Day 2,026

So many directions to potentially go for the blog tonight, which one is the right path? My mind is racing back and forth across all of the happenings of the day and I’m smiling as I think through it all.

From waking from a happy dream to getting a on early bike ride in. A delicious hot homemade breakfast. Focused time in the morning to finish a task. Reading a book with a well timed insight. The excitement of potentially adding a new teammate. Helping someone through a difficult time when they’ve done the same for me. Seeing Dominic shadow a teammate for the afternoon at work. Gavin working solo outside. Getting closer to wrapping up a difficult situation. Moving a step closer to my long term goals. A text string with a new friend. Knocking out a long task list. Putting more thought into an important project which never seems urgent. Sharing a heart felt compliment in the moment. Almost talking Becky into moving to Hilo, HI… almost 😉. Seeing a teammate grow and find their stride. Remembering the challenges others face in other roles. Talking with a friend. Grilling delicious steak. A nice conversation with Mom. Sitting in the living room as a family exhausted from the day. Catching up with Becky. Blogging in bed. And that’s just what comes to mind, there’s sure to be more as I wrap up this blog.

What I’m grateful for today is the process of daily blogging. In the past 10-15 minutes I’ve had the unique opportunity to review much of my day, remember the highlights as well as the difficult times, find meaning in the all, and then file away in the form of memories and lessons. This process embeds more of those moments into my brain more deeply and help me find purpose.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,024

Here’s your interesting fun fact of the day… Did you know that being blown around the road due to high wind, hydroplaning, being washed aside due to fast moving water, and sliding on marble sized hail all feel a little different from each other and when in different combinations? While my drive back from Michigan during an ice storm is still the scariest drive I’ve ever had this one was certainly a contender!

In an effort to get home in time for Gavin and Dominic’s track meets (which were then cancelled) I made the drive home from Eau Claire. By the time I hit Arcadia the skies opened up and hit me with one of the craziest weather events I’ve ever driven through. There were extreme winds, torrential rain, and marble sized hail. The best part was that it all hit as I was cresting the bluffs. This meant that all the water and hail were rushing down the path of least resistance… the road.

With zero spots to pull over immediately I white knuckled it the mile or so down the hill at a snail’s pace, smiling the entire way. How wild to have the opportunity to try out driving in conditions I’ve never before experienced??? Each sensation was slightly different and they all seemed to hit at different times. There was even the experience of driving through piles of hail slush kicked up from the semi ahead of me. It was wild!!! Definitely an experience I’ll never forget.

When I got to the bottom of the bluff I pulled into the first quiet country road and got off the county road. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I took this picture…

Over an inch of hail had accumulated in less than a couple of minutes! I chilled and waited a bit for the rain to stop and the flooding waters to wash off the road before taking off again. In the past I would’ve kept driving, this time I used my head and pulled over when I could to wait it out a bit.

This was a wild experience, I’m glad I got to experience it, AND that I stayed safe while experiencing it.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,023

Yessir, the title is quite the mouthful tonight! No real connecting threads or anything, just a handful of awesome moments throughout the day for which I am appreciative.

Becky and I had our Yoga Date Night as we have often on Monday nights over the past few months. Our normal instructor, Nick, is out so we had a special guest instructor. She’s long been one of our favorites going back to when I first started going to Root Down. With COVID and different schedules our paths haven’t crossed in a couple of years. It was like a reunion when we got to yoga tonight, so thankful for all of the wonderful teachers like Steph, we’re so blessed to have at Root Down. They really make it feel like a great big yoga family.

Early in the morning Becky shared the story of a grandma and grandson duo who are on a quest to take Grandma to all of the National Parks. The little TV clip she shared had me smiling, she reminded me of my Grandma Joyce in so many great ways. Throughout the day I’ve had memories of Grandma coming back. So many fond memories! Looking back I wish I would have spent more time with Grandma and gotten to know her better, there are many fun things we could have done. Sometime in the future she’ll be one of the first people I’ll hang out with when my time here is done and we’re re-united. Each time I am reminded of her I smile and realize how fortunate I was to have her in my life.

Living into my purpose seems to get easier and easier each day. What really stuck out for me today was the return on living into purpose. The rewards have been rather mind blowing and joy inducing. There were several of those moments today and I almost had to pinch myself. So simple, so clear, and so impactful. The reminders of the return on purpose today were nothing short of overwhelming.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,021

Soccer weekend for the Kreiling’s in Des Moines, Iowa for the next 24+ hours. Gavin’s first games have gone very well, a nice 2-0 win followed by a 1-1 battle. At least one more game tomorrow, pretty sure if they win they’re in the finals and get a bonus game. Fingers crossed!

The weather has been PERFECT soccer weather. The sun is out, very few clouds in the sky. There’s just enough breeze to make it feel fresh and the temperature is hovering around the mid-50’s. Not too hot, not too cold, just right! With all the ways the weather has been brutal in the past I’m ecstatic that there’s no rain, no snow, no frost, and the temperature is above freezing. Weather like this? I’ll take it anytime!

Before Gavin’s games we’ve been incredibly fortunate. There’s a beautiful trail system right across the street from the parking lot. We’ve had plenty of time to head out for a nice long walk before each of Gavin’s games. What an excellent way to spend a little extra time outdoors. Why sit and wait when we can be out and moving in a sweet little swamp / forest area? So thankful for the trails nearby!

Last, I’m typing this up early while I am waiting for Dominic to finish up his track practice. He was supposed to have track practice today, but with heading to Iowa that was an obvious no go. Instead he talked with his coach, got his practice plan for the day, and is now getting his run in on a track we found near our hotel. It’s awesome seeing his commitment to track and his willingness to work hard for something he’s excited for.

Thanks!!!

Back in the day I’d run until I collapsed. After a long while I learned a bit; I remember writing about putting my hand out to feel for the wall before I ran into it. Today someone asked how I was doing and I gave a very honest response which would have hurt my ego too much to accept even just a few years ago. How am I? “I’m tired.”

The past couple of months have been very busy for mainly positive reasons. Even the difficult moments have been opportunities to grow, but their weight still has worn me out. I need to recharge. I need to pause for a moment, rest, and jump back in.

Having a stronger sense of purpose really helps me see that I must be rested and ready to live into it completely. What an unexpected lesson from focusing on purpose – I must take better care of myself… not specifically for myself, but to better be able to do what must be done. Another reason purpose truly powers everything!

In living into that purpose I’m elated for the opportunities to share what has been shared with me in the past. Whether by mentors, friends, or my own mistakes – having the opportunity to help others with those lessons is very fulfilling. Taking a note from de Mello, I’m doing my best to simply ask questions rather than the lessons themselves so others may grow into their own. They don’t need my tainted thoughts, just the opportunity to consider a question they may have otherwise not asked themselves. No leading, only asking.

Thanks!!!!

Today was the 2022 HR Conference and my keynote presentation on Minding the GAP: Choosing Growth, Appreciation, and Presence. There are many things to be thankful for today, but one really trumps them all.

What I am most thankful for are the dozens of people who helped to create this presentation. I wish there was a way to help them all experience the applause at the end – they all earned and deserved it. The message may have come out of my mouth but it was crafted by so many.

From the people who helped me create the idea to the people who’s acts of kindness helped inspire me. Teammates who listened to the presentation and offered feedback to the friends who texted before the presentation. The wonderful team at the event who helped get everything set up to people who’ve presented in the past who inspired me. The people who offered up difficult but honest and necessary feedback. The people who built up my confidence. The people who helped script specific words and phrases. The people who’ve introduced me to the concepts.

Most importantly, two people in particular who’s roles were front and center throughout the entire process.

Becky for the never ending love and support, the belief in me even when I struggle, and the inspiration to live into my biggest dreams.

Dad for growing and cultivating the values discussed today, all the gifts he gave me through his life, and the lessons he continued to teach me through his death. Each time I practiced this presentation I had an opportunity to re-live that wonderful last time we were together in person and that final hug we shared. What a gift!

To all of you who helped to create this presentation – thank you, thank you, thank you. I love and appreciate all of you. Thank you for creating something beautiful.

Thanks!!!

Tomorrow is the big day, the 2022 HR Conference presentation! I’m borderline giddy with anticipation as I’m about to attempt to sleep.

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve rehearsed this presentation over 20 times. I’ve practiced it in order, out of order, and with some of the possible surprises practiced. Practice, practice, & more practice, tomorrow is the time to perform. my bag is packed with everything from my laptop to my spare laptop to my flash drive to my clicker to the spare battery for the clicker to the video adapter. I know the venue, the microphone set up, & the timing of the event. All that can be reasonably prepared for has been. I will still slip, trip, stumble, & be surprised, but nothing I cannot learn from or work through.

I know I’ll sleep well tonight. The heavy lifting is done, tomorrow is the fun, the dessert.

An excellent friend had a great bit of advice today… “Enjoy it.” What a perfect reminder to come back to tonight. As much as I’ve been stressing there is no reason to. I enjoy this, I can brighten lives through this, this is a core of my purpose. I will totally enjoy and savor the moment while working through it as well as I possibly can.

Thanks!!!

With the presentation only a couple of days away it was incredibly helpful to give a practice presentation over lunch today to some of my teammates. Getting a full test run in felt great in of itself, the feedback and ideas I received from my teammates felt even better! Each teammate had a couple of great ideas and thoughts to add to the mix. Put all their ideas together into the presentation and I am confident it will be more of a success. So awesome to have teammates to help with feedback like that!

During a morning call I shared the lesson from Dad about working smarter rather than harder. Long story short, he demonstrated a lesson in thinking before acting with a crowbar which I’ll never forget. Pause, think, take action, learn, repeat. That memory has been bringing a smile to my face all day long.

The worst enemy of a big idea is myself, the one who thought it up. Before the idea even has a chance to mature I strike it down and throw it in the burn pile. Sometimes it just needs to start, to get legs, to take a little bit of action. Just enough to get it started. Once it starts it has the opportunity to grow into something much bigger. Often I’ve shut down an idea, this time I’m starting one bigger. And it’s making me smile.

Thanks!!!

This weekend is the last weekend at home with quiet until we are into the month of June. The next two months are going to be a blur of action largely focused around Spring sports for the boys. Dominic has track, Gavin has track and soccer. Many weekday practices and meets, many weekend matches and meets. Throw in a vacation for Becky and I as well as a work trip for me and it’s nonstop for the next 8+ weeks.

I have very much enjoyed the calm today, though it didn’t involve a lot of chilling. Rather, I spent most of my day wrapping up little projects I wanted to get done. The grill is now clean. A quick modification to my new handcrafted bookshelf is complete. I helped Becky and Gavin pick up litter on one of our favorite roads for a little while. The cars are both washed and gassed up. My winter clothes are all packed away. My work clothes are washed. Supper was grilled up and delicious. I’ve got a couple more practice runs of my presentation under my belt. There are books we never read ready to be re-purposed tomorrow. Helped the economy by running to Menards. Some of the books I want in my new bookshelf have been relocated. All that and I’m pretty sure I’m forgetting something or two. Nonstop action!

Today was the calm before the storm, in many ways the calm before the chaos. I am thankful for taking the time to “batten down the hatches” as I recently quoted from the Billy Pilgrim song, Hurricane Season. I can roll into the busy and crazy knowing that I’m ready. All has been done, everything has been prepped. Bring on the fun!

Thanks!!!

Our training run today was a rough one. For some unknown reason some runs just seem more brutal than others. Today was my first nine mile run since the last bad marathon a few years ago. I’ve run three times this distance in the past, but this one just hurt. No injury or anything, just all types of stiff, sore, and tired.

We hit yoga first thing in the morning and got a lot done while it rained and snowed. Once the skies quit precipitating we went out – definitely much later than our normal early morning runs. Maybe that had something to do with it. Who knows?

What I do know is that it feels great to work on closing the gap. All of the stiffness and soreness is my body building itself back up. Next week we’ll run 10 miles and I know we’ll be successful specifically because we built up mile by mile. Just like in life, the discomfort means I’m growing.

One other thought – the power of stillness strikes again. In the last couple of moments of yoga my mind was completely still. A few very interesting thoughts found purchase and grew when I quieted all the other stuff in my brain. Most likely blog posts for another day, but a couple of quick thoughts include the importance of being as present as possible in the moment of my death as I’ll only have one opportunity to experience it and doing right for the right reasons trumps doing right for wrong reasons even if the end result is the same. Interesting ponderables I’ll think on more in the future.

Thanks!!!