Day 3,092

Growth:

Nothing like knocking out most the work right away Saturday! Becky and I hit the task list hard and got much further than expected which set us up for a relaxing Sunday.

Appreciation:

Bring home for the weekend has been greatly appreciated! Getting almost nine hours of sleep in my own bed, bring in my normal home rhythm, and just bring home had felt amazing after all the recent travel. I’m soaking up and enjoying each routine moment!

Presence:

Funny how something as non exciting as cleaning the garage can lead to intense moments of presence should we choose to focus.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,091

Growth:

Taking time in stillness and solitude to be honestly self aware is amongst the best uses of our time, though difficult and uncomfortable to do. If I can push past the discomfort the silence can be profoundly compelling.

Appreciation:

This evening Becky and I snuck in a date! We hit an early dinner, had time to chill and relax, and were back home by 7pm. Perfect for us! After a busy week and vacation it was an awesome to chill together. Wonderful start to the weekend!

Presence:

Throughout life many of our paths cross. Today had the mixed blessings of paths splitting off towards new adventures while paths of old friends also reconnect. Here’s to all those we’re blessed to walk with, to those we will meet in the future, and those we’ll meet again.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,090

Growth:

Today was another insightful reminder of how important sleep is to our life! In my doc appointment today he spent some time sharing why high quality sleep is so important. To think that we can reduce our odds of heart issues, Alzheimer’s, and a bevy of other disorders simply by sleeping well was all the motivation I need to help me stay focused on the importance of sleep. Bring on the zzz’s!

Appreciation:

What a different world it was four years ago. Rereading my blog posts from the start of COVID has been a trip down memory lane. Specifically, this post is one I still think of often…. https://thankful4forty.com/2020/03/13/day-1263-thankful-for-remembering-to-control-what-you-can-control-be-the-light/

Presence:

With my recent vacation my schedule was off a little longer than expected as I caught back up on work. Today was the first day I hit the gym for weightlifting in exactly two weeks. I was a little nervous about how much I had regressed in the time off. Imagine my surprise when I found that I was able to lift MORE than I was before vacation! Turns out the time away was the perfect balance of not being gone too long AND getting enough rest to fully recover.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,089

Growth:

Lessons from yesterday still held true today and helped me live a better today. Take time to listen without judgement, hear the person out completely, process what was said, ask clarifying questions, consider appropriate strategy, and then take action. Emotion can wait, logic and clarity first.

Appreciation:

The story of David Goggins continues to blow my mind, chapter after chapter after chapter. Hearing how he battled through obstacle after obstacle has me so jacked to keep pushing towards my goals. If you haven’t checked out his book yet head over to https://davidgoggins.com/ to learn more!

Presence:

Over the past couple of days I have had some awesomely motivating and inspirational conversations with teammates. Each of them were exactly what I needed in that moment to keep my head and heart in the right place. So thankful for each of them taking the time to talk through a handful of topics!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,088

Growth:

There is always a choice to make. We cannot control everything that happens, but we have 100% control over how we respond to what happens. When the unexpected starts coming at us over and over in a short period of time we can choose to panic and overreact, or we can choose to stay calm and us logic to solve the challenge. Today I chose calm and it made all the difference.

Appreciation:

In a very similar note as the Growth section today I’m grateful for choosing calm in the face of adversity today. This morning I headed off to work early and started off my ride with the right music to get my head in a good space. At the office I took a calming breath, put together my task list, and got after it. As surprises came my way I remained grounded yet flexible as tall grass in a field on a windy day. No tightening up, no over reacting, just calm and patience including setting deadlines for decisions later in the day so I could make the call with a clear head. Breathe in, breathe out, act calmly and intentionally.

Presence:

Due to our trip to Patagonia I missed our International Leadership Conference for the first time in 20+ years. Today I spent time in conversation with my two teammates who went and I was so pumped up by all they shared about their experiences at the event. While it wasn’t the same as being there I couldn’t help but be excited by the highly positive energy they exuded as they told me all about it. So motivating to spend itme with them as they shared their inspiration!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,087

Growth:

Even when it doesn’t feel right plan the vacation one day shorter than you’d like but keep the extra day blocked off. In the planning stage of vacation it is so tempting to add one more day of fun, but you will be so glad for the buffer to get back to reality halfway through the trip. No matter how prepared we may be there is always an opportunity for an unexpected challenge, add slack to the schedule and hold on to the holiday chill longer.

Appreciation:

Nothing like catching up with friends at Root Down Yoga! Regardless of the night or teacher there are always friendly faces, many laughs and smiles, and a hugely positive energy throughout. This evening I was able to catch up with old friends, get a big hug from Pam, and meet new yoga friends. The workout was amazing and the fellowship joyfully positive!

Presence:

Grocery shopping during a weekday afternoon was oddly more relaxing and enjoyable than I’d ever thought it could be! I had my AirPods in, had some excellently chill music playing, and worked through my list while still making eye contact and smiling. I’m still surprised at how chill I was the entire time!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,086

One of the benefits of travel is the reminder of how much we appreciate our home. Tonight I’m back home and about to crash in my own bed. Eating a home cooked meal with Becky and Gavin was awesome! Spending time with my family in our house was exactly what I was ready for today.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,805

Growth: One of the best lessons I taught myself a while back was to take the time to organize and sort through vacation photos and videos on the way home. Taking pictures is fun, cleaning out the chaff can be very tedious. By focusing on completion prior to getting home I’ll be able to enjoy and share them so much more easily! You’re welcome Future Mike, I’ve got your back!

Appreciation: Travel is such a gift, the opportunity to get outside of ourselves, explore something outside of our normal, and the chance to easily slip into a state of awe – reminding us how important it is to seek it in our day to day lives. The journey also reminds us of how much we appreciate our “normal” lives as we begin to long for home. So thankful for making the time and space to travel!

Presence: The hustle of sprinting through an airport – what a rush!!! This evening we had the opportunity to get an awesome strength and cardio workout in as we carried our bags and jogged from the domestic terminal to the international terminal. Nothing like the fear of being stranded to bring out the best in us!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,084

Growth:

You can always delete pictures, but you can’t tale more after the fact. I spent some time culling the herd from this vacation and am glad we captured so many moments to choose from!

Appreciation:

What a difference a day can make! We were so fortunate to have excellent weather yesterday for our whale watching tour, pretty sure we used up all our luck! Today was much different as evidenced by this comparison pic:

The angle is different, but the mountain is the same.

Based on the weather we punted, went back to sleep for a little bit, and then went with Plan B and had a blast! So thankful for the perfect weather at the right time and the flexibility to roll with whatever Mother Nature threw our way.

Presence:

So many laughs throughout the day! There weren’t screens out often, so nice having engaged time together.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,083

Growth: Awe is one of the most joy inspiring emotions. How much more joyful would I be if I sought out a sense of awe daily?

Appreciation: So many memories created together, so much conversation with each other, and so much love shared. Truly epic father and son day with Dominic today. Gavin and I have the Northern Lights Thanksgiving in Iceland, Dominic and I have the whale and glacier cruise past the end of the world. Priceless.

Presence: Seeing and hearing a humpback whale was mind boggling! The size, beauty, grace, and gentleness of the whales moved me to tears as I took in just what a gift it was to share a moment with them.

Thanks!!!