Day 2,818

Growth:

I may have written about a similar topic just over a week ago but it 100% can use repeating… Questions, questions, questions. There is no better way to engage in conversation, to lead, and to get to know someone than well asked questions. Seek first to understand, then to be understood – and to accomplish that questions seem to be the best place to start.

When I have been most frustrated it is often when I haven’t been asked questions, when I am told without a question being asked prior to direction.

When I have been least effective it is often when I started by giving direction rather than asking questions to truly understand before passing judgement.

Start with questions, listen to answers, ask more questions, listen with the intent of learning, and then provide a statement.

Appreciation:

My favorite time of the day is currently the 45 minutes prior to sunrise. There is a magic in the woods during that time. Everything in the forest is alive and moving, humans are the only ones sleeping.

There’s just enough light to be able to see the trail, but not quite enough light to make out any colors. By sunrise the greens of plants are so vibrant. Such an intense change in a short period of time.

The smells of the trees and plants are especially thick, there’s a different scent in the woods when it transitions from night to day and I love each wonderful sniff of it.

The birds are talkative, the squirrels are starting to play, and the deer snort and crash through the underbrush as they head off in search of breakfast.

Even the silvery strands of spiderwebs that stick to my face and hair as I walk through them seem to tickle and remind me that no one else has been here since the spider left that single strand across the trail, I am alone in the woods.

For all of these reasons and so many more the 45 minutes before sunrise fill my soul like no other time in the day. It is quiet, still, and serene while also being so undeniably alive.

Presence:

This evening I had the pleasure of getting to know one of our associates much better over dinner at the Habitat for Humanity fundraiser. He grew up in Puerto Rico and I got to hear a lot about the food, the beaches, the wildlife, and the economy. I can now say I know someone who was chased by a shark! I’m grateful for the opportunity to spend time with him to learn more about him, his past, and about Puerto Rico – none of which I would have had the opportunity to do had I not been present in the conversation with him.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,817

Growth:

Today was a moment in which there was extreme clarity. Everything slowed down for a moment and I could easily see the stitches on the baseball as the pitch was coming in. Moments like that are often few and far between as a leader, but so powerful and moving when they occur. What was interesting was that I unwound the moment and what led to it there were many other moments in which I should have noticed how clear the path was.

Remember to watch more closely for clarity, it is often hidden in plain sight. Some moments of clarity are hand delivered on a platter with a bow, but most often it is waiting nearby, hoping to be noticed should one look for it.

Appreciation:

I clearly remember Dad telling me early and often how his intelligence – from my perspective – would grow immensely until I was a teenager, then suffer a mind blowingly precipitous drop, and then possibly begin to steadily and rapidly increase from my mid-twenties. Let’s just say Dad knew what he was talking about.

This evening I texted to Mom to apologize for not taking her advice when I was about Dominic’s age and shared the story of what I had witnessed. Her response was an incredible quote. Mom for the win!

“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in 7 years.”

Mark Twain

Presence:

Funny how life works sometimes. When we coach someone else we might learn something that we thought we were teaching the other person. This was very much the case for me recently as I re-read Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday, a reading assignment I had for someone.

As luck would have it, today I had the opportunity to put into practice something I had re-learned from re-reading the book! Had I not recently gone back through that book I would have totally missed the opportunity and the moment.

In that moment I was present, I paused, I thought through the situation, remembered the book’s concepts, filtered the moment through my mental filter, and then took the right action. Presence and learning helped me live into the moment correctly.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,816

Growth:

“Go back to sleep, it’s raining out. No need to get up early and hike. Stay in your comfy bed and chill.”

– Mike’s Sleepy Voice

“Screw that, I’m going hiking.”

– Mike’s Right Voice

Yessir, I had a little battle with my inner voice that wanted to stay snuggled in, dry, and comfy this morning. It was misting when I woke up and there was a high likelihood of rain on its way when I was going to be out in the woods at about 5am. I fought the good fight, stayed strong, and got after it. The hike in the rain was amongst the most enjoyable solo morning hikes I’ve had in a long while.

My growth moment of today? Push past discomfort, that’s where the good stuff is!

Appreciation:

For reals, my hike this morning was truly epic… at least the first half was. The first half I spent entirely alone in a rainy forest. The sounds themselves were priceless. The pitter patter of rain was loud and soothing all at the same time as it seemingly echoed throughout the forest valley. The sounds of the outside world were completely drowned out, only raindrops, birdsong, and deer snorts remained.

At one point I leaned back with my pack against an old hickory and I watched the individual raindrops land on single leaves and cause them to bounce as if my magic. After watching this for a while I moved on to the stand of pines and took time to smell the fragrance of their bark. Such a delight!

While walking past an opening in the trees I chanced upon three deer all frozen and looking at me inquisitively. I spoke quietly to them, slowly walked past, and they bolted ten to twenty yards ahead of me. When I caught back up alongside them they almost seemed to match my pace and direction for half a moment. Such beauty, their tawny fur against the brilliant greens surrounding them. So peaceful, calm, and curious.

About halfway through my hike the trail runners came out in full force. They ran in packs with playful banter or solo with large smiles. Similar to myself, enjoying a moment of peace in the woods prior to returning to reality.

Time in the woods, time to pause and be truly present, time to be grateful for the wonders of nature.

Presence:

While enjoying the rain and the quiet forest I took a moment to record a video of the settings and the sounds around me. After recording for just over one minute I turned off the camera and realized someone was tired of me spending so much time in their spot. When I heard the second snort I couldn’t help but record a little more for everyone to hear the deer snort.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,815

Growth:

There is a small handful of books I must read at least once per year to renew my soul.

• Awareness by Anthony de Mello
• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
• The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu
• The New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
• Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
• The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Essentialism by Greg McKeown

I’m currently going back through Ego is the Enemy and I’m positively savoring each sentence of it. So many stories, so many reminders of how to live a better life. The lessons I was reminded of today have already helped me start to check my ego in a very positive way. So glad I picked this one back up!

Appreciation:

So I’ve now started and deleted this section three times. Maybe the fourth is the charm? 😉

After really thinking it through there is one thing above all others I am the most thankful for today. My teammates had so many successes today! New clients, new orders, new candidates, and new experiences. So many times I heard excited chatter, saw smiles, and the positivity was palpable throughout the office. Honestly, hearing their hard fought and well earned successes brought me so much joy. They’ve been busting their butts, going way outside their comfort zones, and have been gritting it out to create some incredible opportunities for themselves, their clients, and their associates. To see all their hard work paying out in spades has me smiling from ear to ear.

Presence:

This afternoon I excused myself from a meeting, went to a quiet spot in the building, took a deep breath, and remembered how deeply life was changed exactly six years before.

Love you dude!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,814

Growth:

There is an interesting dichotomy to learning from challenges. One one hand we want to remember what we learned from the experience which means also remembering the entirety of the challenge – good and bad. On the other hand we want to have the memory of a goldfish and put the challenge behind us and move on without carrying the baggage of the challenge. How do we accomplish both, remembering what was learned AND forgetting the incident to move on unencumbered?

Remember the LESSON we learned from the experience as opposed to the experience itself. Take time to dissect the situation and extract all the lessons from it. Write the lessons down, commit them to memory, and focus on only that, the lessons for future use. Forgive and forget the experience itself, don’t let the negativity drag down future performance.

Ultimately it comes back to asking ourselves that one ridiculously powerful and transformative question. “What can I learn from this?”

Appreciation:

Funny how much life has changed in the past few decades. When I went to scouting events there was never an issue with not having a cellphone on me. No leaders had cellphones nor direct contact with the outside world when we were camping. If there was an issue we would have to drive to the nearest phone and figure things out that way, something that only happened in rare occasions – like when someone had a sledding accident involving a tree 😮

When Gavin went to Scout camp for his National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) today there was one very clear rule which was enforced at the check in – NO CELLPHONES! There was to be zero electronics brought by the scouts for this event. The leaders even handed out a card with phone numbers in case we needed to contact our scout to help people, what a difference from back in the day.

I could go off on a tangent about how addicted we are to our modern comforts and electronics, but instead I’m grateful for the positives of this. How awesome that there are still events in which kids are reminded that we don’t really have to stay connected 24/7? I’m grateful for this reminder and greatly appreciate knowing that Gavin will be completely unplugged for the next five days. This will be quite a mental gift for him!

Presence:

This afternoon we had yet another graduation party with our friends from La Crosse and it was AWESOME! So thankful for yet another opportunity for us to pause work and everything else to spend time with each other catching up and shooting the bull. I intentionally left my cellphone in the car so I wouldn’t be tempted to remove myself from the conversation. It felt wonderful to be distraction free and focus only on spending time with my buddies. What a wonderful way to spend part of this afternoon!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,813

Growth:

Never waste a good crisis! Through difficult times we can often find solutions beyond the present situation. Case in point today, the issue today resulted in an opportunity to share the power of self reflection that comes from journaling, to show what a growth mindset looks like in action, and to encourage reading as a positive resource.

Within every situation is an upside, a positive, waiting and begging to be discovered. We must choose to find it.

Appreciation:

While this easily could be put into the Growth section I’m intentionally addressing here as it truly is what I am most thankful for today.

Throughout life I’ve made countless mistakes. So many that it is difficult to think of where to start. Many were acting against my values, doing the wrong things, and not thinking things through. Some were times when I didn’t do the right thing because it was too difficult or I was lazy or I let my ego get in the way. Other times I didn’t give my all and totally mailed it in, or, as Dad would put it, I “half-assed it” or “screwed the pooch.” A lifetime of mistakes.

Each mistake contains a gift. Each screw up, each failure, each mistake provides an opportunity to learn, to grow, to become stronger. What a gift!

But this gift must be sought out in order to be received! I have to look for the gift in order to learn, to grow, and to become stronger. It isn’t freely given, it is earned – but it is always there waiting I am ready to seek it.

To find and earn this gift I must first recognize the mistake itself, what was the true issue. I must accept that I made the mistake. I must consider what the right action would have been. I must pause and determine why I didn’t do the right thing. I must plan how to avoid making a similar mistake again. I must stay disciplined to that plan. Most importantly, I must forgive myself for making the mistake.

When those actions are taken I can step back and see and appreciate the gift I’ve earned through this mistake…. This mistake has made me a better person. This mistake has helped me close the gap between who I am and who I am called to be. What a gift!

Presence:

Sometimes we need a little levity and sometimes it helps to know we are not alone. A conversation with my brother accomplished both this evening and I greatly appreciated it!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,812

Growth:

Things roll so much easier once I get into a flow state. Today I learned another trick about how to get into that headspace. I knocked out everything else that had to be done, closed my eyes for a few minutes, focused on my breath, moved everything unrelated off my desk, and went to work. Next thing I knew an hour and a half had blown by and I’d made more progress than expected.

Appreciation:

I’m getting soooo excited for my trip to the Porcupine Mountains in a few weeks for my backpacking trip for a pile of reasons. Over the past couple of days I’ve started getting everything all prepped and checked so I know I’ve got what I need for a successful hike. As I get it all put together I can’t help but get more and more pumped to get outside, to backpack, and to enjoy the beauty of the Upper Peninsula! Nothing like the anticipation of something awesome to put a little bonus spring in the step.

Presence:

After supper we headed out on the boat and had an awesome time as a family. We enjoyed a relatively quiet river, chilled on a sandbar while LuLu swam and chewed on logs, and had fun joking and talking. After all the craziness of the past couple of weeks this time outside as a family felt amazing. I soaked up every moment of it.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,811

Growth:

Days are better when they start outside! This morning I threw on my pack and knocked out a sweet little hike in Hixon and it set the pace for the entire day. Everything just makes more sense in the woods.

Appreciation:

A large colony of bright yellow fungus lay at the base of a dead tree.

The sounds of over 20 different bird species were picked up on my phone using the free Merlin app.

The stand of pines was even more inviting and welcoming than in the past.

The deer out for a morning walk and breakfast.

The squirrels playing in a hollow dead tree.

The beauty of nature all around, warming my soul like a comfortable and well worn sweatshirt. So thankful for starting my day that way!

Presence:

I heard a little noise while hiking and paused for a better listen. Within seconds a deer started walking out through the field to my right and never noticed me. I just sat back and enjoyed watching the deer eat its breakfast as it slowly meandered away.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,810

Growth:

Listen, write down my thoughts as questions, think, and then ask questions rather than assume. Funny how much more progress is made when asking questions rather than sharing advice. A carefully crafted question asked at the right moment is more effective than almost any statement ever could be.

Appreciation:

This morning I had to cruise into the restaurant nearby to discuss a building issue and I had the incredibly fortunate luck to run into an old friend of mine! Out of nowhere she appeared and we had a huge hug, shot the bull, and caught up on the vacation plans she and her husband have set. It was awesome!!! Wonderfully divine timing, such a gift! While we didn’t have a ton of time to talk it was so wonderful pausing to re-connect in person, to share a smile, to hug, and to share a moment. So thankful for the timing today!

Presence:

Blogging about presence is a total slam dunk when we have Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga. Spending time outside, in nature, on the water, while getting exercise, and relaxing my brain is pure medicine for my soul. The moment that really sticks out is when I was staring straight up in the sky watching a line of clouds slowly stretch and change shape while listening to the birds singing all around me as I peacefully rocked in the little waves of the lake. Awesomeness!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,809

Growth:

One last one from the series finale of Ted Lasso for so many beautiful reasons:

Human beings are never gonna be perfect, Roy. The best we can do is to keep asking for help and accepting it when you can. And if you keep on doing that, you’ll always be moving towards better.

– Higgins, Ted Lasso

Appreciation:

So much to be grateful for today for a variety of reasons:

• Help from a friend to get closer to completing a project
• Strong teammates who help support each other and bring out our best together
• That person with an awesomely positive and energetic attitude in the morning
• Watching the lash episode of a series together as a family
• Quiet time to reflect
• …and so many others

Presence:

On my drive home from Eau Claire I stumbled upon two songs from back in the day that were a couple that hit particularly close to home from one of the most transformative periods of my life. I rolled down the windows, turned up the stereo, and took in the music, the memories, and the realization of just how much I grew during that time.

Thanks!!!