Remember to put intentionality into where I spend my time. Minutes, hours, and days slip by so quickly if I don’t pause and consider whether I’m intentionally using the them the right way. Stay focused on my goals – both long and short term – and act accordingly with urgency. Don’t let it slip away.
One day, my father, he told me, “Son, don’t let it slip away” He took me in his arms, I heard him say “When you get older, your wild heart will live for younger days Think of me if ever you’re afraid”
Avicii, The Nights
Appreciation:
Along the lines of remembering what is important – I am especially grateful for taking action to do just that today! Between scheduling a weekend for camping with a lifelong friend, choosing to be present and moving early in the morning, taking time to shut down everything except playing a game with Gavin, being focused and present in a conversation with Dominic on Facetime, being there for others as needed, and planning ahead for an adventure (maybe two) I spent a lot of time on working towards where I want to be going, on my purpose, and towards my dreams. Here’s to a day that was largely focused on moving forward with intentionality with a whole lot of fun in the now throughout!
Presence:
Taking the time to go for a five mile walk to start off the morning is always the right answer (unless I’m either running or hiking or yoga is an option). Getting up and getting moving, spending time without a phone or a screen, alternating between interacting with Becky and letting my thoughts drift. It’s almost a walking meditation, letting go of everything else and living exclusively in the now.
Regardless of the decisions I’ll make throughout the rest of the day I know I started the right way, I chose action, and I chose moving stillness.
Jim Collins’ concept of a 20 Mile March is that we should focus on maintaining a rigorous yet manageable pace in the work that we do. Today I felt the downside of pushing too hard for too long, the week was a hardcore push and had very positive results, but I was completely gassed a little before I crossed the finish line.
Something for me to remember to work towards, keep an even flow throughout the week as much as possible, the more intense the beginning the more likely I’ll be less than 100% by the end.
Appreciation:
Sometimes we’ve got a football game for Gavin, other times it gets postponed due to lightning 🤷♂️
Due to the postponement we’ve got some bonus time on our hands this evening and I’ve made wonderful use of it – relaxing, writing this, and heading to bed early.
We can’t control what happens, but we can control how we utilize the bonus time!
Presence:
Couple of great moments from this morning included a small green tree frog jumping on my toe and a sunrise with Leia.
So often all we need is all around us, it is up to us to LISTEN for the answer. I was caught off guard while re-reading one of my favorite books today. They very briefly hit upon the concept of “Assuming positive intent,” and the profoundly positive impact this can have on our lives and interactions.
Rather than immediately assuming “the other side” is trying to destroy our nation/world what if we instead paused and considered their actions/words from the starting point of assuming positive intent. Why are they responding as they are? What is the underlying issue leading them down this path? Quite often it is likely similar to our own reasons – just executed differently. If we assume positive intent we can more easily listen to understand rather than listen to prove wrong.
This will be in the forefront of my mind – assume positive intent before being so quick to judge.
Appreciation:
Part way through my drive up north this morning I realized I needed some music therapy for my soul. I like to utilize my drive time as learning time, focusing on how to improve myself with what could so easily be dead time rather than alive time. I feel more productive when I spend the time filling my brain with ideas, pausing to digest and consider what I’ve learned.
This morning I needed to spend some time in quiet calm, listening to music to relax my mind and soul. It was time for some therapy, some rejuvenation. I found it in music. For almost half an hour I went from song to song to soak up the energy I needed to feel recharged and ready for the day.
By the time I got to the office my head and heart were in the right palce to dive in and make a positive impact.
Presence:
With so much discontent and anger and hate and divisiveness in our world I found sanctuary and solace in M83’s song Outro.
While driving to the Eau Claire office this morning I almost had to pull the car over as I was completely overcome with the emotion of pure love and connectedness with all people and all creation while this song reached its crescendo.
Pause your life, shut everything else off, turn on this song, close your eyes, and feel the love and connection you have with all people. I hope you will be moved as I was – awakened in the love of the connections we all share.
When it is my time to go this song (from 1:30 on) will be the last music my soul plays before moving on. Beautiful, breathtaking.
Journaling has helped me yet again, this time in a very unexpected way! By spending time answering a few questions on my personal scorecard each night I’m finding more and more insights into how my mind works.
For instance, Tuesdays are typically the least joyful days of my week (lower joy, decreased sleep, less physical activity). Mondays are usually my days of most intentional eating. Days with time spent outdoors rank more joyful than days without.
One of the biggest shockers was in the analysis of my response to the daily question “if I only had 10 years to live, what would I stop doing?”
In those results I found a slowly compounding reservoir of wisdom, of themes repeated, of lessons to remember. Consolidated I was able to create my personal 2025 Stop Doing Manifesto:
✋ My 2025 Stop Doing Manifesto
“I give myself permission to stop…”
🧠 Mental Noise & Overthinking
Obsessing over things I cannot control.
Worrying about what others think or whether I’m doing “enough.”
Running from discomfort by filling space with screens, snacks, or scrolls.
Letting the urgent crowd out the important.
🧹 Emotional Clutter
Comparing myself to others or my past self.
Letting guilt, obligation, or resentment steer my decisions.
Carrying stress instead of naming it, sharing it, or releasing it.
Ignoring moments that need closure, clarity, or courage.
🕹 Busywork & Distraction
Saying yes to everything and wondering why I’m burned out.
Keeping time-wasting apps or defaulting to entertainment instead of creativity.
Chasing productivity when I really need rest or stillness.
Doing everything myself when I could ask for help or delegate.
🏃♂️ Overdoing
Overcommitting, overscheduling, and under-resting.
Thinking one more meeting, message, or task will finally bring peace.
Sacrificing my presence in the pursuit of more progress.
Mistaking motion for meaning.
🌱 Growth-Limiting Patterns
Avoiding honest conversations to preserve comfort.
Doubting my instincts and dimming my clarity.
Dismissing nature, movement, and rest as luxuries instead of lifelines.
Make the time to train others on the most important things, don’t always rush to do those tasks for them in an ill-fated effort to save time. Take the time, MAKE the time to teach and train. The return on investment will blow your mind over and over again BUT only when invested in the RIGHT people.
Appreciation:
I love curling up in my favorite sweatshirts on a cool evening. They warm and comfort me, their simple presence kindles the flame of my soul on such a basic level.
Certain books are “sweatshirt” books for me as well. In a similar fashion they help when I’m running cool, and warm my soul as I open their covers and smell the old pages. The subtle printing errors and smudges bringing a sense of home and of calm, a reminder that even the best of things are not perfect, though they are closer to perfect thanks to their imperfection.
Here’s to the “Sweatshirt” book I’ve busted out on a cold season of life, its heat is already warming my soul.
Presence:
My drive home was the site of my meltdown. It was a very busy day, for the large part very positive, but such a flurry of nonstop activity that my brain was completely overwhelmed by the end of the day. My neck is still stiff from the stress of busyness throughout the day. Again – almost everything was a positive! Successes of teammates abounded, signs of business growth, progress on so many different levels, yet my mind felt run into the ground as my legs after crossing the finish line of the marathon.
As I stared blankly out the windshield there was a bright flash out of the corner of my left eye, the setting sun casting a golden glow upon the exposed sandstone of the bluffs across the river channel. Then an eagle, no, two eagles, sitting in a tree watching for prey! I was flooded with awe, with wonder, with the natural beauty surrounding me.
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!
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.
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.
Think through the entire project before committing too much time to any specific solution. Today’s projects included getting our WiFi router moved to a better location and I wasted more time than I care to admit on something which was quickly negated by the electrical outlet being on a switch rather than always being on. Lesson learned, think through and test it all first, then commit resources to it.
Appreciation:
Two different yet similar moments today which blended.
First was a walk Becky and I took in the woods this morning, a peaceful moment of completely stillness enjoying being outside. This moment was captured so well in this pic, there was almost no movement in the water, just a mirror reflecting nature and the heavens.
Second was an instrumental piece at church which was so hauntingly beautiful it almost brought me to tears. Closing my eyes I could feel the entire Universe wrap around me with love like a warm blanket on a cold day. It was so powerful and soul warming.
Two very different moments of stillness, two moments in which I could feel so close to God. In those moments of quiet stillness our heart is free to hear everything so much more clearly.
Presence:
Gotta love the unexpected moments caught on video. Today we were cutting down our Christmas tree and I wanted a quick selfie of Becky and I. We just happened to catch this gem!
After sawing most of the way through the tree Gavin decided to put his football skills to work 😂
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!
Thankful for Forty 