Day 2,978

Growth:

Some of the best and most heartfelt traditions live on for generations and create a ton of joy and smiles year after year after year. Here’s to two of my mentors for creating a Thanksgiving tradition that still continues well over 30 years later. What an awesomely positive impact they’ve had on so many through their generosity, giving, and love!

Appreciation:

Dominic and I had put together the backbone of our trip to Patagonia in March, today we started to flesh out all the details. In many ways the construction of a vacation is so similar to a woodworking project. Start with an idea, get the structure built, and then fill in al the details and character. As with any project – it is guaranteed to not go exactly as planned and that’s all good too. We’ll adapt, adjust, and make the best of any curveballs we get thrown our way. Seeing the details start to take shape has me sooooooo excited!

Presence:

Hanging out with Dominic today was the highlight of my day! We got a bunch of time together from the point I picked him up from the train station until just about supper time. It was just the two of us (& Leia) and we talked about fun stuff, school stuff, and vacation stuff. Having that bonus one on one time was heartwarming and I’m looking forward to more of that over the next couple of days.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,977

Growth:

Honest and constructive feedback is so awesome and greatly appreciated!!! Huge shout out to my buddy Rick for pointing out a great way to improve the quality of my audiobook recording today! His idea helped a ton and in more ways than I expected! It was a very insightful reminder of how helpful it is to share ideas with someone to help them improve. Thanks for the inspiration dude!!!

Appreciation:

The recording is now done. I’d set a goal of recording the entirety of my book while Gavin and Becky were in France and I’ve now accomplished that goal. The sense of accomplishment is tremendous! There’s still so much work ahead including editing, possibly re-recording sections, and setting up the files to upload, but the heaviest of the lifting is now complete. There are now approximately 7 hours of recordings done. Whew – I am feeling it! Both emotionally and physically I am feeling exhausted, but it is the exhaustion of hard work being completed, and the goal being done!

Bring on the extra work, all the stuff that will take a ton of time, and the next steps – that’s all good. Today I’m grateful for setting a big goal and knocking it out!

Presence:

Wowza, recording my book for audio was rough in the best possible ways. Re-living so many difficult moments brought back so many feels, but largely they were all good – just very intense. Spending the better part of two days reading my book into a microphone re-opened the chest of memories I’d packed away a while ago and hadn’t opened this completely for a long time. That said, what a profound way to remind me of the why behind this project! Getting lost in those memories while recording in a tiny little dark space was wild. Though the work seems like it should have been rather mundane I caught myself being in a flow state almost the entire time.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,976

Growth:

Today I’ve learned that there is reading and then there is READING. I love reading! Picking up a good book, taking it all in, and enjoying the written word – all so chill and calming. Today I was READING as I’ve started recording the audio version of my book and it was an entirely different experience.

When READING I have to take the time to notice each and every word. I can’t help but be more focused on all the detail as I am not only reading it, but I am preparing to speak it. This also means digesting it on a different level as I need to read it as I would speak it rather than just reading it. These two additional steps really make a giant leap from reading to READING.

What’s really getting me thinking is how differently I am taking in this information this time around. How much different would my comprehension be if I read everything aloud as if I were recording an audiobook? I wouldn’t read nearly as fast, but I’d imagine my understanding of the book would be increased tremendously. Definitely something to consider for the future!

Appreciation:

In order to have quiet to record I brought Leia to doggy daycare for the first time of her life. To say she enjoyed it would be a huge understatement! Here’s what she looked like on the way home and shortly after getting home:

This has been the quietest night I’ve had since Becky and Gavin left, no question! She even put herself to bed a little before 6:30pm. Can’t wait to see how worn out she is after going again tomorrow!

Presence:

This morning I was blessed with an inspiring gift, the opportunity to join friends at the courthouse to see the adoption of their son become legally completed. The details are theirs to share – what I am grateful for is the presence of the moment that it was official. There was so much love and joy in that courtroom from so many, it was a special moment I will cherish forever.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,975

Growth:

One of the most impactful trainings I’ve ever had was on the standard cycle of learning we all go through when we learn new tasks – Situational Leadership (aka SLII). Typically, when we are first about to start a task we are all types of excited and we’re ready to run through walls to accomplish the new task, we just need to have someone give us a little direction. Once we start down that path we quickly realize that it is not going to be as easy and simple as we initially assumed it would be, we have learned what we didn’t already know. At that moment we feel crushed and now need some positive coaching in addition to the direction.

And that’s where I am today. As excited as I have been to start recording I am frustrated. The volumes and levels aren’t quite where I need them to be and it is painstaking to adjust them. As I read in practice I’m tripping over my written words and it is driving me bonkers. This whole project has gone from a “this will be a blast” to “hmm, how do I dump this without too much shame?” 😉

Of course, I am going to work through it. Can I do this? Yes, I’ve worked through other things before. One step at a time. I’ve got a way to adjust all the levels and will take the time to do that tomorrow morning when I am not watching a puppy (who decided to take advantage of my recording practice by grabbing one of my hand clamps and chewing both of the rubber pads off). Yeah, I am likely going to stumble over my words. No worries – I can edit it! It’s not the end of the world if I have to re-record certain sections. I’ll figure it out, I’ve done more difficult things in the past (like writing the book in the first place).

Yes, I am frustrated now, but I know how to work through it. I’ve got this. Tomorrow will end with much progress made!

Appreciation:

This afternoon I got to catch up with Becky and Gavin and hear about how their trip to France has been going. So glad they decided to go on this adventure together! The memories they are making together and the time they have with just the two of them is awesome and will only continue to grow the bonds they already have. While I would like to be with them I know there’s a magic to having that solo time with one of our sons at a time from past experience. I’m very appreciative that they are getting this time together and are making some lifelong memories!

Presence:

There was a moment this morning as Leia and I walked through the woods this morning that was so perfectly tranquil. There was no sound of traffic. The air was still. The only sound was that of Leia bounding through the leaves like the puppy she is. The smile on her face as she decided to play a little chase with me was priceless. The happiness of a puppy outdoors playing is a joy I need to remember to harvest in my own life more often. Play and have fun, life doesn’t always have to be serious and goal driven.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,973

Growth:

Many years ago I had a conversation with my friend Rick about composing music on his computer. I asked why he didn’t just mix everything perfectly, making each note of each instrument hit at the perfect tone. He shared that there is a perfection in imperfection. If everything was perfect in the song it just wouldn’t sound right. The little imperfections at the right places made a good song a beautiful song.

Earlier this morning as I was thinking through about my blog post and thoughts from yesterday. I started to realize how much that concept applies to life in general. Our lives are so deeply enriched and wonderful BECAUSE of the imperfections and struggles. They allow the moments of joy and happiness to really come to the surface and shine.

So similar to my post from last night. The imperfections are a perfect was for us to grow and remember to appreciate what we have, to enjoy the full melody of life.

Appreciation:

This morning Gavin was up and moving early in preparation for his upcoming trip with Becky. He and Dominic jumped on the phone and provided quite the background soundtrack to the work I was doing from home. There was nonstop laughing, giggling, and joking around between the two of them and it was music for my soul! I am so grateful for the way they continue to spend time connecting with each other and the friendship they have built.

Presence:

This morning I stumbled upon one of my favorite early morning solo run albums, The Rural Alberta Advantage’s Mended with Gold. The music combined with the 20-ish degree crisp air to form the right conditions for an inspiration meditative run to kick off the day. I love the way music can help my mind slip into a flow state so easily.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,971

Growth:

Sometimes the most productive task we can work on is one that doesn’t feel like it is actually moving the dial. Today I paused to put time and energy into gathering all of the tasks, ideas, and projects I am working on to review and then cull the herd. Some were quick and easy ones to knock out, others were eliminated entirely, and a few were send off to a parking lot for Future Mike to take a look at down the road. What remains is a more clear path and helps me see where my energy should be spent. In working on dumping my brain like this I didn’t actually knock anything off the list, but it made all the difference in the world for me moving forward.

Appreciation:

Last week I worked with a friend on helping them find their passion. They’d felt stuck and I offered up some ideas on how to be unstuck and how to pursue their dreams.

My mind is still being twisted and bent by the Tim Ferriss podcast with Jim Collins that I shared yesterday. Several points hit on a profoundly deeper level than in the past and got my head thinking.

A project I worked on today brought me back to old notes and goals. Reviewing them brought back some pretty epic dreams and lined up very closely with some of the ideas from the podcast.

An email today shared the link to a podcast I just recorded for our Express Leadership Academy. When I watched a few moments I realized / remembered what a flow state I was in during that process.

Putting my plan together for this weekend and upcoming week really got me charged up for the project I’m taking on. There’s excitement because it is new, but also excitement because it feels so right.

Out of the blue a friend contacted me about a potential opportunity that still has me shaking my head in disbelief. The backbone is completely in line with each of the previous points.

Tonight I’m thankful for the repeated nudges I’m getting from The Big Dude Upstairs. They are all pointing me towards a dream and I will follow. Here’s to those nudges, the hard work and reps put in, and to each of the wonderful people who helped to create this opportunity!

Presence:

Throughout the day I had the opportunity to reconnect with a dear friend and mentor. Catching up with them was fabulous, it had been too long since we last spoke. Their high energy rubbed off and I’m still smiling after our conversation. Additionally, they offered up some mind rocking dream fuel which helped ignite a firestorm of dreams and ideas in me! Our conversation this evening will stick with me for a long time for a variety of reasons.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,970

Growth:

I’ve written about the power of clarity often. What really sunk in for me today was the power of the combination of clarity AND written follow up. While sometimes we think we have clarity we maybe don’t understand each other quite as well as we thought we did. By taking the time to put our conversations into written format we have the opportunity to get one step closer to knowing we are all on the same page. Talk openly and ask questions until there is clarity, then write it all down and share so that way the message is truly heard all around.

Appreciation:

This morning I had a call with a business partner to share what’s happened over the past couple of weeks since we’d last spoken. Due to scheduling I had exactly 27 minutes to talk with him and I utilized each and every single second! By the time I’d run through everything I felt like the squirrel from Over the Hedge, running a million miles an hour and just spewing everything that had been building in my brain. It was therapeutic in so many ways!

Honestly, it was interesting just how much more clearly I could see the world after dumping all those thoughts, ideas, frustrations, celebrations, and memories out of my head. Everything seemed to slow down a bit afterwards and it was like I’d taken an overfull trunk, dumped it on the ground around me, and then started to sort through what was really important and needed to go back in the box, tkaing time to pack the biggest parts first.

So grateful for the opportunity to release all my pent up brainwaves, it helped me see more clearly!

Presence:

This morning I started listening to an old Tim Ferriss podcast of Jim Collins, one of my favorite thought leaders. I’ve listened to this episode more times than I care to admit, but in spite of the repeated listens I was able to glean so much insight! From the point I hit play until the time I shut it off I was completely enthralled by the thought processes of Collins, by the questions he asked, and the actions he’s taken. Each time I listen I swear that the world around me pauses and allows me to put 100% of my focus into that podcast.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,969

Growth:

We really get to know a lot about ourselves and other people when we are under pressure. When the stakes go up it becomes more difficult for us to contain emotions – for better or worse. Today was a reminder that while I can easily see that in others they (and I) can see it in myself as well. Be a better me all the time, then my reaction under pressure will be the me I am all the time anyways.

Appreciation:

I’ve written about this general concept often, but it bears repeating today. I am grateful for remembering that I can only control what I can control – and this includes controlling where I focus my energy and emotion. While I was all kinds of frustrated over a specific event I reminded myself to let it go and move on… after wallowing in it for a while. As the moments (hours) ticked away I realized more and more clearly that I was allowing my emotional response dictate the lens through which I was seeing the day rather than acknowledging the emotion, granting myself grace, and moving on right away. My response was far from ideal, it took me longer than I would like to have arrived at the right place, but I’m grateful for finally arriving at the right place nonetheless.

I cannot control what happens to me, how others respond, or what unexpected challenges I will face in the day. I can choose how I respond, how I have awareness of the situation and my emotion, and how quickly I move forward.

Today I am grateful for the opportunity to put in more reps, to keep putting in the practice, and for the awareness to pause and clearly see the gap between who I am and who I am called to be.

Presence:

Okay, easy winner today! Becky and I saw an astoundingly long shooting star this morning glide across the sky right under Orion’s feet while we were out for our run this morning! Such a welcome surprise while we were outside with Leia before the rest of the world was waking up. Becky saw a second one as well a little while later. The unceasing beauty of Creation!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,968

Growth:

Situational Leadership continues to be one of the most positively impactful trainings I’ve ever had. Today we coached Gavin through driving on the interstate for the first time. Talk about a very focused training! Based on where his brain was I started with S1 (highly directive, low coaching) and quickly modified to S2 (highly directive, high coaching) to help him through some nerves that appeared as he hit 70mph for the first time in his life. Throughout other portions of his driving I flexed back and forth between S1, S2, S3, & S4 based on where Gavin was in the learning process for each situation. While it was a very focused training it reminded me of how important it is to utilize this process more often in many more scenarios.

Appreciation:

Today has felt like a deep breath, an opportunity hit the pause button and relax. There were multiple times when my head went back to a concept from Awareness. “Things don’t have to always be done well, many times they should be done enjoyably instead.” Today I did things enjoyably and my soul was warmed as a result. Hmm, there is a lot more to unpack there in a future blog, I’m just going to leave it there for now.

Presence:

Holy outside time! There was a lot of time spent enjoying being outside while November shared one of its most epically nice warm days. The sun was out most of the day and we enjoyed a couple of hikes and some yard work. The weather will likely be changing soon and it was a treat to enjoy the unseasonably warm temperatures.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,967

Growth:

So thankful for starting a project long in advance and giving myself a very lengthy timeline! By starting early I’ve provided myself the opportunity to get ahead of the game and work through issues with plenty of time to correct them. Talk about starting with a lower stress level! Definitely something to remember for future projects.

Appreciation:

Hanging out with good friends is always a blast – even if I have done a lot of people-ing recently! This evening we had a delicious dinner with friends at our house and had a wonderful time sharing stories. Great food, great friends, great times!

Presence:

OMG – laughing while being nervous and teaching Gavin how to drive led to some big laughs, new stories, and excellent learning moments! On two short drives we ended up on a couple of wild adventures!

Thanks!!!