Reading a book once is wonderful, reading it several times is divine. I may set a goal of becoming a centireader…. Reading the sand book over 100 times. Each reading adds such depth!
Appreciation:
Tonight I’m grateful for a living room full of family. After being away for work much of last week it felt like our hone was complete again. Sure, we spent much of the time completing the FAFSA which was frustrating, but at least we were frustrated and laughed all together. So awesome having our full house.
Presence:
A very unexpected source of presence and joy was getting water. There was an odd sense of peace derived from the simple, yet important task. Throughout the day there’ve been a handful of times in which in I caught myself in a similar state. Moments of simple tasks can be such an avenue to peace and presence.
Whew… what a whirlwind the past couple of weeks have been! My brain is still reeling from the nonstop pace.
When I was planning the week I had a list of everything I was going to do when I got home to an empty house today. Instead I sat on the couch, snuggled with LuLu, and went brain dead for a couple of hours. Now I’m laying in bed and about to crash.
Here’s how I’ve grown today, I gave myself time and space to rest. My mind will be refreshed and ready for a more productive tomorrow.
Appreciation:
Working on a Saturday isn’t something I like to do often. Working and connecting with my awesome teammates makes it all worth it. I’m beyond blessed to have an incredible family who happens to work together!
Presence:
Waking up early on a Saturday is usually not a great feeling. Knowing I present better when I’ve exercised before was a wonderful motivator to get me moving today. There was a wonderful state of flow when I started the run while listening to the John Wick 2 soundtrack. Felt great!
After practicing my presentation for tomorrow a couple of times on the flight I picked up my trusty travel companion, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. My copy has been across the world and back, on backpacking trips, and pretty much everywhere I’ve flown in the past five years. Thinking I should have gotten it a passport as I’m pretty sure it has been to over half a dozen countries outside the US.
The passage that really caught my attention and got me thinking was this:
If you seek tranquility, do less… …most of what we say and do is not essential. If you can eliminate it, you’ll have more time, and more tranquility, Ask yourself at every moment, “Is this necessary?”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 4:24
What a thought to keep in mind as I tend to add more and more and more. It fits so well into the concept from the sermon last Sunday reminding us that “if the devil can’t tempt us he’ll keep us busy.”
Appreciation:
The Express Leadership Academy Alumni event was spectacular. So many mind blowing learning sessions, so much fellowship with fellow franchisees, and a surplus of opportunities to reconnect with friends. I’ve struggled to put into words all the things I am thankful for from the event, but I really can’t quite nail it down as succinctly as I’d like. Maybe the best way to put it is this…
When I consider the investment made in time, travel, lodging, and so on I cannot concieve of a possible way in which the scales would ever be balanced. There is no question the investment was paid for multiple times over by the positive impact the event has already had and will have in the future.
Presence:
In a slight twist to presence I’m going to be apprecative not for a specific moment of presence, rather for something which gets in the way of presence. The past couple of nights I’ve been in a hotel room in Dallas for training. I’m reminded of how thankful I am to have a career which doesn’t involve a ton of traveling away from my family. Not being there for a family dinner, to talk in passing as we’re all getting reeady in the morning, and to not give a good night hug avoids a presence I appreciate greatly. I’m glad I’m normally home and usually present with my family.
“You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2:11
This quote has been top of mind for everal reasons today. In some cases I lived the moment in accordance with this thought, other times I worked in direct opposition to it and considered the right action afterward. The more I practice this quote the closer I will be to closing the gap between who I am and who I should be.
Nothing focuses us on a goal as knowing the deadline is soon at hand. Death is the ultimate deadline, its date unknown, and always sooner than desired.
Appreciation:
Time on flights used to be consumed with watching movies. I still remember watching at least three movies on one of our longer flights to or from Australia. I’d find a moive I wanted to watch, throw it on, and then dissolve into the screen.
More recently I’ve realized that the time on a flight is one of my last bastions of opportunity if I so choose. Rather than a movie I fired up my phone and started typing a presentation I’ll be giving soon. I was able to create a littlle over two hours of opportunity I could have easily squandered. I’m grateful for my flight discipline.
Presence:
My flight out of Minneapolis was a little bumpy early on. Within minutes of the wheels leaving the ground we started getting bounced around pretty heavily. I closed my eyes for a moment. I took a deep breath, relaxed, and realized this would be an opportune moment to practice remembering what is under my control and what is not. The bumps and shakes were outside of me, but I could choose how I responded. I looked to the front of the plane and enjoyed the next couple of minutes of the roller coaster ride.
“Are you listening for something to confirm what you already think or are you listening to learn?”
Anthony de Mello
What a succinct reminder to listen with the right intent rather than the intention to be right.
Appreciation:
I’m appreciative of those moments when someone else helps me see that being me in the way I was meant to be me is s strength that I should embrace warmly and attempt to live into more often. A while back someone helped me realize that we often take our strengths for granted as we assume everyone has the same strength. Having it pointed out can be humbling, but is as Leo a wonderful guidepost that we’re living more closely into our best selves.
Presence:
Getting lost in a thought provoking story is an awesome thing. Sure, I’ve seen the movie Wild, but the book is already blowing my mind. I was completely enraptured while starting it today!
Someone once said that suffering while exercising is really just weakness leaving the body. Sounds all badass and stuff until I’m in the heat of the moment when I’m suffering. During yoga today I reminded myself of that concept while desperately wanting to suck air because my lungs were on fire. Rather than give I decided to shed some weakness. I suffered through and realized I can push myself further do long as I become a better friend to self chosen suffering.
Appreciation:
I’m grateful for Becky’s discipline for exercising today. Thanks to her inspiration I knocked out two wonderful workouts and will sleep like a champ. I’d like to think I’d still do at least one workout, but thanks to Becky’s drive I don’t have to guess, I just do.
Presence:
In the moment my lungs were burning I dove right into the burn. I focused on it, took in every once of it, and was 100% present in it. Honestly, it sucked horribly while simultaneously felt incredibly liberating and exhilarating.
We went to church with mom at her church this morning and had the opportunity to experience an awesomely insightful sermon. One of the biggest takeaways for me was this – if the devil can’t tempt you he’ll keep you busy instead. That one kind really hit home on the importance of creating time to breathe and to focus inward. Thus really followed suit with several other lessons learned over the past couple of years.
Appreciation:
Spending much of yesterday at Mom’s was great time! No real agenda, lots of talking at the countertop, walking the dog, going out to eat, and relaxing together at the end of the night. So chill, so relaxing, so wonderful to spend time catching up.
Presence:
Even a short and condensed family game night is still a family game night. Through all the chaos of the past few months these family nights have been few and far between, it was nice having the opportunity to sit around the kitchen table and chill as a family.
Time passes by, the world changes, but memories created with dear friends are forever.
Appreciation:
Walking through the University of Minnesota campus as a family was a surreal intersection of memory and life and the realization of 20+ years flying by. Many memories created with great friends. Seeing the opportunity of the next stage of life for Dominic. Witnessing the steAdy forward movement of time over multiple decades. Inspiring. Humbling. Warming the soul. So much joy.
Presence:
The smell of fresh soil always gets me! On a hike with my mom and my family we happened upon a patch if freshly dug dirt where a new trail was being put in. Closing my eyes to breathe it in and appreciate it was so rewarding.
Impostor Syndrome is a legit challenge for many of us. The internal questioning of our ability can be utterly crippling at times when we let that little voice in our head mess us up. On the polar opposite end of the spectrum is arrogance. Somewhere in between is a beautfilly balanced spot in which I should strive to live my life, in confident humility.
Appreciation:
Here’s to the simple pleasures in life. This morning I had a doc appointment to start off the day. It just so happens that the hospital is right near the new Chik Fil A that just happened in La Crosse. The offer a profoundly tasty breakfast so I decided to pre-treat myself with a delicious chicken breakfast sandwich. The appointment was made all the better as a result.
Presence:
As I got closer to Winona this morning my audiobook hit the end of a chapter and decided to turn on a specific song on a whim. I fired up Mumford & Sons’ Tomkins Square Park off their album Wilder Mind. The combination of the song, the weather, and the leaves brought back a string of memories.
When Becky and I went to Australia back in May of 2016 the album I listened to the most, and think of as my personal soundtrack for taht trip, was Wilder Mind. May is the fall for the Southern Hemisphere so the leaves were changing color and the temperatures were a little cooler. Some of the areas we stayed in had an uncanny resemblence to the Driftless. Put all these things together and I was lost in a moment in which I was 100% present.
Becky was at the University of New England for meetings for the day so I went to one of Australia’s National Parks. As I pulled in I had that song playing quietly. I had the windows rolled down, and there was no one else on the road or in the parking lot. My hike started in the parking lot and almost immediately went through a field with tall grass. The hair on my neck stood up a little and I felt like something or someone was watching me. When I snapped my neck to the right towards the largest part fo the field three heads all popped up and stared at me! Three kangaroos, all about as tall as me, popped their heads up to see who was walking through the field. It was AWESOME!!! I’ll never forget that moment as the ‘roos and I stood in awe of each other.
The book I’m currently reading is a historical fiction on the topic of the Spartans and the Battle of Thermopylae. The training regimen they went through was insanely intense. With that in mind there are some strong leadership and values lessons that come through loud and clear. The focus on group over self, disciplined action, and the need for suffering to grow all have been very clear. Great lessons to remember!
Appreciation:
One of the strategies we’ve taken on to increase retention is a monthly team building event. This month’s was a walk through Woodlawn Cemetery to experience the natural beauty and history contained in the valley. Spending time with my team forking one of my favorite things was a wonderful way to wrap up a busy day of work.
Presence:
Sometimes a little suffering can remind me to be thankful for relatively good health. The minor discomfort also was an unexpected source of presence. When I focused on it specifically I was 100% there with it.
Thankful for Forty 