To hold on to frustration and disappointment or to release it and be free? One is always right, but the other is always easy. Awareness brings the ability to recognize the unnecessary burden of frustration, which then reminds us that we have a choice to make. Pay attention and choose wisely.
Appreciation:
My plan got the day changed rapidly and often today. Several curveballs provided an opportunity to switch directions and work on other necessary tasks. What was going to be a jammed day still was, but in other directions. As it turned out I ended getting much more done than expected! Nice when there is s supply of bonus time!
Presence:
Laying on my back breathing, paying attention to only my breath, my heart beat, and my body. So peaceful and calming. You know you are in a state of stillness when you can feel your blood pumping from your heart throughout your body.
All great transformations in life start with a very simple step, the awareness of a gap between who we are and who we could be.
If we don’t have awareness we don’t realize how badly we could use the change. We are don’t know that there’s a gap, a place to grow into. This can be such a frustrating moment, unhappy and not seeing a better path forward. We can even begin to feel helpless, constantly fighting against the tide.
Once we have the moment of awareness we can move forward, but can also feel so daunting or impossible. The gap may be significantly larger than we’d thought, possibly on the border of impossible. In its own way, this can be almost more demoralizing than not having awareness as it seems profoundly difficult to grasp.
Once we have the moment of awareness, once we can see across the chasm of where we are versus where we are we should be, we need to put our heads down and focus only on the single footstep ahead. See that spot twelve inches in front of us, will our foot to lift, our leg to move forward, and the foot comes down. One small step, but the greatest step after awareness – the first step! Celebrate it!!! We’ve made our trip across the gap a little shorter AND now we know we have the strength to take a step.
Now take another step, then another. Slow but steady progress, gaining momentum. You’ve got this. After s dozen or so steps look up to make sure you’re still headed the right way, and then head back down and focus on the twelve inches in front of you. In seemingly no time you will make significant progress.
All that progress, all started with a moment of awareness, all started with one tiny and small step.
Over the past 3,424 days I’ve taken tiny steps daily, pausing to reflect on what I appreciate. Each day is one tiny step forward, motion towards closing the gap.
Today I had a conversation with a friend that reminded me to pause and appreciate the momentum I’ve built over the past nine plus years. As I reflect on the journey my mind is blown. This all started with the awareness that I was not happy, in so many ways I felt empty, like a fraud, unsatisfied, always in pursuit of more. I was not in a good place mentally and emotionally. Awareness came first, the awareness of unhappiness and a gigantic gap on the other side of which was full of joy. I wanted to cross. It seemed impossible, but I took one step. And the another. And then more which led to today. The gap is still there, but I’ve made progress.
Awareness, action. One small step at a time leads to profound growth over years.
Appreciation:
Sometimes I get so frustrated I just want to quit. When I get in those funks they can be difficult to get out of. What I’ve found interesting recently is that every time I have felt this way recently I find that the reason for the frustration is something well under my control, something I have the ability to change. I just have pause, breathe, zoom out, look at the situation from afar, have awareness, give myself grace to be frustrated, and then change it.
Today there were several moments in which I saw clearly I was in a perfect position to live into my purpose, to live towards the goal which brings me the most joy and fulfillment, which almost can’t help but pull me across the gap to where I should be.
To all those who brought me a smile, warmed my soul, reminded me of purpose, and helped in so many ways to get out of my own way while simultaneously helping to guide me back to the right path – thank you. Today was a beautiful day, a +2 day, thanks to you!
Presence:
This morning I had a tight deadline for a client. It would be just enough time, but not so much I could take my time. As luck would have it Dominic happened to send a text “Some great hype up songs for your day!” His timing was impeccable. I closed my door, put in my noise canceling AirPods, and proceeded to “massage” my ear drums with wave after wave of excellent music. My field of vision narrowed to only the project and I truly crushed it. With only fifteen minutes to spare I took out the AirPods, inhaled deeply and let it roll in my chest, and turn exhaled slowly as I punched the Send button.
An hour or two of being in a total state flow, consumed by the task at hand without distraction. Glorious!
Where do I choose to put my focus and energy? Life is full of situations, challenges, moments, and unexpected changes. Whatever they may be there is always a choice to make – what attitude will I choose? Once that mindset is chosen there is another choice to make – where do I put my focus and my energy?
In the moments when everything is going well it is so easy to make the right choices. When life becomes increasingly more complex it becomes more difficult to default to the right option.
As I navigate my current reality I’m also reminded to give myself grace throughout. While I can always work and strive to choose wisely there will likely always be times when I stumble. When I trip it is so easy to focus on that and then slowly spiral down. In those moments when I fall I must remember to give myself grace, take a step back to have better awareness of what happened, learn from it, and then move forward. That’s the appropriate choice after choosing poorly.
Appreciation:
Spending time talking with others about their adventures, their travels, and their dreams is always so enlightening! When hearing how others are maximizing their lives and living into their dreams I can’t help but have a heart full of joy and feel more motivated to grow into that myself. So much of our joy is truly to be found only within ourselves and independent of others, yet sharing time with those who live the way you wish to so quickly amplifies our joy as well. Tonight I’m grateful for the moments over the past few days in which I’ve been surrounded by those in noble pursuit of joy and living their dreams, they’ve warmed my heart for sure!
Presence:
On my drive home from work my mind was racing a million miles per hour and I was feeling very overwhelmed. As I happen to glance to my left I noticed the full moon rising over the Mississippi River Valley. It was stunningly vibrant, while simultaneously softened by the clouds. The silvery reflection off the snow, ice, and bluffs was simply breathtaking!
An old though came back in the midst of yoga class this evening. While working on a pose I have never quite been comfortable with our instructor offered up coaching and an opportunity to try the pose again. I hesitated for a moment, went into a learner’s mindset, and then took her advice. Next thing I knew I was into it! So many times before I was afraid of failing, not trusting my body, not thinking like a learner.
When we are in a learning mindset we’re open to coaching, we take advice, and we are willing to try even though there’s a high likelihood of failure. When we are in an expert mindset we are often afraid of making a mistake, less tempted to try something different as we already know what works. At any moment we can choose either mindset. Why don’t I choose a beginner’s mindset every single time like I should? Definitely a gap I can work on closing!
Yoga for the win yet again!
Appreciation:
This morning I had an absolutely engaging client meeting! The conversation was a nonstop thrill ride of ideas, insights, and thought exercises. So many strategies were discussed, excellent questions asked by all parties, and a perfect example of how similar cultures in different industries can help each other via the common ground of shared values. Super excited to see where this leads in the future!
Presence:
This afternoon my teammates and I shared a handful of moments as we walked through our values, purpose, and what drives our business. During a specific part of our conversation I shared the story of my last hug with Dad. The love and support they shared as I shared my full emotion warmed my heart and was greatly appreciated. It was a moment I’ll remember for sure!
When in doubt, get out in the woods. Life is better with fresh air, the outdoors, and walking. So glad Becky enjoys the same activity!
Appreciation:
What a perfect Sunday! Relax and read in the morning, church with the family, lunch, and off for a long hike with Becky in the sunny winter wonderland woods. Come home and relax while watching the Super Bowl with Gavin. All chill, all day. Perfect!
Presence:
Spending time laughing with Gavin watching the Super Bowl while texting Dominic and Nick was awesome. We may not all have been together, but we were all together enjoying the game.
This whole remembering to ask for help thing might be growing on me! Dominic saved me forty five minutes by stopping at Menards quick on his way over today. I normally wouldn’t have asked, but it seemed like a good idea. He was happy to help, I saved a lot of time, and it only took him a few minutes. Super grateful for his willingness to help!
Appreciation:
Nothing better in life than the moments we get to share with all four of us at home. This afternoon Dominic and his girlfriend stopped over for a few hours of laughing, lunch, and games. While this time doesn’t happen as much as it used to it is almost more appreciated now as we don’t have it as often. Those hours shared as a family are the best!
Presence:
When Becky and I took Leia out on a walk / hike this afternoon we got into the woods and found there was an area of open water in the backwaters. Splashing and playing in that water were about eight mallards! They were seeming to have the time of their lives, swimming, splashing, hopping on the ice, and then running after each other before diving and falling back in. Watching them was such a chill moment, made all the more magical by the sound of falling snow. Nice sharing a moment with Becky taking in the wildlife like that!
Throughout my day of hiking (see the next section) I was working on taking pictures using some of the new things I’ve been learning and thought I was making progress. As it turns out, I was making progress, though not as I had intended! So many of the photos I took were totally blur and not what I’d intended, a few of the settings were off and I thought I would skip the tripod and shoot by hand. So the learning continues! Nothing like the sting of mistake to fuel the learning for the next time.
Appreciation:
I took the day off today and headed out to one of my favorite local-ish hiking areas, Pikes Peak State Park in McGregor, IA. Out the door just after 5am I was able to get to the park and where I wanted to be before sunrise. In addition to taking pictures I relaxed, soaked in the beautiful sights (& sounds), and slowly sipped my coffee and enjoyed every moment.
After putting my coffee mug away I knocked out about a dozen miles in the park and walked all the trails I’ve wanted to cover in past visits. It was just the deer, eagles, and I in the woods, the only people I encountered on the trail were as I was within eye shot of my car. Such a wonderfully relaxing way to get my brain back in the right state of mind.
Everything in life can be worked out while walking in the woods. The fresh air, the trees, the wildlife, and all the wonderful views, including frozen waterfalls, bring a level of stillness that can help us see all of life so much more clearly. I am beyond grateful for making the time needed to get my brain in the right place.
Presence:
Standing in the woods, all alone, relaxing and enjoying the sights and sounds all around me. Of all of the moments there is one in particular that really jumps out. When I was watching the sunrise slowly paint the sky I was serenaded by the music of the ice on the Mississippi River slowly expanding and popping. It echoed through the valley and was a perfect soundtrack to the sunrise!
The more I dive into asking myself questions each day the more I find what really brings me joy, what specific activities help me to feel most fulfilled. Today was a solid dose of that, very insightful and useful!
Appreciation:
So thankful for taking the day off tomorrow, I need it! Looking forward to getting some epic hiking in and some solo time in the woods, just what the doctor ordered. Today it also helped me to push harder and further in an effort to get ahead of where I would likely have been on a typical day. Gotta love the day before vacation, always an opportunity to kick it into hyperdrive!
Presence:
The moment when you realize you helped to connect a couple of people who likely otherwise wouldn’t have and they’re both likely going to help each other achieve their dreams. Awesome!!!
Many years ago a mentor shared how beneficial it can be to intentionally have car time with teammates. It’s an opportunity to coach and train for sure, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity to get to know each other better outside of the normal office environment. Today that was proven to be excellent advice yet again!
Appreciation:
This evening was a chill night, though focused on almost completing a project. It was nice shutting down my brain from work thoughts. Creating a little bonus space to relax was exactly what I needed!
Presence:
Just had one of the most engaging client meetings I’ve had in a while! So many jaw dropping moments of the power of culture and discipline combined, totally invigorating and insipiring!
With a large task list in front of me I took on the day in a frenzy. Several curveballs kept me engaged while working through the list. It wasn’t perfect and there is still more to get done, but it felt very rewarding. Enjoying the grind, knocking out all the “stuff,” busy but focused in the right direction.
Appreciation:
There are moments when everything just seems to click, all the right pieces fall into place. At work it seems like we’re so close to that point with the team we’ve built, it makes going to work so much more rewarding and enjoyable!
Presence:
Starting the morning well rested after almost 9 hours of sleep! What an invigorating way to kick off the morning!
Thankful for Forty 