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Thankful for Choosing Appreciation, Shared Appreciation for the Outdoors, & a Max Bench Attempt

Day 3,013

Growth:

One of the lessons I learned throughout the past 3,000+ days is that it is possible to be grateful for pretty much anything, including the totally mundane. Spending time cleaning the floors was pure medicine for the soul. It was a specific task, one with a clearly defined objective, something to be completed with the work of my hands. Whatever I task in front of me, I can choose to be grateful for it should I choose to view the task through the right lens. Gratitude is chosen, not a result of a joyful activity or moment, gratitude is the conscious choice to find joy in any situation. When I’m frustrated, bored, annoyed, or not fully engaged I always have a choice to make – be thankful for the task, no matter how mundane, and joy will follow.

Appreciation:

This morning Gavin and I took Leia out for a walk after our weightlifting practices. He was acting a little off and kind of bummed. After a short distance he apologized for not being in a talkative mood. I gave him some space and asked if he would prefer silence or me talking without expecting a response from him. He chose the former so I occasionally mentioned things I was noticing in the woods (the squirrel tracks, the eagle calls). Within ten minutes we were laughing, joking, and also enjoying moments of quiet stillness in the woods. As we were wrapping up the walk I heard him make a huge sigh of satisfaction. 

“Life is just better and easier out in the woods, isn’t it Bud,” I asked. He resoundingly agreed and shared his gratitude for taking additional time outside.

We spent the rest of the walk in peace, joking, talking, laughing, and enjoying the sights around us. Joyful, calm, at peace, appreciative.

Whether or not this specific moment will stick with Gavin for the rest of his life, it will with me. That sigh he made. The realization that the woods often has what we need to heal our souls, to ease our troubles, to help us remember to pause and appreciate the life we have. I am so grateful for that moment he experienced, and for the reminder it was to me. Dad and I shared several moments like this when we spent time together in the woods, I’m glad to have shared moments like this on to my sons as well. 

Presence:

While lifting today I decided to push myself a little further than normal. In between my normal sets I decided to see what I still have in the tank for my bench press. I loaded up the bar and hit it as hard as I could… and I surprised myself with my ability to put the weight right up! I’m sore now, but in the moment it felt amazing to push and strain to get the bar back up. Nothing else existed in the world outside of my effort and breath. One focused moment of exertion, amazing!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Knocking Out the Workout Early, Travel Prep, & an Epic Weekday Afternoon Hike

Day 3,012

Growth:

Get the workout in while the muscles are fresh! After our run this morning I headed into the gym to get my leg workout in. My legs were still feeling pretty good off the early morning run so I thought I’d hit it right away. No need for an additional warm up or stretch, I was ready to dive in right off the bat.

I think what’s possibly the more important lesson for myself was this – just get the work in right away as opposed to waiting until later. Later will always fill up with busy-ness, excuses, and reasons not to get the work in. Just knock it out first. Not only does this ensure that it will happen, but it also has such a positive impact on the rest of the activities throughout the day.

Appreciation:

One of my passions is travel. Hitting the road (or air, ocean, ice, or whatnot) to experience new environments and types of wildlife are some of the moments when I feel a profoundly deep sense of presence and awareness. Travel helps to make all of life seem to make a little more sense. As a travel magazine in a hotel in San Francisco once taught me:

Travel lets us see ourselves in a new way. With our minds free to dream, goals become clearer, moments grow richer, and we return home fuller than when we left.

– Unknown, from a Travel Magazine in a San Francisco Hotel

Over the past few days I’ve had the opportunity to line up the next small handful of adventures and I am so excited!!! Having travel on the calendar and the resulting anticipation is almost as exciting as the travel itself. Taking time to get everything lined up and in the books feels AMAZING!!!

Presence:

Getting out for a hike with Becky, Gavin, and Leia this afternoon was sublime! The weather was perfect, there were little spurts of sun through the clouds near us, and being on a weekday afternoon felt like we were getting away with something. ;)

That entire hike was an exercise in presence. We had engaging conversation, got a great sweat in, and enjoyed so many of the sights, smells, and sensations of the woods. At the end of the trail we paused and took in the view of the valley below us. Mount La Crosse lay all the way across, its two lonely snow covered paths the only swathes of white. Off to our right was an epic view of the Mississippi River Valley below the slowly setting sun. The picture below doesn’t begin to do justice to the majesty all around us.

Such an awesome way to spend an afternoon together!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Role Modeling Stress, Hiking with My Sons, & Deer Sightings

Day 3,011 – Another short blog today. Long on life, short on words.

Growth:

The ways in which we as parents act under moments of stress become the models our children accept as “normal.” Remember this and live into the way I would want my sons to react. Remember the example of when Gavin put his first dents in the car.

Appreciation:

The boys and I spent the morning and early afternoon hiking in Pike’s Peak State Park in McGregor, IA. So many laughs, newly created memories, and moments of bonding while enjoying the outdoors. Truly some of my favorite times spent with the boys. Many memories of times in the woods with Dad, so many smiles with my sons. So grateful for making the space to be with them and share that experience with them.

Presence:

During our hike a doe walked across the trail a little ways ahead of us. As we watched her there was a flicker of motion off to my right. Bedded down and almost hidden away was a seven or eight point buck! We took a few minutes to enjoy the view of both until they walked away over the ridge. It was awesome!!!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Remembering Why I Need to Eat Better, Family Vacation Planning, & Rotary Lights

Day 3,010 – Short one tonight, busy weekend and I am crashing hard!

Growth:

Oof!!! There’s a reason I’ve been working on eating better over the past couple of months. Over the past few days I’ve eaten anything and everything and I am definitely feeling it. Time to get back to what feels good. All the foods have been delicious, but they’ve also been useful reminders to eat more healthy more often.

Appreciation:

This afternoon we worked on putting together our family vacation plans for this summer. Always nice having our next family vacation lined up and ready to go, even more fun doing it on Christmas Day together!

Presence:

Spending time with family walking around Rotary Lights this evening was a great experience together, one all the more memorable as it is likely the only we’ll experience with rain instead of snow!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Choosing Outdoors and Action, Christmas with Cousins, & Extremes

Day 3,009

Growth:

When in doubt, get outside and be active. My hike this afternoon was exactly what I needed in a few different ways.

I got time outside in nature, time to soak up the outdoors and take in all the magic it provides.

I got exercise, an opportunity to get the blood flowing – especially with my forty pound pack on.

I got time with a small group as opposed to the larger group of family. The smaller group led to a different dynamic that I needed more than I realized.

All this for choosing to get outside and be active rather than sitting in front of a screen watching a game.

Appreciation:

While growing up my cousins and I used to have such a great time together for the holidays! The laughter, the playing, and the joking were so awesome? And due to the limited times we saw each other each year we did our best to maximize that time together.

Watching the boys with their cousins this weekend has brought back so many memories and has me so thankful for the experiences they get to share together. There’s a magic to spending time with family like this, so grateful they get to experience it AND rekindle so many memories for me!

Presence:

Today there were two moments that were so perfect in their extreme differences.

The first was a quiet moment outside while hiking along the river banks. The four of us were all spread out a bit and were all silent as we walked and took in our surroundings. It felt as if we were in the church of nature, all in quiet reflection.

The second was in the middle of our Christmas celebration, twenty three of us all in one large room with another four joining via FaceTime. It was loud, boisterous, chaotic, and magical all at the same time. So many family members all together celebrating Christmas together, laughing, joking, and enjoying each other’s company at a very loud volume.

Two moments of extremes, two moments of presence, two moments of joy.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for an Epic Bonus Adventure – aka Getting Lost

Day 3,008

Sometimes the path is a little longer than expected, like maybe 10x’s as long and completely unplanned! 😂

After spending time out in the woods up north I decided to take the path less traveled. Thinking I knew where I was going I decided to trek through some thick brush. Somewhere along the way I got a bit turned around and wandered through a big that wasn’t supposed to be there. The area I was in is contained on three sides by roads and a river so I had a 75% chance of running into one of those markers.

What made it all the more interesting was that I had zero cell coverage and my phone battery was almost dead.

My destination was initially a quarter of a mile away, but by the time I got there I’d gone well over two and a half miles. Glad it was unseasonably nice weather for my bonus miles!

What’s wild was just how much bonus stuff I got to observe while being lost. There were bobcat tracks in the mud from what appeared to be a wild turkey dinner for the wildcat. I kicked up five grouse, their wingbeats sounding so much like a fast paced heart racing. Three turkeys took their own shortcut across some trails. There were also the remnants of an old deer stand in a tree that had died and broken in half. Throw in some picturesque views of the river and a panorama of wild mosses in the bog and it was quite scenic.

Sure, that was not at all what I’d had planned, but it turned out to be an epic bonus adventure!

Most likely more details to follow on this one, but today what was most important to me was the gratitude for the bonus adventure!.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Course Correction, a Family Car Ride, & a Close Call

Day 3,007

Growth:

There’s a fine line between pushing too hard and not pushing hard enough sometimes. If I don’t push hard enough there’s not enough work done to lead to success. If I push too hard I can wear myself out or break. The razor sharp line of balance of the two can lead to incredible breakthroughs.

After going hard for the past three weeks my body started to hit the wall. My legs felt flat on our run. My body feels lethargic. I’ve been working harder while also changing my diet and eating less. Put it all together and…

… Younger Mike would have pressed on, worked harder, and then either get sick, burn out, or hurt himself.

… Present Mike paused to give himself grace, take a couple of days off, and remembered that growth requires work AND healing.

Here’s to riding the balance and having the wisdom to correct the course as needed.

Appreciation:

Our care ride up north today was so awesomely engaging! Who ever would have thought that something as mundane as a long car ride would be a highlight of the day? For the four of us to have time together as a family made the ordinary nothing short of extraordinary! Bonus time with my family, especially without disruption, is always something I am grateful for.

Presence:

OMG – there were other moments to write about, but the one that takes the cake just happened a little bit ago.

On our way up north the fog got super thick. I could hardly mane out more than the center and fog lines. Out of nowhere two deer materialized right in front of us! Everything went slow motion as I maneuvered the car a little to the left. I just missed the at least eight point buck’s antlers by less than two inches!

The entire few seconds stretched into what seemed almost like moments. What a moment of total presence!!!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Clarity, the Winter Solstice, & Yoga Chill

Day 3,006

Growth:

There were a few different ideas going through my head today on this topic. Several of the ideas all went in slightly different directions, but they each had a common thread. Clarity.

Clarity is one of the most profoundly powerful resources in our lives. From helping us focus on what is truly important to helping us get at the heart of what needs to be worked on to reminding us of where we should be at any given moment. Clarity can be elusive at times, especially when we don’t actively and intentionally pursue it. Once in our grasp clarity can so quickly point us in the right direction.

Today I was reminded of the importance and beauty of clarity on several occasions. 

Appreciation:

I haven’t usually paid much attention to the Winter Solstice in the past. Maybe a passing comment about it being the shortest daylight of the year, but that was about it. Today it hit me a differently. It was the end, the closing of the solar year, the start of more light, the next phase. Something about the shortest day of the year hit me at a deeper level. It feels like renewal, a fresh start, the beginning of a journey or some sort. Ending the night with yoga encouraged that feeling all the more, an end to the noise, and busyness, a start to calm, relaxation, and a path forward.

Here’s to the Winter Solstice, the end of the darkness, the beginning of growth and light.

Presence:

This evening Becky and I went to a Winter Solstice Yoga Relaxation session and it was so chill. The scent of Christmas hung in the air, the lighting was deeply peaceful. By the time I laid on my mat I was already just about sleeping. The entire practice was so relaxing, a wonderful way to wrap up the shortest day of the year.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for the Most Important Step of Problem Solving, Adding to the Dream List, & Deadlifting

Day 3,005

Growth:

It is easy to start throwing out solutions and trying to fix things. The most difficult part of the problem solving process? Figuring out the exact problem that needs to be solved. This can be more difficult as I tend to want to skip steps, make assumptions, and sometimes don’t take the time to fully understand the problem in advance. 

Today contained a wonderful reminder to pause and be sure to define the problem clearly before attempting to solve it. Pause, dig deeper into the issue. Find as much detail into the root cause of it as possible. Be sure to understand the timeframe we need to work within. Ask more questions than seems necessary, and then ask at least a few more. Frame the challenge as a question. Validate the definition with others involved. Attain agreement on the issue. Then, and only then, take action to solve the problem.

Appreciation:

What I’m most grateful for today are the ongoing additions to my dream list. The most recent addition came today as I telling Becky about a story from the book I’m currently reading – The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter. Throughout the book the author shares several vignettes from around the world talking through everything from hunting to talking with spiritual leaders and scientists about happiness to crazy exercise tactics. One in particular got me all types of excited and I’ve added it to my list.

The Paro Taktsang Monastery in Bhutan will be a travel destination for me at some point before I die. You can check out more about it here: https://www.breathebhutan.com/attractions/paro-taktsang-monastery/

How epic would this be to see in real life? The country of Bhutan is one I would love to visit for a variety of reasons (including being one of the happiest nations on Earth) and this would be the crown jewel of the trip for sure!

My dream list keeps on growing and each time it leads to more dreaming and more smiles!

Presence:

There are a handful of paths I could take on this topic today, but the one that really sticks out the most is during my lifting workout this evening. My trainer has added many new exercises and lifts to my practice and it has kept me very much on my toes. Up until a week and a half ago I’d never done a deadlift. Today I worked on a different variation of it, the sumo deadlift. 

While on the platform I situated my feet much wider than normal, only inches from the plates on the barbell. My hands grasped the bar in a much closer grip than I’ve become accustomed to. Without turning my toes in and while keeping my entire foot in contact with the floor with even pressure I bent my knees to get my butt as low as possible. With a very straight back I slowly lifted the barbell until I was able to lock out my hips. I then slowly reversed the position and settled the weight to the ground before doing it again.

This process of making sure I had everything in the right place and moving at the right time took all of my mental focus. Time almost seemed to slow as I thought through each portion of the movement, part of me walking through the checklist, another part of me feeling my body in space, and then another part of me watching my form in the mirror to adjust as needed to get the form right. All focus was in that one lift, one after another, until the set was completed. As I cycled through the remaining sets I duplicated the experience.

What a moment to stay so present, focused, and in a state of flow!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Wisdom, The Hawthorne Effect, & Sunrise and Sunset

Day 3,004

Growth:

I am feeling pretty exhausted and wore out tonight. A younger version of me would have laughed it off, pounded an energy drink or two, and stayed up until the wee hours of the night not doing much of anything. The today version of me is wise enough to take a cue, head to bed early, get extra sleep, and be ready to kick tomorrow in the butt. Tomorrow morning the today me will feel leaps and bounds better than the younger me.

Appreciation:

Humans are a silly bunch, aren’t we? Sometimes it is so easy to hack into our own brains to better get the results we want. Case in point today is the Hawthorne Effect. This essentially states that humans react differently when they are being measured and/or monitored. One of the ways to take advantage of this is by doing things like tracking what we eat, measuring what we are doing and how often, and by finding some way to focus on something we want to change. Once we’ve got something picked out we become much more aware of it specifically because it is being measured. This then causes us to change our behavior without really doing anything about the behavior itself. Pretty wild!

I’ve recently started tracking more of the habits I want to cultivate in my life. At the end of each day I pause to track a handful of measurements – basically an accounting of how well I lived into being the best me I want to be for the day. Throughout the day the knowledge that I will be completing this task helps me make better choices in the moment to help me score myself better later in the day. Crayz, but it works!

Presence:

Today included a daily double! Sure, I prefer when the days are longer, but on days like today I don’t mind the fact that I get to experience both the sunrise and sunset while driving to and from our Eau Claire office. Both sunrise and sunset today were SPECTACULAR!!! The sky was light aflame with the reds, pinks, and oranges across the horizon. Both times I paused my audiobook to soak the entire experience up a little more clearly. What a breathtaking sight – both times!

Thanks!!!