Day 2,983

Growth:

Throughout the course of the day I often have those moments of insight from observing different conversations, interactions, and responses. Over the past year I’ve started taking the time to jot them down in the top margin of my notebook. As I’ve started looking back on some of the knowledge I’ve gleaned throughout the year this practice has become a concise catalog of life lessons to help me out in future scenarios. When I flip back through the previous pages I’m regularly reminded of those insights.

Appreciation:

The past month has not been kind to my yoga practice. For a variety of reasons I’ve been unable or unwilling to get to the studio to practice with anything resembling the regularity I prefer. This evening we got back on track and knocked out our first Monday night session in a long time… and it totally kicked my ass! All the stretching, twisting, and pulling felt amazing!!! I’m totally feeling wasted right now, worn out and feeling muscles I haven’t noticed in a while. Getting the energy out while getting a workout in like that AND getting into a calm state of mind was AWESOME!!!

Presence:

This morning the large full moon slowly slipped down across the sky while continuing to increase in size while simultaneously dimming in the same ratio. When I slid further into the valley and the moon was swallowed up by the bluffs the sun lit up a brilliant golden orange blaze opposite the moon. I was then treated to a spectacular view of the sunrise until it rose and slowly dimmed as the moon had. Once the sun was behind the bluffs I curved along the road and caught sight of the full moon again, slowly ambling towards the horizon in a race to disappear before fading away. All of this played out around me on my drive, a drive in total silence, a drive focused on the show nature was putting on all around me.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,982

Growth:

Something about today really had me dialed in from the standpoint of presence. As I think ahead to what I’ll write about tonight I’m torn between several (& will likely use them all shortly). There were more moments of focused presence than I’ve had in a while. Not sure what the magic was but I’ll definitely keep thinking on this.

Appreciation:

Something I’ve really started to appreciate more and more is the way we balance out our time as a family. Over the past couple of years (maybe more) we still spend a majority of our time together, but we also split into triads and twos of all combinations with some level of regularity. It seems as if this time in the smaller group helps all of us with our relationships with the rest of the family. It seems counterintuitive to building family dynamics, but that focused time with a smaller segment seems to allow us to get to know each other better and more deeply rather than having the gravitational force of our normal whole family dynamics pull us where we always go. Not sure how or why it started but it seems to be working well!

Presence:

Whew!!! Where do I start today? As I’ve already said, there were many moments of focused presence today! Here are some of the more memorable which come to mind,

• Walking in a winter wonderland in the woods with a coffee in my hand while hiking with Becky and Leia.
• Seeing a woodpecker only yards away on a tree going to town on the bark.
• Enjoying the sight of the hunter retrieving ducks amongst his decoys.
• So many smiles as I greeted at church this morning.
• Joking with Becky while putting up Christmas lights.
• Seeing the huge full moon rise slowly as we took Leia on her second walk.
• Watching tundra swans fly in a large V over our house.
• Eating dinner as a complete family.
• Getting one last hug from Dominic before he went into the train station.
• Riding home with Gavin while he practiced driving on the ice for the first time.
• The quiet calm of typing this blog.

So many engaging moments of presence today!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,981

Growth:

When viewed correctly and the worked on with an action plan rejection is only a speed bump on the road to success. Learn from it, react to it, and keep moving forward.

Appreciation:

Dominic may be in college but we’re still holding onto traditions like cutting down the Christmas tree together. Today Leia joined us for her first time. We also got to see Gavin cut the tree most of the way and the Dominic threw a rugby tackle at it and knocked it down! So much fun finding those moments and enjoying our family traditions.

Presence:

This afternoon the boys went outside and threw the football and rugby ball around in the park across the street. Watching the two of them enjoy some brother time like that was totally heartwarming! I am so appreciative of those moments when I have the opportunity to experience the two of them together like that.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,980

Growth:

There’s never quite enough time to get everything done that I will want to get done. Consider what is most important, create a prioritization of what must be done first, and then have the discipline to complete those tasks first prior to moving on to the next. Remember that it will never ALL be done, I will have to say NO to some things in order to make time for the most important things. Prioritize, but know what is most important first. Learn to be more okay with not being able to do it all, maybe even find a way to turn saying no to things into a game to help stay focused on accepting that.

Today I wanted to get it all done, then I realized I could only get some done, and in the end I was actually able to complete even less… and that’s okay.

Appreciation:

Becky and Gavin are home from France and Dominic is home from school – our family is complete at home again!!! This evening we ate as a family, went through vacation pictures as a family, and joked around and enjoyed time as a family. After having a very quiet house for the better part of a week it was such a welcome change of pace to have every family member home and engaged.

As a bonus – I am beyond glowing due to the spectacular time Becky and Gavin had in France!!! So appreciative for the experiences they shared and the memories they were able to create together. The smiles and joy they had on their faces all night were priceless and reminders to me of how important it is for us to have family time as a full family AND to have family time one on one with each other in order to help grow and strengthen our individual bonds along with the entire family. This time around it was Becky and Gavin enjoying life in Europe together and seeing deeply meaningful pieces of history and culture together. Based on their first round of stories they had an awesome time! Their smiles were priceless!!!

Presence:

Dominic and I had quite the conversation about both science and leadership this morning on our drive back to La Crosse! He was filling me in on what was going on in his classes and it was intriguing to dive into the concepts he was learning in his Leadership class – all very much related to my work life for sure. As he filled me in on things like the VASE theory (Visualize, Assess, Strategize, Execute) and how they were learning strengths based leading through utilization of personality and strength assessments we dove into in depth conversation on actual application and additional resources he may find interesting. We also dove into concepts like making sure the true argument was being understood in order to debate the right way (our conversation on over population AND declining birthrate was a fun one!). All in all it was a very focused and presence driven conversation, totally engaging!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,979

Growth:

I’m grateful for remembering to give myself grace in my gratitude practice. Tonight I am keeping the writing short as I stayed up later with family. I’m still reflecting on the day and focusing on gratitude, but in a more condensed manner. Purpose over form 👍

Appreciation:

I probably sound like a broken record, but my one on one time with Dominic today was priceless. Having bonus drive time led to so many awesomely nondescript conversations and I enjoyed all of them tremendously!

Presence:

So many laughs with family today for Thanksgiving!!! We played games and shot the bull, so thankful for our time together.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,978

Growth:

Some of the best and most heartfelt traditions live on for generations and create a ton of joy and smiles year after year after year. Here’s to two of my mentors for creating a Thanksgiving tradition that still continues well over 30 years later. What an awesomely positive impact they’ve had on so many through their generosity, giving, and love!

Appreciation:

Dominic and I had put together the backbone of our trip to Patagonia in March, today we started to flesh out all the details. In many ways the construction of a vacation is so similar to a woodworking project. Start with an idea, get the structure built, and then fill in al the details and character. As with any project – it is guaranteed to not go exactly as planned and that’s all good too. We’ll adapt, adjust, and make the best of any curveballs we get thrown our way. Seeing the details start to take shape has me sooooooo excited!

Presence:

Hanging out with Dominic today was the highlight of my day! We got a bunch of time together from the point I picked him up from the train station until just about supper time. It was just the two of us (& Leia) and we talked about fun stuff, school stuff, and vacation stuff. Having that bonus one on one time was heartwarming and I’m looking forward to more of that over the next couple of days.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,977

Growth:

Honest and constructive feedback is so awesome and greatly appreciated!!! Huge shout out to my buddy Rick for pointing out a great way to improve the quality of my audiobook recording today! His idea helped a ton and in more ways than I expected! It was a very insightful reminder of how helpful it is to share ideas with someone to help them improve. Thanks for the inspiration dude!!!

Appreciation:

The recording is now done. I’d set a goal of recording the entirety of my book while Gavin and Becky were in France and I’ve now accomplished that goal. The sense of accomplishment is tremendous! There’s still so much work ahead including editing, possibly re-recording sections, and setting up the files to upload, but the heaviest of the lifting is now complete. There are now approximately 7 hours of recordings done. Whew – I am feeling it! Both emotionally and physically I am feeling exhausted, but it is the exhaustion of hard work being completed, and the goal being done!

Bring on the extra work, all the stuff that will take a ton of time, and the next steps – that’s all good. Today I’m grateful for setting a big goal and knocking it out!

Presence:

Wowza, recording my book for audio was rough in the best possible ways. Re-living so many difficult moments brought back so many feels, but largely they were all good – just very intense. Spending the better part of two days reading my book into a microphone re-opened the chest of memories I’d packed away a while ago and hadn’t opened this completely for a long time. That said, what a profound way to remind me of the why behind this project! Getting lost in those memories while recording in a tiny little dark space was wild. Though the work seems like it should have been rather mundane I caught myself being in a flow state almost the entire time.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,976

Growth:

Today I’ve learned that there is reading and then there is READING. I love reading! Picking up a good book, taking it all in, and enjoying the written word – all so chill and calming. Today I was READING as I’ve started recording the audio version of my book and it was an entirely different experience.

When READING I have to take the time to notice each and every word. I can’t help but be more focused on all the detail as I am not only reading it, but I am preparing to speak it. This also means digesting it on a different level as I need to read it as I would speak it rather than just reading it. These two additional steps really make a giant leap from reading to READING.

What’s really getting me thinking is how differently I am taking in this information this time around. How much different would my comprehension be if I read everything aloud as if I were recording an audiobook? I wouldn’t read nearly as fast, but I’d imagine my understanding of the book would be increased tremendously. Definitely something to consider for the future!

Appreciation:

In order to have quiet to record I brought Leia to doggy daycare for the first time of her life. To say she enjoyed it would be a huge understatement! Here’s what she looked like on the way home and shortly after getting home:

This has been the quietest night I’ve had since Becky and Gavin left, no question! She even put herself to bed a little before 6:30pm. Can’t wait to see how worn out she is after going again tomorrow!

Presence:

This morning I was blessed with an inspiring gift, the opportunity to join friends at the courthouse to see the adoption of their son become legally completed. The details are theirs to share – what I am grateful for is the presence of the moment that it was official. There was so much love and joy in that courtroom from so many, it was a special moment I will cherish forever.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,975

Growth:

One of the most impactful trainings I’ve ever had was on the standard cycle of learning we all go through when we learn new tasks – Situational Leadership (aka SLII). Typically, when we are first about to start a task we are all types of excited and we’re ready to run through walls to accomplish the new task, we just need to have someone give us a little direction. Once we start down that path we quickly realize that it is not going to be as easy and simple as we initially assumed it would be, we have learned what we didn’t already know. At that moment we feel crushed and now need some positive coaching in addition to the direction.

And that’s where I am today. As excited as I have been to start recording I am frustrated. The volumes and levels aren’t quite where I need them to be and it is painstaking to adjust them. As I read in practice I’m tripping over my written words and it is driving me bonkers. This whole project has gone from a “this will be a blast” to “hmm, how do I dump this without too much shame?” 😉

Of course, I am going to work through it. Can I do this? Yes, I’ve worked through other things before. One step at a time. I’ve got a way to adjust all the levels and will take the time to do that tomorrow morning when I am not watching a puppy (who decided to take advantage of my recording practice by grabbing one of my hand clamps and chewing both of the rubber pads off). Yeah, I am likely going to stumble over my words. No worries – I can edit it! It’s not the end of the world if I have to re-record certain sections. I’ll figure it out, I’ve done more difficult things in the past (like writing the book in the first place).

Yes, I am frustrated now, but I know how to work through it. I’ve got this. Tomorrow will end with much progress made!

Appreciation:

This afternoon I got to catch up with Becky and Gavin and hear about how their trip to France has been going. So glad they decided to go on this adventure together! The memories they are making together and the time they have with just the two of them is awesome and will only continue to grow the bonds they already have. While I would like to be with them I know there’s a magic to having that solo time with one of our sons at a time from past experience. I’m very appreciative that they are getting this time together and are making some lifelong memories!

Presence:

There was a moment this morning as Leia and I walked through the woods this morning that was so perfectly tranquil. There was no sound of traffic. The air was still. The only sound was that of Leia bounding through the leaves like the puppy she is. The smile on her face as she decided to play a little chase with me was priceless. The happiness of a puppy outdoors playing is a joy I need to remember to harvest in my own life more often. Play and have fun, life doesn’t always have to be serious and goal driven.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,973

Growth:

Many years ago I had a conversation with my friend Rick about composing music on his computer. I asked why he didn’t just mix everything perfectly, making each note of each instrument hit at the perfect tone. He shared that there is a perfection in imperfection. If everything was perfect in the song it just wouldn’t sound right. The little imperfections at the right places made a good song a beautiful song.

Earlier this morning as I was thinking through about my blog post and thoughts from yesterday. I started to realize how much that concept applies to life in general. Our lives are so deeply enriched and wonderful BECAUSE of the imperfections and struggles. They allow the moments of joy and happiness to really come to the surface and shine.

So similar to my post from last night. The imperfections are a perfect was for us to grow and remember to appreciate what we have, to enjoy the full melody of life.

Appreciation:

This morning Gavin was up and moving early in preparation for his upcoming trip with Becky. He and Dominic jumped on the phone and provided quite the background soundtrack to the work I was doing from home. There was nonstop laughing, giggling, and joking around between the two of them and it was music for my soul! I am so grateful for the way they continue to spend time connecting with each other and the friendship they have built.

Presence:

This morning I stumbled upon one of my favorite early morning solo run albums, The Rural Alberta Advantage’s Mended with Gold. The music combined with the 20-ish degree crisp air to form the right conditions for an inspiration meditative run to kick off the day. I love the way music can help my mind slip into a flow state so easily.

Thanks!!!