Day 3,109

Growth:

LOL – what was I just saying about multi tasking yesterday? Likely due to doing multiple things at once I found myself in the unique position of getting undressed to change for a workout over lunch when I realized I’d forgotten to pack a pair of short to wear! Not the end of the world, but a timely reminder of the importance of focusing on one thing at a time.

Appreciation:

During one of my meetings today I practiced jotting down everything I wanted to say before saying it. I then paused until the timing was right and then determined if it was still worthwhile. In a few cases I spoke up and shared the thought. More often than not I opted to hold back as it wasn’t as relevant as I thought it would be. Here’s to pausing to think rather than just shoot from the hip and speak – it worked out well today!

Presence:

Okay, so the snow isn’t exactly what I would have ordered up for the weather today, but it was pretty spectacular falling in huge fluffy snowflakes all day. I had a blast watching them slowly drift down through my window. Yes, it’s April, but it was still beautiful.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,108

Growth:

Very interesting anecdote in the book I’m currently reading (Ikiagi) today. They shared a story of a research study in which people were tested on their ability to focus on counting red arrows appearing on a screen as more and more blue arrows also appear on the screen. What they found was that the more stimuli there was, the less effective they were at staying focused. Simple, but a beautiful way to remember the importance of not getting distracted with non-essential details.

Appreciation:

I’m all types of tired and sore this evening – in a very good way! Today I started my revised workout plan and it was better than expected. There was way more sweat than expected, but I’m glad I got the ball rolling. It’s taken a while to put together, but so far so good after one day 😉

Presence:

Bonus laughs with Gavin as we took a little time to chill today – priceless!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,107

Growth:

I have two choices, complain and be frustrated about it or just fix it. Today I took a moment to get to the right answer, but at least I finally got there. Taking a moment to fix it not only prevented future frustration, but it also eliminated the future frustration I would have had AND I felt better about myself for just doing what needed to be done.

Appreciation:

On our way home from up north the boys took turns driving while Becky and I had time to work on projects we both had. This was an awesome change of pace from when I normally drive and the boys have the opportunity to chill in the backseat. Not only did this give Becky and I some much needed bonus time, but this also gave the boys some time to shoot the bull and hang out while they piloted us home.

Presence:

We arrived at church a bit early today and it was wonderful having some quiet time and stillness in the church. The quiet moments provided an opportunity to relax my mind and focus on my breath. The stillness was exactly what I needed to help open my ears for the message shared in the sermon today.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,106

Growth:

Staying close to my normal sleep schedule really makes a profound impact on how I feel. After going to bed after 1:30am I was still in rough shape even after almost eight hours of sleep. It took a while to get everything back to normal. Keep working towards a standardized sleep pattern – it will take work and sacrifice, but I will feel so much better as a result!

Appreciation:

This afternoon I had the opportunity to tag in and help collect sap for maple syrup with my father in law, my boys, and a bunch of my nephews. So much fun tramping through the woods with five gallon buckets to pour the sap into! While the activity itself was a great excuse for being outside and doing something physical, I think what I enjoyed most was seeing how the boys all interacted with their cousins and grandpa. There was so much laughing and joking, maybe some snowballs, and a bunch of work as well. Seeing them continue to grow their friendships with their cousins was awesome!

Presence:

Bonus outside time today! Becky and I took a chill walk through the woods up north with no set destination or agenda and enjoyed the fresh air. Thanks to being so far away from traffic we were able to hear so many sounds of wildlife – the drumming of grouse, gobbling of turkey, and so many other bird songs. The calmness of being outside always brings me joy.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,105

LOL – I’m totally exhausted. It’s almost 1:30am and we just got to Becky’s parent’s house. After Gavin’s track meet in Minneapolis I drove us about three hours as everyone else fell asleep. Sleepy time for me – and only five hours past my bedtime!

The day was awesome! Yoga, running, recovering from late night travel last night, time with Becky, time with Dominic, unexpected deep conversations, watching Gavin do well, and hearing the boys joking and playing in the backseat. Great times!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,104

Growth:

What a week of learning it has been! When I was reviewing my notes from the last handful of days I struggle to understand how we fit so much content into such a short period of time. It’ll take me a while to process all of it completely.

One thing that really jumped out at me was a very simple and all encompassing concept: the power of creating space to learn, reflect, and think like this. Many of the concepts learned weren’t new, rather wonderful reminders that needed a little space to come back up for air. In shutting down all the noise and busyness of the whirlwind my brain had time to better digest the concepts.

How much better would all of my action be if I strategically and intentionally created pockets of space to think and grow like this? How can I help my mind remember that being “busy” is not the same as being “productive ,” nor “creating space” the same as “being lazy.” Definitely one of the key takeaways for me this week!

Appreciation:

One of the best post training wrap up tricks I’ve learned is to package everything up before I get home. Review the notes, categorize and track the next steps. Re-write the key takeaways in a manner in which they are easier to share. Go through it all in detail while it is still relatively still fresh in the brain before I allow my mind to move on to the next thing. While it is really not an activity I look forward to it is one that really helps me better utilize the knowledge I invested time into learning.

Presence:

For whatever reason I’ve been very fortunate to have some very engaging conversations with my Uber drivers throughout the years. Today was a continuation of that streak. Our conversation on the way to the airport included discussions of life and death, surviving cancer, moving to many locations, watching movies in Wisconsin, seeing moose out in the wild, deer related car accidents, and seemingly every thing else in between. I’m not sure how it always seems to work out like this, but as per normal we were all laughing and smiling by the time the ride came to an end.

Thanks!!

PS I just wrote this and realized I’d left out the way my morning started, with an invigorating six mile run when I’d only planned on four. I so appreciate starting the day with my heart pumping blood through my body and exercising my grit muscles!

Day 3,103

Growth:

I wrote my blog out of prefer today and my last section changed this section as a result. Now I’m going to cover two growth ideas instead of one.

1) Working backwards changes our perspective and can lead to novel ideas!

2) The discomfort after a hard workout is something to be valued and seen as a reward due hard work. When we are not comfortable we are growing, we grow when we work hard. Discomfort can be our way of patting ourselves on the back for a job well done!

Appreciation:

My brain is exhausted today. The training session was more intense than expected, and in a very positive way. The fog in my mind as I type this reminds me of the awesomely wonderful discomfort after a hard workout. The discomfort is temporary, an early reward to show us our hard work is already leading to growth.

Presence:

During one of training exercises we were working on our own strategy individually. I caught myself getting a bit discombobulated by all the sounds, movement, and talking all around me. As soon as I realized I was having issues focusing I paused, put in my noise canceling earbuds, and enjoyed Time by Hans Zimmerman, the classical music theme for the movie Inception. As soon as the first piano chords were struck I felt very much at peace. Here’s to knowing and respecting how we each work best!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,102

Growth:

So much of my thought process shifts as I read. Just as my body does better when I watch my diet, so does my brain. Thanks to the ideas I’ve been reading lately my thoughts, emotions, & actions were all in a better place multiple times today.

Appreciation:

Training has been very insightful and my classmates are excellent people. Knowing myself well I decided to eat lunch very quickly and then left the building for a relaxing walk for thirty minutes. That quiet time alone was exactly what my brain needed to chill and prepare for the afternoon session. I felt refreshed and had so much more open brain space!

Presence:

My run this morning was fantastic! I’d planned for all city and residential roads but I was instead greeted with a lakeside park and a deer crossing sign. So nice to have that little bit of outdoors time!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,101

Growth:

As I showered up this morning I realized that today was your be a test, an opportunity for growth. There was going to be stress, changes, unexpected twists, and time crunches. I would have very little control of what happened to me, but I would have total control of how I responded. This would be an opportunity for me to work towards closing the gap between who I am and who I should be.

With that mindset I set my jaw and started my day.

The day did not disappoint! I was literally laughing out loud when our gate changed for the FOURTH time, a defeat first. When my stomach started to knot up as I did not know if I’d make the flight on standby or not I played Time by Hans Zimmer and was able to maintain the state of calm.

All throughout I remained in the good spirits I intentionally chose earlier in the morning. I passed the test!

What a gift we all have in holding the ability to choose our attitudes each moment!

Appreciation:

In reading Yamas & Niyamas by Deborah Adele I took many notes on the wisdom she shared. Amongst my favorites were:

“When gratitude and wonder sit in the heart, there is no need for excess.”

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to be afraid without being paralyzed.”

“Discontentment is the illusion that there can be something else in the moment. There isn’t and there can’t be. The moment is complete.”

This was definitely a book I will reread more than a couple more times.

Presence:

Rather than wasting the gift of bonus time I was awarded through my travel challenges I soaked it all up! The majority of it was spent reading and reflecting on the book. Some moments were spend in awe as I looked out the window of our jet as we lifted off and went through a few layers of clouds. In a particularly pleasant moment I put my book down, rested my head against the window, and I took a very peaceful nap. So chill!!!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,100

Short version tonight due to an extensively weather delayed flight my travel plans have been slightly changed pretty drastically. The details aren’t important, but what matters is that I have yet to lose my cool. I’ve stayed chill throughout, and will continue to do so until I either reach my destination or get back home.

When I had the opportunity to pause and consider my thoughts and emotions through self reflection I realized it was largely due to two reasons. First, I consciously chose calm. Second, I knew from past experience I could figure it out. Choosing calm helped me make better decisions and see better options. All said, just like everything in life, it was all figureout-able!

Thanks!!!