ve been knocking out one great book after another and it’s been great!

The most recent book I’ve started is The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen, a gem written in 1978 of an expedition to Nepal. The author writes in a flowingly epic style, just enough detail to fully engage the mind’s eye without becoming tedious. The focus on what he sees and learns in chunks of smaller stories within the journey has caught my full attention.

Once in a while there is a book that I really just don’t enjoy. More often there are books I decide I would prefer to not read again. This recent streak has been full of books I’ll be re-reading at least one or two more times each!

Presence:

Sitting in the living room, having random conversations in spurts with Becky and Gavin as we each do our thing – Becky reading, Gavin doing homework, and me blogging. Interspersed in the moments of quiet focus were jokes, comments, and conversations. A perfectly chill way to spend time while also being focused on what we each needed in the moment.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Appreciation, My Dream List, & Pockets of Time with Gavin

Day 3,667

Growth:

Appreciation was the main theme of toady’s sermon at church and it was a winner! Father John shared examples of how this past week had been a series of struggles, unexpected obstacles in what was planned to be a relatively relaxed week. Throughout those challenges he did as much as could, controlled as much as he could, and then finally have to give in and allow space for help. While he focused on that being the space in which God helped, I saw it slightly differently.

After he tried to do something on his own it was only after he failed when he asked for help. When the help was provided he found gratitude in that space, an appreciation for the help. How true this is in so many ways! What if we all learned to accept help sooner in order to work through a difficulty?

Another note that caught my attention and resonated with the concepts fo so many of the books and stories I’ve read lately – we grow most and have the most to be thankful for when struggle, when we face adversity. That is when we are pushed to grow, to receive help, to see we are not alone, and to be grateful.

So much to take away from this one, I’m glad it is recorded so I can go back and re-listen and absorb it more deeply.

Appreciation:

This afternoon I skipped the Packer game and focused on working on my dream list. Rather than taking in a game I realized my time would be better spent ensuring I was working on the right goals for the upcoming years. It started off a bit uncomfortable, I struggled to get the list up and running. With each successive dream recorded I gained momentum. The sunlight on my face while sitting on the deck, the music playing quietly in the background, and the fresh air provided the perfect environment to stay focused on shaping my future.

While I typically wait until the beginning of the year to reset my dream list I realized last year that there was a benefit to getting this rolling early as I start my annual planning process for 2026. Crazy to think that 2026 is only two and a half months away! If I want to live into my best life I need to remember to put the focus on intentionality and planning. Glad I did both this afternoon!

Presence:

While Becky and I had our mini-date on Friday and Saturday I had a nice pocket of one on one time with Gavin today. Nothing crazy, eating lunch together while watching football. Joking around and playing some cards. No real deep conversation, just enjoying each others company.

There are not too many of these times left, I remember how quickly Dominic’s senior year flew by. The inertia of time somehow continued to increase throughout that school year and was gone before I knew it. To have the opportunity share a pocket of time with Gavin like this was sublime!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Gratitude, a Mini-Trip with Becky, & a Day of Moments

Day 3,666

Growth:

We always told our kids there two ways to be rich. One is to make a lot of money. The other is to not want much.

Christopher Mark as quoted in Who is Government? by Michael Lewis

Appreciation:

Getting outside – always the right answer! This morning started with waking up in Devil’s Lake State Park and was quickly followed with coffee and a hike. So thankful Becky and I paused life for a day to get out and enjoy a mini-date trip to bookend Gavin’s football game last night. Getting that time to the two of us to relax and enjoy the outdoors together was fantastic!

Presence:

So many moments today! The hiking was amazing. The chill time with Becky was outstanding. Pockets of time with Gavin were great. Getting Dominic’s rugby update was awesome. A phone call with my brother was invigorating. Dinner as a family on the deck was perfect. A little quiet time reading and listening to the Brewers game was stellar. Excellent day all along!!!!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Campervan Time, Gavin’s Football Game, & Hiking with Becky

Day 3,665

Growth:

Everything is simply better in the campervan. Everything! Food, driving, working, downtime, you name it – I swear it is better in the campervan. I really should spend more time here!

Appreciation:

We had so much fun watching Gavin get a ton of playing time tonight in his football game! The smile on his face after the game was priceless, he was having a blast!!!

Such a great time watching his game tonight!!!

Presence:

I had a blast hiking with Becky this afternoon! I cut out of work at noon and we were on the trails before 2pm. So chill to get one on one time alone with her in the woods, my favorite place for us to reconnect!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Daily Reminders of Goals, A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, & a Step Brothers Clip

Day 3,664

Growth:

The more we keep our goals in front of us the more we grow into those goals, the more we take action towards them. Help me help myself, keep my goals in front of me more often. While I’ve found other “hacks” to take on other life changing habits (blogging daily, my daily scorecard) I need to find a way to keep these in front of me intentionally and with daily focus.

Something to continue to work towards for sure!

Appreciation:

Oof… Some of our best moments of learning can come from revisiting inconceivably difficult times in the past. At the recommendation of a friend I’ve been reading A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The story is a fictional day in the life of a prisoner of a Soviet labor camp – inspired by his EIGHT years of survival in a similar prison camp.

Each bite of food I’ve had today has been savored so much more so with that perspective in my mind. Each moment of freedom to choose what I want to do next in each moment has felt so much more liberating than normal. So many common and ordinary moments to remember to be grateful for, they could all disappear in an instant.

If you haven’t read this one (or The Choice by Dr Edith Eva Eger or Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl) do yourself a favor and pick it up. You won’t feel comfortable as you read it, but you’ll likely feel very fulfilled.

Presence:

In a complete counterpoint to the above section, the “did we just become best friends?” clip from Step Brothers always leaves me smiling! Nothing like those moments of humor that bring smiles for years and years and years!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for a Dinner with a Mentor

Day 3,663

Short version tonight – I’d love to dive into it more but I’m exhausted from the day and need to crash.

This evening we had the opportunity to have dinner with a mentor who’s had a tremendously positive impact on my life. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten together, I appreciated the chance to reconnect, share old stories, and talk about life’s upcoming adventures!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Stay Alive, “Meh” Days, & a Hootie & the Blowfish CD

Day 3,662

Growth:

So easy to get caught in the drift of the normal stream of life. So easy to allow gravity to slowly pull us off track and then trap us in orbit. Remember to jolt ourselves awake, to stay vigilant of our dreams and goals, to remember to fully be alive!


‘Stuff your eyes with wonder,’ he said, ‘live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask no guarantees, ask for no security, there never was such an animal. And if there were, it would be related to the great sloth which hangs upside down in a tree all day every day, sleeping its life away. To hell with that,’ he said, ‘shake the tree and knock the great sloth down on his ass.'”

Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Appreciation:

Once in a while we need to get caught up in a rut. The fight against the hills on either side get our blood pumping. The jarring sensation of popping out of it awakens our soul.

Today I was in a rut for the majority of the day. Just woke up feeling that way, no real good excuse. Just a “meh” kind of feeling for the day. There were several positives, specifically, a handful of extremely engaging conversations that got my mind working, but then, just as quickly, the spark sputtered out. Oof.

As I pause I realize it was largely due to the feeling of above, the sense of drifting rather than charting my course and controlling the rudder. I’ve been reminded that I am the captain of myself, I need to choose my direction and go after it rather than the winds of life to blow me askew.

Even bad days give us a reason to be thankful if we look closely enough!

Presence:

This morning a song came on the radio that led to me sharing a story with my teammates from back in the mid to late nineties.

Some friends and I were taking a road trip and someone put in CD by Hootie and the Blowfish. My buddy ejected the CD (which was his own), rolled down his window, said something along the lines of “who would listen to this garbage,” and then promptly threw it right out of the open window!

The only sound was the dropping of all of our jaws as we kept driving well over 60mph on the highway as the shining CD sailed into the distant woods.

“Why did you do that???”

“Umm… I was just joking, but the wind caught it.”

More stunned silence… …then thunderous laughter from all of us!

That moment is still brought up often, such a surreal and hysterical moment of presence!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Nudges, Parent Teacher Conferences, & Running in Perfect Fall Weather

Day 3,661

Growth:

In life we are sometimes blessed to feel certain “nudges” from the universe. Seemingly out of nowhere we encounter the same concept over and over again. If we’re very fortunate we see this enough times to realize we should be paying more attention. If we are wise enough we take the time to notice, appreciate, and heed those nudges.

The most recent flavor of nudge I’ve felt is centered around the concept of resilience and how it seems to be cultivated largely through facing adversity. Whether it is in books, through stories, written in blogs, or shared via human conversation this concept is continuing to appear over and over and over again.

Appreciation:

Gavin’s parent teacher conferences this evening and it was an absolute delight to hear how well he is doing in class! The comments on his grades and coursework were great, but what really hit home were the comments about his focus, his drive, his willingness to help others, and how much his teachers appreciate having him in their class. Hearing the stories of the positive things he’s doing made my heart full of joy.

Hard to believe that we are in the home stretch of his time living at home, less than a year before he begins the next chapter of his life. Hearing how well he is doing helps me see how prepared he is. So excited for where he’s growing next and for all he is doing now.

Presence:

Running outside in the cool fall weather that actually felt like cool fall weather was outstanding! The nice autumn breeze helped it feel like the season had finally started to shift. Even the woods smelled like fall, everything seemed ot have changed overnight. Nothing like an early morning run in the perfect fall weather!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Faith, Gavin’s Eagle Project, & Outdoor Physical Labor

Day 3,660

Growth:

This quote by Anthony de Mello has been rolling through my head for the past few days. Beliefs lead to anger, hatred, and fear. Faith is the stronger of the two, one which can be shifted and molded rather than that which we identify with.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is faith! An openness to the truth, no matter what the consequences, no matter where it leads you and when you don’t even know where it’s going to lead you. That’s faith.
Not belief, but faith. Your beliefs give you a lot of security, but faith is insecurity.
You don’t know. You’re ready to follow and you’re open, you’re wide open! You’re ready to listen. And, mind you, being open does not mean being gullible, it doesn’t mean swallowing whatever the speaker is saying.
Oh no. You’ve got to challenge everything I’m saying. But challenge it from an attitude of openness, not from an attitude of stubbornness. And challenge it all. Recall those lovely words of Buddha when he said, “Monks and scholars must not accept my words out of respect, but must analyze them the way a goldsmith analyzes gold— by cutting, scraping, rubbing, melting.”

Anthony de Mello, Awareness

Appreciation:

Gavin knocked out the majority of his Eagle Scout project today! There were about a dozen and a half of us all working together to help him turn his vision into reality. What I appreciated most was watching him grow as a leader throughout the hours, learning the difference between leading and doing and how leading will usually lead to bigger goals and successes for a team. He did a masterful job of sharing the specific tasks to be done, putting the teams together, and then working in a way in which he was in regular contact with each team while still contributing towards time goal.

By the time all was said and done it was awesome to see how much the group was able to accomplish together under his leadership. As a dad I couldn’t be more proud of how well he rose to the occasion to help give back to his community today!

Presence:

So much outside time today! I think some of the moments in which I was most present were when I was digging three foot deep holes for the sign pots for Gavin’s project. Just me, the outdoors, physical labor, and a task to be completed. Perfect!

Thanks!!!