Category: Uncategorized

Thankful for Learning from Blogging, Gavin’s Last Home Football Game, & Walking to Nebraska

Thankful for Learning from Blogging, Gavin’s Last Home Football Game, & Walking to Nebraska

Day 3,679

Growth:

One of the most beneficial aspects of writing this blog is the ability to help coach myself on things I would benefit from in the future. Today was a study in the recently blogged lesson on taking a moment to use logic and then respond. Past Blog Mike helped Today Mike be a better version of himself through that reminder a little while back!

Appreciation:

Gavin’s last high school football home game was this evening and it was a blast to watch! His team won, he had a handful of tackles, and he even got to kick off! The smile on his face after the game was priceless!!!

Throw in the almost dozen person personal cheering section he had and it was quite the fun experience!

Presence:

Walking through the foggy side streets while listening to the end of Deliver Me from Nowhere and then chasing it up with Springsteen’s Nebraska. Chillingly still and perfect moment. The weather and lonely street fit the mood of the album like a glove.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Difficult Questions, the Mundane, & Flow State

Day 3,678

Growth:

Remember to be grateful for the challenging questions! They help us stretch our thought processes, push us to think more critically, and consider things differently. I was asked an interesting and engaging question at work today which led to some mind bending research and a very clear and simple answer. While the question was a bit frustrating when first asked I can now see how I grew as a result.

Appreciation:

While none of the projects I worked on today were very sexy they were all very helpful and useful. Even at home the process of cleaning out the summer clothes and rotating the fall and winter clothes forward will make life easier. Going through our old hard drives to make sure I’ve got all our old family photos pulled will also make life easier. Work projects were nothing crazy, but all necessary today. Life doesn’t have to be exciting all the time, the mundane can be an excellent source of joy!

Presence:

Diving into the data, testing a hypothesis, checking for errors, expanding my mindset – nothing like getting into a nice flow state to close up the morning and early afternoon!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Trying Not to Pull a Dad, Gavin’s College Application Essays, & More Vacation Reminders

Day 3,677

Growth:

LOL – this one is going to sound interesting, but I’m thankful for the moments when I stop myself from sounding like my dad. For sure, Dad was my hero, someone I looked up to greatly and respected tremendously, but there was something he did that used to drive me bonkers… In the moments in which I catch myself I know he’s smiling while simultaneously rolling his eyes.

Dad was a master of asking me to help, not sharing any direction, taking on the work himself, and then getting frustrated when I couldn’t read his mind. This was usually manifest in the moments in which he was trying to manipulate two or more large pieces of wood in a very short period of time with very serious long term impacts if done correctly. I would do what I thought he would want, he woudl say it was wrong and not give direction, I would guess again, and I would be told I was wrong while he grunted, worked three times as hard, and somehow got the work done while being frustrated.

Sadly, I hate to admit it, but I was way too good of a learner of that habit! I’ve caught myself often doing the same thing, getting just as frustrated, and then laughing at myself for being a moron afterwards. The more aware of this tendency I have become the earlier I start laughing at myself.

This morning I caught myself long before it happened, chuckled out lout, and then had to explain the entire story to a couple of teammates.

Take a deep breath, communicate clearly on what needs to be done, allow time for questions, and then take action. Everyone will be much happier AND the project will be done correctly.

Appreciation:

Gavin has been sharing a few of his college application essays with us over the past week. Each has left me smiling from ear to ear, so proud of the person he has grown into! While I won’t get into the topics (those are his to share), I can say that my heart is beyond full today. Having this opportunity to look at the world through his eyes has been enlightening and rewarding!

Presence:

During a lull in our onsite hiring event my teammates and I got into a conversation on traveling to Iceland – one of my all time favorite conversation topics, no doubt! As we talked about different things to see and experience there my mind kept racing back to the memories created from our trips there. The pictures and videos I shared with the team put me back into those moments, re-living the memory while sharing it with others.

The investment in vacation and travel to create memories and be present – always well worth it!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Remembering to Rest, The Kite Runner, & Memories of Backpacking

Day 3,676

Growth:

We can only run so fast for so long before we need to take a deep breath and recharge. In those moments it is okay to relax, to rest. Don’t feel guilty about not working on something all the time, sometimes the work needed is working on not working, on resting.

Appreciation:

I can’t help but be grateful gut a story which has been top of mind for me throughout the past week, The Kite Runner. As I near the climax of the novel I cannot help but pause and consider how fortunate I am to have been born when I was and where I was. Seeing the world through the eyes of someone born about the same time as me but in Afghanistan has been mind bending. Such a different life, such a different experience. Books like this that make me very uncomfortable, but in a growth mindset way, are amongst my favorite reads.

Presence:

Crazy to think it was a year ago that Becky and I were backpacking through the Grand Canyon! That entire trip is burned into my brain, the grandeur and beauty were so much more than I’d expected it to be. Spending time away from all of the busyness of life, present in each awe inspiring footsteps remains so clear in memory. Moments lived intentionally present make a much deeper impact than the live we sleepwalk through.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Listening and Preparing, Little Gaps, & Yoga

Day 3,675

Growth:

Over prepare, gather more info than is necessary, confirm or refute what you think you are observing, and then have the conversation. Don’t rush into unnecessary dialogue, make sure you have an understanding first. Ask questions and listen, ask more questions as you learn more, and then listen. If necessary, speak.

Appreciation:

This was a nonstop kind of day, very similar to the way the weekend went! Throughout the day there was just enough time to pause and prepare for the next meeting or conversation. I had loaded the day up pretty full, but the small gaps in between were just what I needed to help me stay calm and under control throughout. What I’m appreciative of today are those little breaks in the calendar, the little gaps of time that Past Mike created for Future Mike, allowing him to be Fully Present Mike.

Presence:

Ahh… yoga. After a busy weekend of people-ing, even very fun and engaging people-ing, I needed a bit of down time to chill and still my mind. Yoga was exactly what I needed this evening to help get my mind back in the right rhythm.

When in doubt go to the yoga studio, pose and twist and hold and sweat and breathe… all will be well!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for a Blursday Kind of Weekend!

Day 3,674

Whew – this was quite the weekend!!! From the nonstop fun of yesterday we blasted off right into this morning. Had a relaxing morning conversation with Becky and my brother over coffee, watched some soccer, played with a nephew a little bit, took the dog for a nice walk, re-hung pics and curtains after Becky’s painting work from this past week, hit the grocery store, got a bonus surprise visit from Dominic and his girlfriend, grilled some supper, chilled on the couch and shot the bull, and now wrapping up to head off to bed. Nonstop!!!

This has been an awesomely enjoyable weekend, so much family time and conversation, so many smiles. At some point it will feel great to take a deep breath and pause, but weekends like this are well worth the energy, no question!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Awesomely Busy Days Full of Family

Day 3,673

Another short one due to how tired I am, which is exactly what I’m grateful for. From start to finish it has been a day full of family time, at home, at the soccer fields, at the store, on the deck, and back to the couch. Hanging out, shooting the bull, and acting like a kid with my youngest nephew. So appreciative of days filled with family time like this!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Difficult Conversations Once, Gratitude via Story, & Gavin’s Football Game

Day 3,672 – Short version, up at 4:40am for our run, just laid down at 11:40pm, I’m exhausted!

Growth:

Would I rather have a difficult conversation once or re-live an uncomfortable moment often? Have a quick conversation, provide clarity, and move forward.

Appreciation:

The more I dig into The Kite Runner the more I realize how grateful I am for the life I have, for how we share many experiences across time and culture, and how powerful love is.

Presence:

Enjoying Gavin’s last regular season football game – had a blast!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Daily Reminders of Goals, an Invigorating and Insightful Run, & Bluffs in the Fall

Day 3,671

Growth:

Gavin has been reading The Kite Runner for his English class and has been enjoying it and talking with me about it often. As a result of keeping a focus on spending as much time with Gavin as I can this year I paused what I was reading and swapped over to his book. We’ve already had more conversation on it which have been fun and engaging!

Another example of the benefits of setting goals and keeping them in front of me daily!

Appreciation:

Becky and I had an invigorating run this morning while having a conversation on philosophy. Quite the mind and body wake up session to start the day!

Presence:

The bluffs in the fall covered in clouds and fog, priceless! So enjoyable watching the colors shift seemingly hour by hour. The swirling of fog into sunlight seems to add to the mood of constant color change.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Existing Simply, Busyness, & Moments of Awareness

Day 3,670

Growth:

This quote, truly stunning and so true:

“The secret of the mountain is that the mountains simply exist, as I do myself: the mountains exist simply, which I do not. The mountains have no “meaning,” they are meaning; the mountains are. The sun is round. I ring with life, and the mountains ring, and when I can hear it, there is a ringing that we share. I understand all this, not in my mind but in my heart, knowing how meaningless it is to try to capture what cannot be expressed, knowing that mere words will remain when I read it all again, another day.”

Peter Matthiessen, The Snow Leopard

Appreciation:

What a nonstop thrill ride of a day! This has been a runaway train full of productivity, all towards a good cause. That said, I am exhausted and ready to crash. This bit of time on the couch blogging is about the only moment of stillness I’ve had throughout the day. To have a nonstop day is to be very present, very focused on the moment and what is at hand. As I write about later, the moments in which I was not as focused were the moments in which I lost presence and was ocused on what was lacking.

Busyness towards a good cause – a pathway to presence.

Presence:

Pausing to consider my thoughts and emotions, why do I feel this way or that? When feeling unpleasant / unhappy today I realized that the emotions were caused by a “lack” of something. Something wasn’t happening like I’d wished, I wasn’t getting what I wanted. In the moment I realized the unhappiness was caused by lack it was as if a spotlight were shown upon it, I saw it for what it was, and I was able to choose differently.

What we are aware of we can control, what we are not aware of is control of us. Today I’m grateful for the moments of awareness in which I was able to shed a light on my mindset and make a better choice. Here’s to the brief moments of clarity we all hope to cultivate more frequently.

Thanks!!!