Day 2,968

Growth:

Situational Leadership continues to be one of the most positively impactful trainings I’ve ever had. Today we coached Gavin through driving on the interstate for the first time. Talk about a very focused training! Based on where his brain was I started with S1 (highly directive, low coaching) and quickly modified to S2 (highly directive, high coaching) to help him through some nerves that appeared as he hit 70mph for the first time in his life. Throughout other portions of his driving I flexed back and forth between S1, S2, S3, & S4 based on where Gavin was in the learning process for each situation. While it was a very focused training it reminded me of how important it is to utilize this process more often in many more scenarios.

Appreciation:

Today has felt like a deep breath, an opportunity hit the pause button and relax. There were multiple times when my head went back to a concept from Awareness. “Things don’t have to always be done well, many times they should be done enjoyably instead.” Today I did things enjoyably and my soul was warmed as a result. Hmm, there is a lot more to unpack there in a future blog, I’m just going to leave it there for now.

Presence:

Holy outside time! There was a lot of time spent enjoying being outside while November shared one of its most epically nice warm days. The sun was out most of the day and we enjoyed a couple of hikes and some yard work. The weather will likely be changing soon and it was a treat to enjoy the unseasonably warm temperatures.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,967

Growth:

So thankful for starting a project long in advance and giving myself a very lengthy timeline! By starting early I’ve provided myself the opportunity to get ahead of the game and work through issues with plenty of time to correct them. Talk about starting with a lower stress level! Definitely something to remember for future projects.

Appreciation:

Hanging out with good friends is always a blast – even if I have done a lot of people-ing recently! This evening we had a delicious dinner with friends at our house and had a wonderful time sharing stories. Great food, great friends, great times!

Presence:

OMG – laughing while being nervous and teaching Gavin how to drive led to some big laughs, new stories, and excellent learning moments! On two short drives we ended up on a couple of wild adventures!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,966

Growth:

I’m re-reading Awareness by Anthony de Mello and yet again I’m enthralled with how much new insight I’m able to take away even after reading it so many times. The “I” who is reading it is never the same and thus different portions make different impacts each time through. Super glad I picked it up again!

Appreciation:

Not gonna lie, I’m really grateful that it is now the weekend! It’s been a long few weeks and I’ve got another busy one lined up on Monday, but from now until 6am Monday there will be zero focus on work. My brain needs a rest, I’m ecstatic to crush the pause button and take some time off.

Presence:

Had a very enjoyable time with one of my teams this evening! Steve and his wife opened up their home to us for a Friendsgiving dinner. So much fun spending time shooting the bull outside of work!!!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,965

Growth:

How often I run through mild annoyances over and over again, thinking I don’t have the time to actually pause and fix them. Today I finally paused to fix a couple and the results were palpable! From a slightly faster computer to an easier to use and consistent way to take care of travel my life was made easier by pausing to fix the little things. Usually I just want to plow through and get things done, today I remembered to take a couple of moments to sharpen the blade to save hours of cutting.

Appreciation:

This evening I haven’t really had much of an opportunity to talk with Gavin. When I got home he was catching up on some homework. After dinner he went right back to homework while Becky and I FaceTimed Dominic. As I worked on a couple of small things Gavin kept working away. Now as I’m blogging Gavin has taken a little break – to do dishes quick – before going back to homework.

For sure, it is not his idea of a good time, but he knows it needs to be done. I haven’t had to push him on it, he knows what needs to be done. The work ethic he has worked on developing has me smiling from ear to ear. He gets plenty of time to relax and be a kid, but he also understands that there is a time for work as well. Seeing Gavin “get it” at such an early age has been a highlight of my night!

Presence:

Spending time catching up with an old friend over lunch is such a fun experience! Today I was able to catch up with a past teammate for the first time in a few years. We quickly fell back into our old patterns and conversations while laughing our butts off and having an excellent idea or two. Time flew by as we closed the gap between the years. Such a great way to be one hundred percent present!

Thanks!!

Day 2,964

Growth:

Challenges, unexpected obstacles, and frustrations are going to happen, they are a part of life. We cannot “opt out” of difficulties, they are part of the cost of admission on the ride called “A Human Life.”

We can 100% choose how we respond to them. We can choose to see them as unfair and wallow in our victimhood…. or ….we can choose to see them as opportunities for growth.

I wish I could say I immediately make the right call and see them the right way from the start, but my ego’s gravity pulls me towards frustration. That said, if I remember to pause I can find a way to grow through this, to become a better me as a result of this, and to possibly help others through their own similar experiences.

What happened today will not define me. How I respond and grow through it will.

Appreciation:

Today I was reminded how much I appreciate the decision I made over eight years ago to start blogging daily on one thing I’m grateful for. This process has brightened my life in more ways than I could ever begin to count, brought me strength to grow through many difficult challenges, and has helped me grow into a better version of myself than I was eight years ago.

As a daily habit its impact can easily evade my radar, sometimes I need conversations like today to help me recalibrate and realize just how much positive change it continues to foster each day. The quiet time spent focused on reflection of my day – good, bad, and everything in between / has helped me grow more as a person and helps me live more intentionally and more joyfully.

So thankful I stumbled upon this practice over eight years ago when I was struggling. Another excellent reminder that difficulty can be the catalyst of profound positive growth if we choose to make it so!

Presence:

There were a handful of conversations today in which I was one hundred percent present. Some positive and fun, some frustrating, some ordinary, and others keenly unique. Each struck me in an interesting way as I pause and think about them now. They were like being in a state of flow, they were timeless in spite of it being a ridiculously busy day. I wasn’t thinking about next steps, other calls, or anything, I was only in those conversations completely.

Interesting to me, I know I’m usually present, but the intensity of presence in this high of a volume of conversations in one day seems very high. Maybe it was how packed the day was, my mindset of focus, the topics of conversation, or some other aspect? Regardless, I’m grateful for those conversations today and look forward to attempting to replicate them tomorrow.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,963

Growth:

Sometimes we feel “nudges” to take a certain action, one which we likely would not have taken on our own. I don’t always follow them like I should, but I have yet to regret taking action whenever I’ve followed a nudge. Even though my day was packed I paused and followed through on three specific nudges and they made all the difference to my happiness today. Fingers crossed that they did more for the others they were intended for, I’ll have to wait to see those results. Regardless it reminded me of the importance of taking action on them as soon as I feel them. There’s never regret for taking action, there’s only been regret at not acting on the nudges in the past.

Appreciation:

During my drive home I fired up an audiobook for a while and it got my gears turning. After a while I had to pause it and drive in silence as I started to piece together ideas of an upcoming project I want to work on. I’ve got time set aside, I’ve got the tools I need, and I’ve got a plan, but after taking in some insights from the book I had several additional ideas of ways to vastly improve my project. So pumped to start working on it in a few weeks!

What really helped today was the spark of inspiration from the audiobook coupled with the extra space to think on the drive. I was almost tempted to drive an extra few miles just to finish the thought I was working through, but thanks to the epic sunset (more on that in a moment) I did the right thing and paused my thinking to savor the view.

Presence:

On my drive up this morning there was an awesome moment in which I had a very chill song playing (The Woods by Hollow Coves) and I saw a large whitetail buck standing in an empty field in the dawn light. On the way home the western skies were painted with dark pink and purple waves from the sunset. Driving may get tiring, but there are so many wonderful sights to savor on the way to and from work!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,962

Growth:

When life gets messy remember to follow these thoughts. Pause to prioritize. Make one small positive action towards the priority. One step at a time. Gain traction. Make a bigger next step. Repeat. Grand results often follow many small steps.

Appreciation:

I’m so grateful for so many incredible friends we’ve made through the past few years of soccer. This evening we celebrated the season and I enjoyed sharing moments, memories, and laughs with so many wonderful people!

Presence:

Dad life is rewarding in so many ways. Sharing highs. Sharing frustrations. Sharing experiences. Sharing laughter. Sharing love.

Each of these were moments I was present in today.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,961

Growth:

Behold the healing power of sleep! For reals, getting about 10 hours of sleep last night helped to make some huge progress on the chest cold and cough I’ve been fighting off. It also helped me sharpen my focus and make progress on my thoughts while avoiding distractions. When in doubt catch more zzz’s!

Appreciation:

We all go through difficulties in life, it is a part of the human experience. What a gift it is to be able to help others through their struggles by creating something positive from our own!

In the moment of frustration and hurt we can easily get lost in only that present moment, in the pain of that time. with the benefit of time and hindsight we can see how we may transform the pain of that experience into something beautiful in helping someone else through their struggle. Our pain was still real, but the pain fit another may have been softened and absorbed through ours.

Presence:

Hiking in the fall with family is one of my very favorite things! The smells and sights are amazing, but what really stuck out to me today was listening to the trees groaning and talking in the wind. So clear, so loud, so beautiful.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,960

Growth:

Running ragged and feeling exhausted is not recommended for long stretches of time, but there is a uniquely transcendental benefit to be found within. When I am feeling thoroughly exhausted everything is so much more raw, like exposed nerves. The sensations I normally lightly feel are compounded to a profound level, like salt in a cut or sugar in a cavity. Thanks to the increased sensation I can feel them more deeply, pay attention to what my mind and soul have been numbing, and get a better grasp on my mindset and world around me. The exponentially improved sense of awareness can bring about insights which I would never have faced in the comfort of “normal life.”

For sure, I am totally ready to die to the world for a while to rest and recover, but I am also grateful for all I’ve experienced in this worn down state, the real me without defenses up.

Appreciation:

What a week and a day it has been! The past eight days have been a solid focus on work – an owner meeting, a leadership retreat, training our teams, and lot of unexpected twists and turns. Throw in being on a panel and then giving a presentation while feeling completely wiped out with a cough and the remnants of a chest cold and is has been quite the stress test. And I passed. Now on the tail end I can look back with gratitude at all that was experienced over the past week and see what went well, what I would change I were to do it all over again, and rest well knowing I’ve had a hell of a productive week.

Presence:

My ride home from Wausau was a wonderful experience. No audiobooks, only music, played very loudly, and there may have been a little car dancing. I’m still not feeling great so it wasn’t anything too crazy, but it was a stunning contrast to the nonstop focused week I’ve had thus far. Taking time to have thought and time with music was exactly what my soul needed to wrap up the week.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,959

Growth:

My brain does best when I can take time to pause, digest, and then implement rather than just gorge on new ideas and the implement. It almost seems as if I need to schedule 1-2 hours break after an insightful training specifically to dissect it and digest it. When I go from one training immediately to another my brain struggles to maintain the momentum from the first session. Part of me cringes when I consider missing a training, but isn’t it better to execute well on one rather than half ass two others? Definitely something to consider!

Appreciation:

Wow, so many amazing ideas shared in the past two days of training! Honestly, it was s perspective shifting experience that I’m excited to dive more deeply into over the next few days as I consolidate my notes and start to put them into action plans. Yesterday I was most appreciative for the experience with my cohorts, today it’s the paradigm twisting reality of the strategies and ideas shared.

Presence:

There’s a magic to walking through a crowded airport with noise canceling headphones on. I find that it’s a weird detached reality, like I’m walking behind the scenes, almost invisible. Walking Terminal A in Dallas did not disappoint today!

Thanks!!!