Every once in a while my packrat tendencies pay off.  Over the past few years I’ve worked on reducing the amount of “stuff” I save.  In spite of my best efforts there are a few stacks of old notes that I can’t bring myself to get rid of.  It would be very easy to scan and save them electronically, but there’s something so satisfying about physically holding sheets of paper.

This particular stack is old notes and feedback from teammates and mentors from past planning sessions.  Each year we get together to set our goals for the year and work together to help each other watch out for blind spots and improve upon strategies.  One of the things I appreciate most about the group is that we really don’t hold back punches.  Yes, it can sting at times, but there’s a mutual respect and love for each other that helps us all get better and grow.

As our planning session starts next week I paused today and took a few moments of solitude to re-read those notes.  Pouring back over them reminded me of what I may have been overlooking or over thinking.  They reminded me of some of my tendencies and helped me focus on looking at our plans from other perspectives.  One other wonderful benefit was that it reminded me of the voices of past mentors who I don’t see nearly as often anymore.

That stack of notes was read specifically because it was on paper.  Had they been electronic I would have most likely passed right by.  There’s something about having a physical manifestation of peer and mentor feedback that helps me focus on reviewing and remembering those old notes.

I’m happy that I’ve started getting rid of many piles of old “stuff,” but today I’m especially thankful for the “stuff” that I’ve kept.

Thanks!!!

For the umpteenth (yes, that’s a technical term) time I’m feeling very grateful for the advice of reading and re-reading the same small handful of books.  I haven’t stuck with it perfectly as I like mixing in different viewpoints, but I’m cycling back through some favorites while adding some new ones to the list.  The one I just wrapped up was Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport.

So here’s the deal…  please be sure to note that I’m not passing judgement on anyone other than myself when I say this.  When I’ve looked at the “Screen Time” feature on my iPhone I really want to barf.  Yes, I use it for work also.  Yes, there are useful things it provides.  Overall, I spend too much time on it.  I’m not proud of my Pavlovian need to check it every time it dings or buzzes.  Re-reading Digital Minimalism has made it even more painfully obvious how unhappy I am with how much of my focus I give that screen.  Nothing like finding that gap between who I am and who I should be to motivate me to close that gap.

Thanks to so many great ideas I got from the book a second time I’ve taken a few big steps today.  The first time I read the book I knew I should take them but then kind of set them by the wayside.  After letting it sink further in during the second read I’ve made immediate action.  The biggest already has me twitching a little bit…  which also has me realizing that it may have been a bit overdue.  I’ve deleted all of my social media apps from my phone.  If I want to hop online, which I know I will from time to time, I’ll need to dig out my iPad or laptop.  This one extra step will undoubtedly reduce my screen time significantly.  I’ve also deleted my beloved Sudoku game from my phone and have a different activity that will take its place when I go to bed.

They may be little steps, but I’m already seeing how I can make more time in my life for those people and activities which are most important to me.  Below is even a little hint of what’s up next 😉

Thanks!!!

When I look at the day in its entirety I am most thankful for making much progress. Where I am now as I lay in bed writing seems like hundreds of miles from where I started this morning. The interesting thing is that almost none of it can be openly written about and much that could I’d prefer not to.

That said, let’s bet it out in a way that I can write about. There was personal progress, progress within a team, progress towards a dream, progress in the home, progress towards an adventure, and progress in the purpose of my life. It hasn’t all been good, there’ve been many lumps along the way, but that’s a part of moving forward and growing. At each step of the day I felt as if I were moving forward. And what a wonderful sensation that is!

Thanks!!

The concept of my blog today really caught me off guard. Over the past 36 hours or so much of my joy has been derived from sharing time with others. Outside of drive time I’ve been with others seemingly nonstop. My interactions have brought me joy, challenged me, warmed me, and helped me grow. Why I’m the world would I talk about solitude?

In focusing on a handful of books which have had the biggest impacts on me in the past year I’ve circled back to Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. Much of the book is focused on how I’ve seemingly lost control of my thoughts to my smartphone and social media. His book outlines the reasons to curb screen time and increase interactions with others … as well as increasing our time alone in thought. On an interesting aside, this is the second book in a week in which one of my all time favorite quotes by Blaise Pascal was shared!

Cal shares a definition of solitude from the Authors of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Yourself-First-Inspiring-Leadership-ebook/dp/B06Y1K2G5N&quot; class="cy by he hf hg hh" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: inherit; text-decoration: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml; utf8, “); background-size: 1px 1px; background-position: 0px calc(1em + 1px); background-repeat: repeat no-repeat”>Lead Yourself First, Kethledge & Erwin, as:

“subjective state in which your mind is completely free from the input of other minds”.

For clarity, they aren’t talking about running off to a shelter in the woods to live as a hermit for years on end. Rather, they talk about making space to have quiet and to be left with our own thoughts. In that quiet space we can often work through our most challenging issues.

This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t get input from others. We are always better off gathering feedback and other perspectives. When we find solitude we’re able to sort through all the data and find the right decision.

I’m practicing this today I was happily surprised to twice find the solution to challenges I’d been struggling with after taking time to be still with my thoughts. Now I must work to increase the time in solitude to find the right balance of connectedness and solitude (80%/20% ?).

Thanks!!!

Crazy how cold it is out there!  I swear it was warmer outside when Becky and I ran this morning than it is now.  Unseasonably cold with a biting wind, it’s wild out there.  Just a quick run from the car to the school left me with chills.

As I was warming up in the car with the seat heater on I realized something I so often take for granted.  I’m typing this blog from a warm home.  The furnace is going, it’s our normal and comfortable 64 degrees as it will be each day this winter.

Such a basic thing that I often take for granted.  That cold feeling I had was only temporary.  I have a place to go to warm up.  When I get too cold I can turn up the heat, add layers of clothes and blankets.

Tonight I’m pausing to be grateful for the gift of heat and warmth on a cold night like this.  To be sure, I’m also hoping it will warm up soon 😉

Thanks!!!

It’s been a very solid day all around.  Very productive, lots of family time, and all at my pace.  Doesn’t get much better than that on a Sunday.

As I mentioned yesterday, the boys and I are working on a top secret project.  This afternoon as we were taking the next steps with it I paused and took in the smells.  Funny how some scents just bring happy memories and smiles, isn’t it?

For me the smells of the workshop bring back many memories, old and recent.  The smell of stain and finish.  The scent of machine oil and metal.  All the beautifully different scents of all different types of wood.  Each of them so awesome in their own ways; oak, pine, hickory, maple, and cedar.  Throw in the aromas of saw dust and burned wood, even the metallic scent of old 16p nails and it’s a veritable smorgasbord of wonderful things for the olfactory.

When I think about the times when I’m truly present in the moment I of course usually have a visual and often audio.  The times when I can blend in the sense of smell the present seems even closer.  I am so grateful for all of those smells in the workshop that make me smile.  Just walking into lifts my  spirits high and calms me.

Thanks!!!

Whew, from its start the day has shot off like a rocket!  The day has been a flurry of very rewarding activity.  Early morning yoga to calm the nerves and get some sweat pouring.  Walking the dogs to enjoy the outdoors and time with Becky.  Off to Menards and then the workshop to work on a top secret project.  Some quiet time in my workshop focused on creating and solving.  Time in my workshop with Gavin helping him create.  Serving as greeters and gift bearers at church.  Spending time with friends at a dinner party enjoying great food and company.  Now off to bed after spending time to unclog my brain via blogging.  For reals, it’s been a fun and fulfilling crazy busy day with almost zero stress.

Through our conversations and in preparation for our upcoming vacation I’ve been compiling quite the reading list!  While I know I won’ the able to read everything all at once there’s something magical about just getting the list all lined up.  From nonfiction works like The Guns of August and Digital Minimalism to biographies and autobiographies like South: The Story of Shackleton’s Last Expedition and The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts to fiction like Insomnia and 11-22-63 there are so many options.  Throw in a reminder of so many excellent stories I’d love to re-read like The Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends, Name of the Wind & The Wise Man’s Fear, Spin, and World War Z and I’ve got enough to keep me busy for several years.  In many aspects of my life I’d be stressing a list like this, but in this case it just makes me smile as I know I’ll won’t be lacking for a great read for a very long time (or until the next Rothfuss book finally comes out!).

Thanks!!!

Our Friday night date consisted of heading to the Onalaska YMCA for a cycling class.  One of the biggest reasons I had the idea was due to the coach.  Travis led many of our classes last year and we’d often attempt to go out of our way to hit one of his sessions.  I’m so thankful for a coach who can continue to push you further and further each class.  Not only is he eternally upbeat and high energy, he also takes the time to engage the entire class and help us each find our right level.  One of the things I’m looking forward to this winter is hitting his class often.

Five years ago today we were on an epic family vacation to Disney World.  As a part of the experience we had the wristband things that helped get photos of us while were everywhere, even on the rides.  After a short period of time I started to pick up on where the cameras were usually stationed and began having fun with each of them.  On this one we’d been on the ride several times already and I had it pretty well dialed.  I can’t believe how perfectly the reactions of everyone else worked out, it was just the shot I was hoping for.  Here we are, half a decade later, and I still literally LOL every time I see it!

Thanks!!!

One of my favorite authors shared the concept of focusing on a small shelf of books to re and re-read as opposed to constantly adding new books.  The theory is the multiple readings of a smaller number of books will help you pull out more wisdom and learning from those few books.  While I don’t agree wholeheartedly with this concept (as evidenced by the plethora of books I’ve recently consumed for the first time) I have to admit that there is definitely a benefit from his concept.

Another person I look up to highly recommended a mix of fiction along with more business focused books, biographies, and other non-fiction.  The reasoning behind it was finding meaning and examples in story that help you better apply the concepts you’ve learned.  It can also lead to comparisons to real life which may have been missed.  While I lean more heavily toward nonfiction his advice still rings in my head and helps guide me towards different books at times.

One the past couple of days I’ve spent my non-coverage and/or early morning drive re-reading Once a Runner by John L Parker Jr.  It’s a great story I’ve read a few times in the past focused on the fictional story of a college runner.  The story is essentially one of grit and focus to achieve a huge goal.

As I read it this time around I caught a few more pieces that hadn’t sunk in until this read.  There’s a portion that felt like it was written specifically for where my brain is at on one project.  The funny thing is that I’ve heard similar thoughts and advice before but those words rang hollow in the past.  It wasn’t until I heard it in the context of this story that the concept truly hit home.  I re-read the chapter and then drove in silence as I let it sink in.  For anyone interested, check out Chapter 23 with special attention to detail 😉

In addition to that very wonderful nugget there were several other ideas imparted into my brain.  I’ve read them before, but it wasn’t until I’ve lived to this point that some of them finally made sense.  In some cases I missed them, in others I hadn’t had relevant experiences to relate them to, and in others I was finally ready to receive the message.

Today I’m thankful for the advice of both of the individuals mentioned above.  Without their insights I may not have circled back to this book when I did.  I’m especially appreciative of Once a Runner as it has helped me find ways to be a better version of me.

Thanks!!!

I must’ve hit my head at some point during the past year. When I saw the fresh snow on the ground and the flakes still falling from the sky I was pretty much giddy with excitement! How crazy is that? Most past years I would’ve crumbled and found an excuse to hit back under the covers.

Outside of one vehicle (our normal early morning driving dude) we had virgin snow to run on. The dogs were both playing in the snow and bounding around. I enjoyed the sensation of sinking into the inches of snow with each footfall. Everything looked so peaceful and bright, even at 5am. There was also that little extra bit of quiet as the snow soaked up the extra sound. Long story short, it was awesome!

I’m thankful I found myself in the right attitude this morning.

Thanks!!!