So easy to act, so much more healthy to pause, listen, think, and then act. I can so easily jump into action rather than pause first, but today I did and it made a huge difference! My gut feel and initial reaction may be right, but how much more simple and complete is life when I remember to pause first. Many actions do not need to be taken immediately. Somewhere I read a note a while back about how we can always choose to send an email later, but we can never unsend one. Better to wait rather than immediately act.
Appreciation:
I really didn’t realize just how much I needed a night like last night! This morning everything was a little lighter, more chill, and my mind was more at ease. Every handful of months or so I get in the mood to fire up nonstop music online and just go from song to song to song and pick up bits and pieces of life wisdom throughout. It had been a while and it happened to work out that life shifted to create that space last night, just what I needed.
There have been more than a few times when the state of calm or one of the lessons I learned last night came back to help and make today a little more joyful. Sure, I would have really enjoyed going to a soccer game to watch Gavin, but I am very thankful for how everything worked out (and the game was moved rather than canceled).
Presence:
My car showed 102 on the thermometer on the way home. At first I cranked up the AC to cool off a bit, but then I had a better idea. How many days each year to I get to experience triple digit temperatures? Very few! I took this opportunity to shut off the AC, open every window and the moon roof, and soaked up the sun and heat while listening to my new favorite song for the week – My Own Soul’s Warning by The Killers. What an amazing ride home, wind in my hair, singing loudly and without care, and taking it all in. Felt wonderful to feel so alive!
Sometimes my brain needs space to relax, to think, and to engage. I don’t like sitting still and I like keeping busy so this can sometimes be a bit problematic. Tonight Gavin’s soccer game was cancelled due to the heat, Becky is out of town for Dominic’s college orientation, and Gavin went to band camp seeing as there wasn’t soccer. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do for the night, there are a handful of work projects I could put extra time into, there are a few projects at home I’d like to work on, and there was writing that I could always do more of. Instead I just trusted that the universe would provide, and I found myself relaxing, but listening to music on my laptop as I started to type this blog. I started that process almost two hours ago now and I’m so grateful for the rabbit hole I’ve gone down!
While I wasn’t working on a specific project I also wasn’t mindlessly watching a screen. Rather, I quickly became engaged in a study which led me to some very interesting insights.
Initially I loaded up a song by The Killers that blew my mind earlier today when I heard it for the first time – Caution. Earlier in the day I needed a respite from my audiobook to have a little more space to think through the challenge I was facing at work. The first four songs of The Killers album Imploding the Mirage absolutely blew my socks off! I wanted to fire the video up to get a slightly different perspective and I was going to write my blog after. Then I noticed a link to a video of someone hearing a song by The Killers for the first time and couldn’t help but click on it. Next thing I knew I was on a journey of learning for the evening.
Here are some of things I noticed from tonight:
The power of music to soothe our soul is truly awesome
There are so many different ways people learn, no one way is right, only the one that works for us
When we see someone who’s an expert in something one can’t help but be in awe of how differently they see the world. What are the ways we each see the world differently that others might be in awe of? What experiences do we have that allow us to see connections other may typically miss?
The creative process is a beautifully fluid and ethereal thing, never the same way for an individual let alone other people. Something about knowing how to let go just the right way, to trust, to explore, to coax, to release, to play, and to allow, but never to force.
The ability of music and emotion to connect us to a moment is amazing. Experiencing others hearing a beautiful song for the first time adds the joy of the song with the shared human emotional experience even through video. It adds an unexpected level of complexity to the music. More on this in the Presence section.
So many lessons, so much stillness and peace. A heart full of joy through a combination of growth and shared experience even while alone.
Appreciation:
Wow, this is the last section I am writing tonight and I’ve already had this blog started for over two and a half hours. There is so much I am grateful for today, my heart is almost bursting! How do I summarize what I am thankful for? Easy.
I am beyond appreciative for the practice of daily gratitude journaling that I stumbled into almost 3,000 days ago. Taking the time to think through my day, to process the moments, to work through thoughts and emotions, to take time to reflect, to dream, to learn , to grow, to share, to be grateful for life’s blessings. I can’t even begin to state what a positive impact this one simple practice has had on my life in so many levels. This evening was an exquisite reminder of how taking time to journal can help me remember to travel inward and grow rather than sit and waste.
Presence:
The first video that got me going down this evening’s musical/creative journey was this. It is a professional drummer hearing Mr. Brightside by The Killers for the very first time and without a drum track. He listens once, makes notes, and then play song.
Then another similar yet different video caught my attention. This is a voice coach listening to Disturbed’s cover of Sound of Silence. Honestly, the emotion that builds from 7:20 on is palpable and was so much more intense than I would have expected. There was an increased connection to the song with the addition of someone hearing it for the first time. While I’d heard this many times it somewhat put me back into the mindset of hearing it for the first time, but different. (For some reason the video link wasn’t quite working to embed, but click here to see it.)
Sometimes we just need to trust, to listen to the “nudges” from The Big Dude Upstairs, and act with love from our heart. My heart has been reminded of the sewn quote under Pa Bailey’s picture from It’s a Wonderful Life on several occasions today.
“All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.”
Pa Bailey
Appreciation:
Life throws us many wonderful things that are joyful from the start. They are amazing, awesome, and appreciated, they bring happiness so easily!
Life also throws us the stuff that really sucks once in a while. That stuff hurts, is frustrating, and can really be crushing – it can be so difficult to see any positive through it initially.
Today I’ve had the opportunity to see an interestingly large number of times how those sucky things have actually created long term joy, knowledge, and growth. For some reason it seems like this message came through about once every couple of hours to make sure I was really getting it and seeing what was happening. I’ve had the opportunity to take what I learned from those difficult times, the growth I’ve had through the hurt, and share it in a positive way to help others.
What’s interesting is that it’s also been helping me tremendously [I almost added a comparison of me being helped as much as others today, but I realized how silly it is to compare something like that. My brain typically goes straight to comparisons which can be helpful sometimes, but not in this case. Looks at that, a second Growth point for today 😉 ]. Each of these moments is helping me to pause and review that past hurt. To look at it not specifically for the pain, but rather to find the beauty created through it. I have grown specifically because of those difficult times, they have made me who I am. While I certainly won’t be rushing out to get hurt it does remind me that when I have something difficult happen that I can find the upside if I remember to pause and look for it. I’ll have the confidence to better work through the difficulty and may possibly learn and grow more specifically because I’ve got my head in the right place sooner.
What a gift!
Presence:
Becky and I got to spend some time with Gavin’s entire soccer team this evening and it was a blast! The kids were all so polite, fun, and engaging, such a gift to see their personalities live and in action. After spending time with young men like this one can’t help but be more positive about the future of our world. So many smiles – such an awesome opportunity to spend time with them today!
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.
Robert Frost
There are times in which I sometimes wish time would move a little faster and I catch myself wishing my time away. There are times in which I wish a moment would last forever and I catch myself getting lost in the past. The right choice is to live in the moment, enjoy it for all it is worth in all of its up and downs, and realize that it will change. Sometimes I might feel it changes too soon, other times it takes too long, but regardless it will always change and move on to the next moment.
Appreciation:
So many thoughts and emotions running through me today but what I am most grateful for is very simple and easy to define. I am so thankful for Dominic’s opportunity to take the next steps in his life. I already miss having him at home, but my heart is so full of of joy for the adventure he is beginning. Throughout the day I’ve been reminded of so many memories from my first year of college when I attended Michigan Tech. That year was one of the most defining of my entire life. I am so pumped and excited to hear about Dominic’s experience and see how he continues to grow.
Presence:
What a surreal moment it was when we got back to the University of Minnesota campus and entered Dominic’s dorm room. Back to where I spent most of my college career, to the place where Dominic starts his life outside of our house, to the place we leave him before Becky and I head back home. So many emotions – largely joy for Dominic’s next adventure – and a wildly intense moment of presence as we helped him get settled in to where he’ll live for the next nine months or so.
There are so many times I enjoy a song without fully listening to the lyrics. When I was working on the dishwasher this morning I heard the song Human by The Killers. It’s the one that has the repeating line, “Are we human, or are we dancer?” I finally was intrigued enough to dig into the reason for the lyric and the why behind that line. I was rewarded with this article: https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/the-killers/human-lyrics-hunter-s-thompson-grammar/
After learning the “why” behind it I listened a few more times and took it in on such a different level than I ever have before. So glad I took the time to dive in and learn more about the song, I’ll never hear it the same way again.
Appreciation:
One of my favorite parts of today was sharing so many memories while we were on our hike this afternoon. Over the course of four plus miles we talked about so many past experiences we have had as a family. Tomorrow the dynamic of our family shifts, I am so grateful for the awesomely strong foundation of shared experiences and memories we’ve built over the past years. So many moments of joy behind us, so many moments of joy ahead.
Presence:
Spending time as a family going for a hike in Perrot State Park. Spending time as a family enjoying dinner at home. Spending time as a family playing board games at the kitchen table. Spending time as a family laughing and talking on the couch during the soccer game. Perfect last day of Dominic being at home before starting his next adventure!
The clarity created by a looming deadline is a dagger that can cut both ways, we must choose how we will wield it. Do we choose the side focused on reminding us of how little is left, the scarcity mindset – or – do we choose to see it as a gift, it creates such intense focus on the present moment as that will come to a close soon? I’m choosing the beauty of the clarity, but am also allowing myself to be a little cut by the feeling of loss. That sting reminds me to appreciate life all the more especially when there’s no deadline in sight, though I know the deadline looms hidden in the fog if the future.
Appreciation:
This was likely the last “boys night” for Dominic, Gavin, and I for quite some time. Dominic moves to college on Sunday and we decided to enjoy the evening together. Pizza, games, and a little Mario Kart to round out the evening, a pretty much perfect one to remember until the next. So grateful for the opportunity to share one more night like that with both boys.
Presence:
Seriously, pretty much every moment after I wrapped up work at 5:30 until a few minutes ago was present with the boys. Funny how much more we appreciate time even we know how little we have left. Wonderful memories were created, shared, and will be remembered.
Sprints are often needed, remember to breathe in between and keep the pace temporary. Finish, recover, put in the training, and then be ready to sprint again.
This sprint has been a wild one, very fast paced, and I’m excited to cross the finish line tomorrow night!
Appreciation:
Rather than dive into another business related book right away I stayed true to my preferred reading habit of switching to a fiction. I just finished up Speaker for the Dead (the sequel to Ender’s Game) and was reminded of how much I appreciate re-reading certain books. Walking through the book a second time and now knowing where it was going was one level, having read the books that follow afterwards added even more. Seeing the development of characters from the perspectives of past, present, and future really adds so much depth and insight. Orson Scott Card did a wonderful job of building upon the character arcs throughout his novels, this second reading really helped me see what a masterful storyteller he really is.
Presence:
Sitting in the stands, under the sun, watching the first soccer game of the season for Gavin… Perfect weather to enjoy watching him start his season!
It is so easy to say no, but do much smarter think of “how it could be done” before choosing no. Sometimes a little thought can bring us to better solutions when a simple no would’ve eliminated the opportunity to find them.
Appreciation:
We always have a choice to make. We can control how we choose to experience life and all there is around us. We can choose to see stress and challenge or calm and opportunity – it is entirely up to us to decide how we will react and respond. The more I remember that I have a choice to make the more I remember to make the right choice rather than be guided by emotion. Today I remembered that I had a choice and it made all the difference.
Presence:
What do wolverine tracks, a moray eel, a whale, a blazing fire, cracked ice, a spiral, and random whisps have in common? They were all shapes in gif clouds above me during standup paddle board yoga tonight. Taking time to breathe and stare up at the clouds was so incredibly gratifying today!
Taking time to think, assess, strategize, plan, and then execute. What an incredible difference in effectiveness versus reacting and responding. Remember to take the first breath to assess how quickly a decision must be made or an action must be taken and then respond in timely fashion.
Appreciation:
This one may sound a bit odd, but I’m grateful for a long work day today. I left my house before 6am and didn’t get back to La Crosse until after 6pm. The reason I am thankful for it today is because days like this don’t happen nearly as often as they used to back in the day. Days like this are reminders of so many lessons I’ve learned the hard way including:
Working harder does not equal working more effectively
Undisciplined pursuit of more leads to less
Let purpose lead the way over ego
Having one day like this, one spent in a strong zone of working on purpose, working at a high pace, and working with positive teammates is a gift for so many reasons… but only when needed once in a while.
Presence:
After walking up super early Becky and I were able to get our run in before I left for work which left me feeling more awake than I had any right to be. When I hit the halfway point in Arcadia I was greeted with a spectacular gift of timing. There were thick clouds hanging in the valleys and I was looking down upon them from atop the bluff. As if that wasn’t awesome enough the sunrise was lighting up the whisps of the tops of the clouds in a brilliant golden light. It was beautiful!!!
Questions, lead with questions. Questions lead to greater successes than statements. Start with questions, listen, learn, and then ask more questions until it is fully understood. Only then will statements lead to success.
Appreciation:
Throughout my Express career I’ve been challenged to read many books for various training reasons. Whether it was a part of a future leadership program, a monthly training, or an ongoing ownership meeting there have been many books I’ve read. Quite often, in full honesty, I wasn’t thrilled to read them. I read them out of obligation and quite often ended up learning so much from them. After a while I started to develop a pattern of reading on a very regular basis.
Today was a wonderful reminder of how much that habit has continued to help me through my career. Thanks to have read one a while back it triggered in my mind today as one that I needed to pull off the shelf and dive back into. I did just that and am already thanking myself for the lessons and ideas I’ve gleaned from it.
Reading is such a valuable gift we can give ourselves. The lesson can never be taken away and it can come back to help us in so many different ways and situations. Today I’m grateful for developing this habit and for giving myself that gift.
Presence:
Yoga tonight was hot, muggy, and intense! The moment which stuck out most to me today as a moment of extreme presence was when Nick, our yoga instructor, challenged us to push through one last wheel pose for five of our own breaths. My arms were already torched and I was exhausted, but I gritted it out through shaking muscles to stay up for the entire five breaths.
The funny thing is that in retrospect I’m pretty sure if he would have pushed us for four breaths that’s all I would have been able to do. If he’d ask ed for us to go for six I’m guessing I could have done the six instead of five.
Regardless, in that moment the only thing on my mind and in my focus was on the individual breaths and the straining muscles. Nothing else existed, only breathing and straining. And it felt amazing!
Thankful for Forty 