Tag: presence

Thankful for Remembering Love is the Way, Crazy Ideas, & Reminders to Appreciate the Moments We Have

Day 3,437

Growth:

Father Dodge had a wonderful sermon that I really didn’t want to hear today, usually the sign of one which I really needed to hear. Where there is discomfort there is usually room for growth.

In his sermon he reminded us that we are to love everyone, to want everyone to enter into heaven, for everyone to feel love. This is currently very difficult for me as I strongly disagree with several issues we are having as a society at large. It would (and has been) so much easier to be angry, to return hate with hate, and to be about as far from love as we should be.

As he spoke I couldn’t help but realize that this pushing back with anger and frustration is what is fueling the downward spiral we seem to be in. We should be remembering to love each other throughout, to pray for others, to help them understand that even if we disagree they are still humans, we should treat them all as we would be treated.

For sure – I am nowhere near ready to for this complete shift, I know what I should do and will work towards closing the gap between who I am and who I am called to be. As I reflect on the day I will be remembering to give a little extra prayer for those who need it, those who are acting from a place of hate, greed, ego, for them to find their way back to love for all humans and all life. I will say an extra prayer for all those who are directly impacted by the hateful and bitter action for them to have the courage to continue, the strength to keep fighting, and the ability to find a way to return love for hate. I will say a prayer for myself, to help me stay level minded, to help me know when and how it is appropriate to fight back, but in a way from the heart, with love. All in all, I’m praying for us to all remember to love each other and to treat each other well – especially when we don’t agree.

This evening I acted out in peaceful ways, a donation to an organization that could really use the extra help right now, sending messages to our congress on my thoughts on specific actions. Please consider doing the same. An organization which we’ve supported in the past that could use your help is the National Parks Conservation Association.

Appreciation:

I’ve been known to have some crazy idea, some might even say bad ideas form time to time. Nothing crazy or nefarious, rather ideas which many normal people would likely think a little out there. Case in point hiking a 50k last summer in the middle of a heat wave. Some have been so crazy they never happened, others I’ve seen through and maybe even questioned after the fact.

After Gavin finished reading The Long Walk by Stephen King this week he had an incredible idea – possibly a crazy one. We are going to do a 24 hour nonstop hike this summer just because we can. We’re going to start approximately 65-70 miles from home and follow the trail all the way back. Nothing short of ridiculous, no question, but it should be an incredible adventure, one we’ll remember for the long haul for sure!

Here’s to the crazy ideas, may they continue to invade our brain and lead us to many incredible shared moments together!

Presence:

Appreciate each moment, we don’t know how many more we have. In church today we received some deeply sad news of a parishioner who passed away from a very fast acting cancer. While we did’t know her well, we knew she and her husband well enough to enjoy a smile and a joke from time to time. Her death was a shock and that moment really hit hard. Her husband is the one I blogged about years ago as “the guy at church who reminds me of Dad.” My heart goes out to him and their family. Enjoy the moments we have, we are not promised tomorrow.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for The Only Thing We Control, an Awesome Day, & Snowshoeing on a Saturday

Day 3,428

Growth:

Today has been a powerful reminder of why I write each day. It’s a practice of reflection—an opportunity to process my experiences, thoughts, and emotions, helping me bridge the gap between who I am and who I strive to be.

When someone lets us down or disappoints us, we have a choice in how we respond. I often find myself oscillating between anger, frustration, apathy, and sadness. But the interesting thing is this: my reaction is entirely up to me.

If we strip away our initial emotions, most disappointments come down to a simple fact—someone took an action they believed was right. Few people intentionally choose to do the wrong thing. The action itself is neutral; it’s neither good nor bad until we assign meaning to it.

Let that sink in for a moment. The action itself is neutral. We are the ones who apply context, emotion, and judgment. And in doing so, we determine our response. Yes, their action may be the opposite of what we wanted or expected, but our reaction? That’s entirely ours to own.

Anthony de Mello captures this truth beautifully in Awareness:

“I have no right to make any demands of you.

I have no right to make any demands of you. Oh, I’ll protect myself from the consequences of your actions or moods or whatever, but you can go right ahead be what you choose to be.

I have no right to make any demands of you.”

Anthony de Mello

At the end of the day, the only thing we truly control is our response. People will act in ways we disagree with. They will frustrate us. They will disappoint us. But they are free to do so. Their actions only gain meaning when we apply it.

Marcus Aurelius offers another timeless insight:

“Choose not to be harmed—and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed—and you haven’t been.”

The choice is mine. Someone else may take an action I dislike, but it’s up to me whether I let it disrupt my peace. I can let it roll off. I can take steps to prevent it from happening again. I can move forward. Or, I can choose frustration and dwell in emotions that serve no purpose.

I choose to move forward.

Why waste time and energy longing for a different outcome when I never had control over it in the first place? Instead, I’ll choose focus. I’ll choose resilience. I’ll choose to protect my energy and not let frustration steal moments I can never get back.

Time is finite. Breath is precious. I won’t waste them in frustration.

Appreciation:

One of the reasons I enjoy blogging is the ability to reflect upon the entirety of the day rather than dwelling on just one or two specific incidents. As I started typing this section I paused and ran through the day from start to end and I couldn’t help but smile at so many positives and moments I am grateful for today!

  • Waking up to the aroma of coffee, a delicious coffee Becky picked up in her recent yoga retreat.
  • Seeing a text come across my phone early in the morning saying, “Pulled a Kreiling and went hiking before the sun was up this morning, just me and the dog!”
  • Stepping on the scale and seeing more progress than expected.
  • Shoveling snow with Becky while listening to great music, getting lost in the fresh air, movement, and tunes.
  • Growing through a challenging situation.
  • Getting to the grocery store on a Saturday only to find it relatively empty.
  • Sticking to my guns with my weekly goals and preventing temptation.
  • Seeing a video of Gavin setting his new bench press PR and hearing about how much fun he had with his teammates.
  • Hearing about Dominic’s rugby scrimmage and hearing the excitement in his texts.
  • So much outside time snowshoeing with Becky! More on that below.
  • Making progress on my checklist for the weekend and prepping my meals for next week.
  • Trading awesome texts with good friends.
  • Playing cards with Becky and Gavin after dinner, laughing, and joking, enjoying our time together.
  • Taking way more time than expected writing this blog, reflecting on the day, learning and growing.

All in all, it’s been a pretty awesome day, one made better as a result of taking time to type my blog.

Presence:

There was enough snow for snowshoeing today and we took full advantage of it! We headed out to Great River Bluffs State Park and spent time snowshoeing through fresh and untrodden snow. The fresh air, the untouched snow, and the un-hiked trails all led to an incredibly invigorating experience. Such a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Awareness and Action, a +2 Day Thanks to So Many, & Lost in Flow

Day 3,425

Growth:

All great transformations in life start with a very simple step, the awareness of a gap between who we are and who we could be.

If we don’t have awareness we don’t realize how badly we could use the change. We are don’t know that there’s a gap, a place to grow into. This can be such a frustrating moment, unhappy and not seeing a better path forward. We can even begin to feel helpless, constantly fighting against the tide.

Once we have the moment of awareness we can move forward, but can also feel so daunting or impossible. The gap may be significantly larger than we’d thought, possibly on the border of impossible. In its own way, this can be almost more demoralizing than not having awareness as it seems profoundly difficult to grasp.

Once we have the moment of awareness, once we can see across the chasm of where we are versus where we are we should be, we need to put our heads down and focus only on the single footstep ahead. See that spot twelve inches in front of us, will our foot to lift, our leg to move forward, and the foot comes down. One small step, but the greatest step after awareness – the first step! Celebrate it!!! We’ve made our trip across the gap a little shorter AND now we know we have the strength to take a step.

Now take another step, then another. Slow but steady progress, gaining momentum. You’ve got this. After s dozen or so steps look up to make sure you’re still headed the right way, and then head back down and focus on the twelve inches in front of you. In seemingly no time you will make significant progress.

All that progress, all started with a moment of awareness, all started with one tiny and small step.

Over the past 3,424 days I’ve taken tiny steps daily, pausing to reflect on what I appreciate. Each day is one tiny step forward, motion towards closing the gap.

Today I had a conversation with a friend that reminded me to pause and appreciate the momentum I’ve built over the past nine plus years. As I reflect on the journey my mind is blown. This all started with the awareness that I was not happy, in so many ways I felt empty, like a fraud, unsatisfied, always in pursuit of more. I was not in a good place mentally and emotionally. Awareness came first, the awareness of unhappiness and a gigantic gap on the other side of which was full of joy. I wanted to cross. It seemed impossible, but I took one step. And the another. And then more which led to today. The gap is still there, but I’ve made progress.

Awareness, action. One small step at a time leads to profound growth over years.

Appreciation:

Sometimes I get so frustrated I just want to quit. When I get in those funks they can be difficult to get out of. What I’ve found interesting recently is that every time I have felt this way recently I find that the reason for the frustration is something well under my control, something I have the ability to change. I just have pause, breathe, zoom out, look at the situation from afar, have awareness, give myself grace to be frustrated, and then change it.

Today there were several moments in which I saw clearly I was in a perfect position to live into my purpose, to live towards the goal which brings me the most joy and fulfillment, which almost can’t help but pull me across the gap to where I should be.

To all those who brought me a smile, warmed my soul, reminded me of purpose, and helped in so many ways to get out of my own way while simultaneously helping to guide me back to the right path – thank you. Today was a beautiful day, a +2 day, thanks to you!

Presence:

This morning I had a tight deadline for a client. It would be just enough time, but not so much I could take my time. As luck would have it Dominic happened to send a text “Some great hype up songs for your day!” His timing was impeccable. I closed my door, put in my noise canceling AirPods, and proceeded to “massage” my ear drums with wave after wave of excellent music. My field of vision narrowed to only the project and I truly crushed it. With only fifteen minutes to spare I took out the AirPods, inhaled deeply and let it roll in my chest, and turn exhaled slowly as I punched the Send button.

An hour or two of being in a total state flow, consumed by the task at hand without distraction. Glorious!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Pacing, Busyness Leading to Gowth, & Frigid Air and Shooting Stars

Day 3,391

Growth:

My mind keeps getting drawn back to the concept of pace. I’ve got about another two weeks of a dead sprint ahead of me before I reach my first aid station on this run. All good, I’ve turned the corner and can see the finish line clearly in front of me, I just have to dig deep and I’ll cross it soon.

What I’m starting to notice is a balance of exhilaration thanks to seeing the finish which is making me want to sprint faster AND the stress and fatigue of the running I’ve already done starting to compound. In marathons the first mile and the last mile are the same distance but they feel so incredibly different due to the pounding the body has taken. I want to sprint faster to the finish, but I feel the compounding drag from my body. What’s the right pace?

Too fast and I’ll die before the finish line. Too slow and I’ll miss the opportunity to finish appropriately. It’s all about finding the right pace, not too fast, not too slow, sustainable progress.

Appreciation:

There’s a beauty in being so busy that there is not enough time to even consider a distraction or to pause and wonder where to go next. A steady stream of actions to be taken, never ending, coming one after another after another in a freight train of tasks.

While this is not sustainable for a long term pace it is interesting to see how my mindset shifts and old habits are more easily broken. I caught myself looking at a task I normally take time to complete today. Rather than getting it done as usual to enjoy the sense of completion I completely threw it aside while realizing that it really didn’t matter with the other things on my plate. It wasn’t until I discarded the task that I realized just how much this busyness has helped me see the clarity of what is truly important. What a gift this is!!! I never would have seen this quite this way had I not pushed myself right up to the edge like this.

All our growth comes through pushing hard through difficulty and obstacles. I would not have chose the suffering, but I am so grateful for the growth!

Presence:

Our run this morning was quite chilly, but so refreshing! I love breathing in the frigid air while running, something about it feels so invigorating…. Or maybe that’s just my brain freezing 😉

Regardless, running in the cold with Becky, seeing the behemoth of Orion looking on the horizon, and then seeing a shooting star rip right through the constellation Cancer was a running moment I’ll hold dear for quite some time! A moment like that to get my head straight and going the right way, what a way to get my day moving!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for the Choice We Always Have to Make

Day 3,372

We always have a choice to make.

We cannot choose the challenges we will face. We cannot choose which surprises we want and don’t want. We cannot choose how others react. These are all out of our control.

Yet, we always have a choice to make.

We can choose how we will respond. We can choose where we put our focus. We can choose our attitude, our mindset, and our reaction. We can choose to live into our values, to live towards our purpose. We can choose positivity. We can choose growth. We can choose appreciation. We can choose to be present – especially when it is difficult. We can choose to face the brutal facts and we can choose how to work through them. We always have the ability to choose these.

We always have a choice to make.

Today I had the opportunity to work through a handful of almost consecutive challenges which I would not have chosen. But I chose to focus on what was important. I chose positivity. I chose growth. I chose to live my values and grow closer to my purpose.

We always have a choice to make. Choose wisely.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Grace, Choice, & Diamond Beach

Day 3,361

Growth:

There is only so much one can do at any given time. To push to hard while taking on too much will only lead to further issues. Pause, assess capabilities, determine priorities, accept that not everything can be done at once, and then take action on what must happen first. Give yourself grace, breathe, do what you can, don’t create further challenges by being too headstrong.

Appreciation:

Where do we choose to focus? When the day is done where do we reflect – the positive, the negative, or both? How wonderful that we have the choice to make each night as we go to bed!

Today was a wild one, so many unexpected twists and turns, completely different than expected when I woke up. From about 6:30am until 6:30pm it was a whirlwind of unscripted craziness, but I’m still smiling as I wind down for the evening. While I could focus on the frustrations I’m instead choosing to stay focused on the positives – the opportunity to grow, to learn more about my teams, to remember purpose, the chance to role model how we can have a bad day but still smile for Gavin, time to smile as I talk with family, and remembering why I put gratitude at the forefront of my evening practice. Throughout the craziness there was stress, but tonight I’ll go to bed completely chill and almost energized in knowing that as much as today threw at me I was able to thrive. Whatever tomorrow may bring I will face with the attitude I choose.

I am so grateful for that choice each and every moment of my life!

Presence:

This moment at Diamond Beach in Iceland, one that will be burned into my brain forever.

BTW – if you want more travel videos like this please check out my @HikeWanderWonder page on Intagram

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Less, but More

Day 3,355

Going in a slightly different direction today, had a big thing in my head throughout much of day that is calling to be unleashed. The idea of having less, but more.

One of the reasons I love traveling to other countries is to experience the differences in cultures. Almost universally it seems that other countries seem to have less, but more at the same time.

Iceland is possibly the best at showing me a very realistic step or two back from where I currently am. Backpacking does an impeccable job of reminding me how little I actually need, but it is so transcendent from where I currently am that it seems sustainable in only short-ish doses. Iceland splits the distance between where I normally live and where I could be backpacking and inspires a sustainable lifestyle adjustment.

Take the Icelandic grocery stores as an insight. There are only a small handful of cereals to choose from. The soda / soft drink section contains less than a dozen options. The entire store is so much smaller than in the US.

The homes we’ve been renting are rather simple. This last of the four was one of only two with a television. There isn’t much variety of anything, all four have had a mix of the same furniture, silverware, and whatnot. Not just similar, but exactly the same. All the homes have been very small, yet they have everything we need.

For sure, this is definitely a first world realization, there are so many who don’t have what they need. Many would be ecstatic for what I’ve experienced here. What’s interesting is that I feel as if I would be too, but for very different reasons.

How much more simple would life be with less? How much emotional energy and thought is wasted on decisions over which things we need? How much happier would I be with less? How much more grateful would I be for what I have rather than catching myself wanting more and feeling miserable as a result?

We really need very little to live a joyful life. My visit has really helped me see more clearly how easy it would be to have less – less choices, less stuff, less options. For sure, certainly not less freedom, rather the willpower to remind myself much less I need.

As I look ahead to my annual personal planning I am seeing I may have found a very fitting and appropriate theme for myself in 2025, one inspired by my trip to Iceland.

Less, but more.

Less stuff, less unnecessary stress, less running in different directions, less goals, less…. but more. More life, more of what is important, more joy, more gratitude, and more fulfillment.

Less, but more.

Takk!!!

Thankful for Rest, Writing Down Goals, and So Many Moments On the Trail

Day 3,205

Growth:

Sometimes the best thing to do is lay flat on our backs in the shade, put our feet up on a big tree, and rest. After eight hours of hiking in the heat and sun I did just that for just under 10 minutes and it made all the difference in helping me finish my goal.

Appreciation:

Today I knocked out a version of a dream I’ve had on my dream list for 15 years, finishing a 50k (31.07 miles). Initially the dream was to run my first ultra marathon (anything over 26.2 miles), but over time it has morphed to hiking the distance in a single go. Today I can cross that one off the list!

What I’m most thankful for today is that I wrote the goal down in the first place. Many ideas fly in and out of my head, some find purchase. When they are written down they are so much more likely to happen, even if they end up being slightly modified like this one. By writing the dreams down the odds of future success skyrocket as they stay more top of mind.

Presence:

I saw and heard so many things on the nine plus hours on the trail today! From a herd of deer (including a few fawns), to an owl screeching, to a couple of sandhill cranes walking just ahead of me on the trail, to watching a woodchuck climb a tree, to hundreds of leopard frogs, to so many beautiful flowers in the marsh, there were sights to behold all around me. Nothing quite like time in nature!

Such an exquisite pre sunrise moment in the marsh!

Thanks!!!

Thankful for Journaling, Unexpected Family Time, & the Storm Front

Day 3,196

Growth:

Today was a wonderful reminder of the power of journaling. My blog post from four years ago popped up and flooded me with so many memories. Had I not taken the time to write my thoughts down I would have likely forgotten a day like this.

“Gratitude leads to abundance. Abundance leads to giving. Giving leads to joy.”

Mike Kreiling, July 4, 2020

What a different world it was only four years ago! This was quite the time capsule to open today: https://thankful4forty.com/2020/07/05/day-1376-thankful-for-seeing-more-correlations-to-gratitude-and-abundance-mindsets-and-returning-to-church/

Appreciation:

Becky and I were expecting to have a quiet house to the two of us after our hike this morning. As luck would have it we had both boys and their girlfriends for the majority of the day and evening! So many games and laughs, dinner as a family – all completely unexpected and greatly appreciated! Times like these are always moments I am grateful for.

Presence:

During our hike we reached a very scenic viewpoint just before the storm and rain rolled in. As I recorded the video below the wind picked up, the temperature dropped, and everything in the air seemed to shift as if there was an immense inhale. What a moment! Nothing quite like the moment the front rolls in.

Thanks!!!

Thankful for a Surplus of Dreams and a Deficit of Time, Productivity Lessons, & a Brutal Lifting Workout

Day 3,187

Growth:

Life is so much easier when I pause and remember that I do not have the time or capacity needed to tackle all of the crazy ideas and dreams and projects I would like to take on. I will forever have a surplus of goals and plans and a deficit of the time I wish I had to accomplish everything, and that is okay. This makes it all the more important for me to focus on intentionally spending my precious time on those dreams which are of the utmost importance rather than on matters which are not of consequence.

When I am feeling overwhelmed and as if I don’t have enough time I need to remember to pause, review what is truly most important, focus on that in that moment, and be grateful for the opportunity to have that moment of life to use.

Appreciation:

When I wrapped up my day yesterday I had a very clear list of what needed to get done today. I didn’t get it all done, but I didn’t waste any time or energy. My focus was exactly where it needed to be. There were several moments in which my brain started to wander to other things and just as I was about go in a wrong direction I had awareness and went right back to focus mode. The results was an awesomely productive day that I am very pleased with.

As I analyze why it was successful I pinpointed a few notes to save for Future Mike:

  • Review what is truly important, slice it into what is most important today, and then focus there
  • Have a very clear list of what needs to get done and in order of how it needs to happen
  • Maintain awareness of where my mind should be focused and catch myself when it wanders
  • Give myself grace to take a pause or a break – not unintentionally and time wasting, rather, focused on re-charging my brain
  • Close the door and turn on the right music when needed
  • The overwhelming majority of phone calls, emails, and messages can wait until a future time
  • If the day flew by I am doing it right

Over 25 years of working in the professional world and I’m still reminded of how much there is to learn and how much more discipline there is to build.

Presence:

Lifting today was pretty brutal. I wasn’t even close to lifting the weights I should be lifting. It was all aboard the struggle bus time. By the last reps of the last set of each exercise my muscles were shaking. I didn’t even get to the number of reps I was shooting for in each set. t hurt. It was mentally taxing. My ego got the shit kicked out of it. In so many ways I could look at today’s lifting as a complete failure and disappointment…

…but I experienced and view it as an overwhelming SUCCESS.

This was my first time lifting in about four weeks due to travel and crazy pre-travel schedule. I was going in completely rusty and rather than not showing up or quitting early I chose to finish the workout. I struggled but I pushed. I gave myself the grace to drop the weight in-between sets so I could keep the right form. I didn’t stop until my muscles did. I took the step of re-starting, I took action.

The next round will be similar, but each subsequent session will feel better and better. Today I took the first step. It hurt, but I felt great.

Thanks!!!