Day 2,339

Growth:

We hardly understand what is going on inside of ourselves, why assume we know what is going on in others? So easy to guess and assume where people are coming from, but almost always we don’t understand the full picture.

Kreiling, remember to ask more questions, listen more intently, and don’t assume. Listen more, solve less.

Appreciation:

One of the defining moments of my life was a simple question asked by a friend at just the right time. Those few simple words are burned into my brain and helped me unlock the metaphorical prison cell I’d put my own mind into. The question was asked out of love, required the courage to possibly go into very uncomfortable areas, and was asked in such a way that it allowed me to open up.

To the mindset of growth I mentioned above, we never know the impact we may have on others. Act with love. Act with courage. Act with kindness. Act with compassion.

When we act with love we have a chance to help, when we don’t act because we’re afraid we miss an opportunity to help someone who needs it.

I’m so thankful for a question asked by a friend in a coffee shop many years ago, she changed the direction of my life in a profoundly positive way.

Presence:

Yoga tonight was amazing! My legs are still burning. Nothing like pushing your body further than you think it can go to focus your mind 100% in the present. All that existed was my breathing and the burning in my leg muscles – in a very good way.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,338

Growth:

There are tasks I really don’t enjoy doing. They don’t come naturally, they are draining, and I find them quite boring. It is so easy to find any possible distraction to allow me the opportunity to pass it off for another time. That’s where grit comes in. Suck it up, get it done, eat the vegetables. If I remember to choose the right mindset I can turn the mundane into an accomplishment.

Case in point was today. Gathering and preparing information for taxes? Gross. Not at all fun, not at all rewarding on the surface. That said, if I can will myself through this mind numbing task I will find a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. I mastered myself and was able to fight off my inner voice that wanted to do something else, something fun.

Today I’m feeling very satisfied and accomplished. It’s all done, and that feels wonderful. Not gonna lie, it feels even better knowing I won’t have to do it again for a year! 😂

Appreciation:

While the project of pulling a ton of info for taxes and whatnot wasn’t fun it was quite the time capsule of the past year. So many moments that I’ll always remember but won’t always float to the surface on their own. Pausing for a moment to think back to each was a but therapeutic, especially during a task I often find unpleasant. What a nice surprise to find a hidden pocket of joy amongst all the detail work I normally dread!

Presence:

There’s a weird sense of peace and presence to be found waiting in the parking lot of a school waiting for the boys to be done with practice. So easy to waste it on my phone looking up the news and whatnot. Much better used to pause, reflect, gather my thoughts, and blog. Heck, given enough time I’ve even had the opportunity to recline a bit, close my eyes, and focus on breathing. Here’s to bonus time to be found in the chaos!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,337

Growth:

Keep my eyes open. Though I’ve spent much time in certain areas there is always so much more to discover.

While walking LuLu today, Gavin and I found a trail that we’d never noticed before and it was awesome! So much new to see in an area I thought I knew almost completely. So much more to see.

Appreciation:

Being out in front of a crowd takes courage. Standing up and knowing all eyes are on you is not for the weak of heart. In that moment you are putting yourself out there.

Gavin performed a solo today at their band event and did really well. Dominic did the same a handful of years ago also.

I’m grateful both of the boys are open to putting themselves out there, to try their best, to put in the work needed to be prepared, and to be confident in those moments.

Presence:

Taking a walk on the new trail we found was pretty epic. Gavin and I saw about a dozen eagles as we walked within eyesight of the Black River. At the end of the trail we crunched across what appeared to be yellowed old tall grass and then realized it was covering the ice below it. We paused to soak in the sight of an eagle atop a dead tree and to inspect what we deemed the “Hydra Tree.”

Time alone outdoors is one of my happiest places. Being there to enjoy it with family was total bliss.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,336

Growth:

Pause, listen, think, and then respond. What a difference it makes to take my time and spend time in thought prior to making a decision.

Throughout much of my life I’ve benefited from making a call using instincts and my gut. The older I get the more I remember to consider the amount of time I have before I need to make a decision. Use all the time allowed to think it through and then respond.

Appreciation:

Living vicariously through the boys has me smiling and laughing for so many reasons. They had their high school dance tonight and the entire night has been very entertaining. From changing their plans a half dozen times to eating out to the same pre high school dance conversations that have been happening for at least three decades to hearing the stories from their nights to the now “after party” of one of their friends sleeping over it’s been a blast! So glad they had such an awesome night and that I got to experience bits and pieces of it.

Presence:

Sitting on the couch in an empty house petting LuLu with the sound of silence surrounding me. After the past few weeks that moment was very calming and soothing. No work, no stress, no obligation, no distraction, just straight up chill time.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,335

Growth:

There is so much out of our control. What situations arise, how rankings work, and the like. Those moments come and present us with the one choice we truly have control over – “how will I respond to this?”

The most difficult of challenges provide us the greatest opportunity to grow. The most mundane and minimal frustrations provide us an opportunity to practice.

When I choose to see it as practice of as growth my mindset shifts so quickly to where I would like it to be all the time.

Appreciation:

While riding my bike trainer this morning I started watching a Netflix documentary on Whakaari, the volcano in New Zealand which erupted in December of 2019. We travelled to the volcano in 2017 on our family trip and were all enthralled by the beauty and raw power of that place of spiritual importance to the Māori. Our trip was one of dream, truly awesome at so many levels, one of our favorite excursions ever.

Unfortunately it was the worst of nightmares for many in 2019. As luck would have it we were on a family trip in Australia when the eruption occurred. Dominic was the first to figure out that if was Whakaari on the news while we were prepping for supper. Such a surreal moment seeing all that transpired that day.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to tour the White Island and I’m even more thankful for leaving it safely.

Presence:

Usually I focus on positive moments of presence, but today I’m going with a difficult one. Out of left field we got some bad news about one of our clients, they ran into an issue that’s causing them to slow way down. Very quickly my attention focused on the moment, each breath, and I listened attentively to each word spoken.

I quickly saw this as a test. Would I get frustrated or feel bad for the negative impact to our business or would I set that aside and do my best to live into our purpose and to find a way to brighten their life in a dark moment. I’m grateful for the practice that helped me pass.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,334

Growth:

Note to My Future Self : The day is neither good nor bad, nor is our view of the day a singular choice. Moment by moment and second by second we each have the opportunity to choose our mindset and the context of the day. So something frustrated you early, why continue to carry its weight all day long. You must merely shrug, change your mindset, and live into the next moment. Enjoy the present and leave it unstained by the moment before it.

Appreciation:

Sometimes life throws us curveballs and we have to figure out how to deal with them. I’m super grateful for the way Dominic is dealing with a big one he was tossed earlier this week.

While snowboarding on Monday Dominic was midair and noticed a skier near where he was going to land. Dominic landed, caught the edge hard to stop and hit the ice face first resulting in a concussion.

At his doc appointment today he was told he should probably not race in the WI State Snowboarding meet on Saturday and Dominic not only agreed but made the decision that he’d rather be safe and avoid the potential of increased injury.

Making a decision like that is difficult in some ways. It is his senior year. It would have been his last competitive high school snowboarding event. It would have been an opportunity to hit a goal he’d set for himself earlier in the year. That’s a lot of temptation for a 17 year old.

Rather, Dominic decided to give himself the right amount of time to heal, to avoid the added risk, and to look ahead to so many other and bigger goals he has set for himself. In that way his decision was a very simple one.

Tonight I’m grateful for how he thought this all through, for the logic he used, and his use of reason over emotion. Super proud of you for making the right call Dominic! Bummer to miss this last race, but nice to know you’ll have more opportunities to do so many other things you want to accomplish!

Presence:

This morning started off a bit bumpy. At one point I was pretty frustrated so I figured some music would help me chill a bit. I hit Shuffle for any of the several thousand songs on my iPhone to randomly be selected. The first song was perfect!

“When life flips you a Jeffrey, stroke the furry walls, stroke the furry walls.”

A song off one of my favorite comedies, Get Him to the Greek, started playing and left me smiling.

I don’t think I could’ve found a better and more fitting song had I tried. Thank you iPhone for knowing me better than I do!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,333

Growth:

Maybe start by reading my Appreciation section first and then come back to this.

I am thankful for the reminder of how powerful our choice of attitude can be, the power of one smile. a

As we live our lives we have an opportunity to choose our mindset each moment of each day. That choice goes well beyond impacting only ourselves, it has the ability to influence the choice others make in that same moment. Our choice is for us, but is also helpful for others.

Smile often, smile in the face of adversity, smile for yourself, and smile for others.

Appreciation:

My drive from the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce was a rainy one. The cold February rain drops were fat and falling heavy. I swear I could feel their chill from inside my car.

Just as I rounded a corner to work up a hill a man carrying grocery bags appeared on the sidewalk to my left. He was wearing a flat cap hat, rain covered glasses, and a dripping overcoat and was carrying two big grocery bags in each hand.

He was smiling. He wore a smile so large that I felt my lips curl up in my own grin. There wasn’t anything in the world that was going to take the smile off of his face or the bounce out of his step, not even death itself was going to phase him.

Here was someone who was finding the joy in being alive regardless of what the weather was around him. Throughout the day his smile reminded me to find the joy in any situation.

How blessed I was to see him and to draw inspiration from the warmth of his smile.

Presence:

There was an awesome cloud formation around the newly risen sun this morning. The light was bouncing off it in such a way that there was almost a prismatic brilliance in the clouds near the sun. It wasn’t all the clouds, just a specific formation that must have been lower than the rest. So awesome to stare at this morning!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,332

Growth:

Life hands us situations and it is up to us to give them context. Was it good? Was it bad? The situation is neither, only our mindsets can apply our personal contact to it.

Which way we see it is a choice we must make.

Happiness is wanting what we have, not having what we want.

Appreciation:

I’m grateful for practicing practice. Nope, not a typing error, you read it correctly. I’m grateful for practicing practice.

Each day when I start with my purpose, values, & goals I start watching for what I’m appreciative of. At the end of each day my bill comes due and I must come up with my daily payment. In taking time to practice gratitude each day I’m practicing my practice and am slowly improving.

Today I had the opportunity to test gear I’ve learned did I did okay. Not perfect, not great, but better than had I not been practicing.

Presence:

On my drive to Eau Claire I paused my audiobook for a bit and enjoyed some good tunes. While paying more attention to the scenery than usual I happened to notice a small hill in between two little valleys with a beautiful tree atop it. A perfect winter outdoors scene that I’d never noticed before, tucked away off the road just a bit.

Somehow I’ve never happened to see it when passing it so many times over the past decade and change. How many other perfect little scenes will I discover if I keep my eyes open for them?

Thanks!!!

Day 2,331

Growth:

It is so easy to want more and to set targets for happiness. When I DO this I will be happy. When I HAVE this I will be happy.

Happiness is all around us all the time, we can choose it anytime through gratitude.

Appreciation:

With all the goings ons of the Kreilings as of late I’m grateful for finding moments to connect, no matter how brief. In some ways the limited time helps me to be even more present in those interactions. Case in point, between walking LuLu and grocery shopping the time with Becky was full of conversation. There may be a few more crazy weeks ahead but we’ll keep finding pockets of connection throughout.

Presence:

This may seem a bit crazy but while grocery shopping there was a person who’s Joy was absolutely radiating from them. They had a liquid filled glass bowl with a brightly colored rose inside in their hands. As they inspected the bauble their smile shined bright. The state of awe they were experiencing was contagious and I caught myself smiling the rest of the shopping trip.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,330

Growth:

Due to a very unlikely set of circumstances Gavin was wrestling varsity at regionals today. As one would expect from a freshman who just started the sport less than four months ago he went 0-2.

In spite of defeat Gavin, uber competitive Gavin, was smiling the entire time afterwards!

He knew he gave his all and his all just wasn’t up to the all his competitors had to give. He saw it as an opportunity to grow, welcomed the ridiculous odds, and learned from both matches. Gavin was almost glowing as he recounted almost getting a cradle in on one of the competitors.

He is also looking forward to seeing how he matches up with them next year after he gets more time to practice. No frustration, no disappointment, only realization that he can compete with more experience and the drive to work harder in the offseason.

What a great inspiration for me to remember!

Appreciation:

Gavin really stepped it up as a leader tonight at Scouts and it was fun to see just how much that crazy kid has grown! From taking the lead on various chores, leading by example, and helping other Scouts I’m thankful for the opportunity to see his leadership skills firsthand today. Great work dude!

Presence:

Laying in a quiet tent in nature during the winter as I blog. The Scouts will be heading out to their shelter shortly and I’m sure they’ll be a bit loud so I’m just enjoying thx peace while it is here. Calm, chill (literally), and exactly where I should be tonight.

Thanks!!!

PS: So much for the silence 😂