Control what you can control, focus on putting the energy towards what will bring the biggest return. Doing so today led to getting into a flow state while also working ahead!
Appreciation:
So many memories from our trip! As I went through some of the pics and videos this evening I got the bonus treat of more memories flooding back. While there’s a balance to be struck between taking photos and being in the moment itself there’s definitely a strong return on the photos as they help provide an even better return on my memory dividends!
Presence:
Conversations with family today gave been great! Calls with my mom and brother. FaceTime with Dominic. Dinner conversation with Becky and Gavin. Doesn’t get much better than that!
In honor of the intent of my daily gratitude habit I’ll be going silent for a few days. I’ll still be writing each day, I’m just going to keep it offline for a bit and will then batch post. Today I’m grateful for radio silence 😉
Presence:
The nervous energy of anticipation of an adventure… classic!!!
When the ego gets set aside to make space for purpose great things happen. Would I rather say that I’ve hit a significant milestone or know that I’m living better into who I should be? So easy when I pause for intentionality, more difficult when I allow myself to drift.
Appreciation:
I’m grateful for a day which was not quite as planned, but led to interesting insights leading to novel ideas. In consolidating notes from last week’s leadership retreat my mind re-processed the concepts. What I assumed would take little time ended up taking much longer than expected. That said, the insights and strategies gleaned were well worth the extra time and effort. Allowing flexibility to sustain deep work, an opportunity created!
Presence:
The cold weather brings out the best colors in the pre-sunrise sky. The palette of pinks and purples and oranges is exquisite, a combination existing in only short bursts and in only specific seasons. Add in some wispy clouds and you’ve got my undivided attention.
When training for a marathon one doesn’t just show up and run 26.2 miles, you train for months and months in advance to prepare yourself, both physically and mentally. So much of life is similar. So much of life is about the work and reps put in long before the event itself.
Appreciation:
I’ve often talked about life being a series of sprints with bookend events in between. This sprint has been a very different one for so many different reasons. While it has been trying, I’m starting to see just how much growth has occurred already as a result of the stress. Here’s to running through the finish line while taking time to appreciate the journey to get there!
Presence:
The intensity of a looming deadline really sharpens the focus and presence. Everything in life seems a little more crisp the pressure is on like that.
While yesterday I shared the joy of learning something on my own, today I was reminded of another valuable lesson. Sometimes you’re better off to just call the experts or professionals and call it a day. 😉
Appreciation:
Crazy busy days like today remind me of a couple of things. First, they aren’t an everyday occurrence thanks to great planning, strong systems, and wonderful teammates. Second, discomfort is when we grow – and I’ve definitely done some growing today, for better or worse 😉. Third, they remind me of how important it is to roll with the punches and adapt as needed, zooming out to recognize the priority, then zooming to attack it, and then zooming out again to adapt. Last, what a difference a good night of sleep and exercise in the morning make. Lessons learned today!
Presence:
Yoga – the calm to the chaos grenade that was the previous 36 hours. Exactly what my soul needed, complete and total focus on my body and breathing.
Part of my annual planning process involves listening to a couple of podcasts from the past few years with one of my favorite thought leaders, Jim Collins. what jumped out to me this week was his memory of a quote from the late Peter Drucker:
It seems to me you spend a lot of time trying — worrying about if you’re going to survive. Well, you’ll probably survive. And you spend too much time thinking about if you’ll be successful. It’s the wrong question. The question is, “how to be useful?”
That question, “how to be useful,” what an inspiring and introspective thought exercise!
As my mind grappled with this concept today I received a text which helped me see an opportunity to be useful in ways I hadn’t realized. What a North Star this could be moving forward!
Appreciation:
YouTube has helped me with so many projects throughout the past decade or so. From exercise tips to vacation ideas to home repair projects it’s been hugely helpful. Today I was reminded of the importance of using common sense and wisdom in addition to YouTube.
As I winterized the campervan for the first time in my life I went painstakingly through the step by step how to video. Unfortunately a few things seemed a little off so I went to some additional paper resources. Once I’d completed it all I went inside, took a relaxing breath, and had an epiphany moment.
Something had never been covered in YouTube or any other resources. I trusted my gut, dug way deep in research, and figured out a step which was never shared that could gave resulted in thousands of dollars of repairs. Thank you wisdom for saving the day!
Presence:
While driving back from the store I caught sight of sun beams cutting through the steel gray clouds to light up patches of autumn colored leaves in the bluffs. The contrast of the sunlight and shade really emphasized the beauty of the leaves. Without the sun the colors would have been muted. Without the clouds the color wouldn’t have been as vibrant. The contrast of light and dark created the stunning sight. Contrast, a source of joy.
Which parts of the day do I focus on? Which color in the entirety of the day as I lay in bed and pause for gratitude? Do I choose the moments of joy? The moments of frustration? Or do I remember them all?
Appreciation:
So much clarity in life can be gained by getting outside into the woods. Some of my best thoughts have been generated on the trail, my mind seems so much more free to go wherever it needs to. Everything in life feels so much more simple.
Presence:
This evening Dominic made a surprise visit and our dinner and evening of games was awesome. So many smiles and laughs!
Funny how I’ve been working on mentally moving past labels and feel like I’m making progress… until I catch myself getting frustrated with the football team that Gavin’s team is playing against! I didn’t realize I was going to the games to support Gavin AND work on my personal growth.
Appreciation:
Presence:
One of my favorite ways to chill is to disappear into a crowd with my AirPods set to nose canceling mode in the middle of a loud and boisterous crowd. This evening I did just that, sitting amongst a crowd, yet totally removed as I watch the football game. So calming to find the stillness in the storm.
Read, re-read, re-re-read, re-re-re-read, re-re-re-re-read, re-re-re-re-re-read, and re-re-re-re-re-re-read.
After the seventh time start all over, that’s where the magic happens.
Appreciation:
What a day! From wake up until laying in bed now it’s been a nonstop thrill ride. Running under the stars with Leia, a beautiful sunrise on my drive to work, a work day so full it poured into the evening, running out to watch the Northern Lights, and now pausing to soak it all in and make sense of it all. It’s been a day full of action, now to balance it out with a day of thought… hopefully one day soon 🤪
Is there such a thing as too much clarity? When in doubt, make sure you’re on the same page. When you’re sure you’re on the same page, confirm you’re on the same page. Clarity, one of the keys to effective communication.
Appreciation:
Dinner at home with the family, what a gift! Nothing like time away from home and going in a hundred different directions to remind me how much I appreciate a family dinner at home. Nothing crazy, nothing fancy, nothing special, but perfect.
Presence:
While we were making supper I appreciated the opportunity to catch up with Becky from all that had gone on over the past few days. Being away from home really adds color to the “normal” I sometimes get almost too used to.
Thankful for Forty 