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Week 5: End of Summer Blues, Faith in People & Processes, and Universal Expansion Through Running?

As the summer draws to a close and parents post endless “first-day-of-school” pictures on social media, I’ve been reminded of the excitement of new beginnings. The new school year was an easy demarcation of a new “us”. New clothes. New haircut. New backpack. New experiences over the summer.

Kids have it so easy sometimes.

A brand new “us” when we’re older is a bit more of a magic trick, and it’s usually not nearly as much fun.

Because those real personal changes oftentimes come from having our back against the wall for some reason. Because something got too painful to suffer any longer.

But they don’t have to be.

We can initiate those changes we know we need at any time. We are free the moment we wish to be.

Today could be that “Day 1” you were waiting for permission to have.

Philosophical Dad Stuff

The day before my oldest son started Kindergarten last week, we had a “Daddy-Lincoln” day.

We got Waffle House for breakfast and went down to King’s Island, an amusement park outside Cincinnati for those who aren’t local.

We rode roller coasters and rides. We talked about Mario and Luigi. We got ice-cream for lunch.

It was a fitting end to the summer.

And it was the first one that I really felt for a long time. When we’re younger, we mark the seasons with great gusto, always excited for the next thing. But as adults with jobs, kids, pets, and other responsibilities the changing seasons lose some of their magic.

They become “just another day.”

So perhaps it was fitting we did some special on the last day before real school begins. With kindergarten commencing, he also starts a whole new phase in life. And while it was lost on him in his chocolate-chip and ice-cream induced comas, it gnawed at me all day.

Later that night, as I kissed his head goodnight, it really felt as it I was closing the door that night on my little boy and he’d awake as…something else I guess. Something older, something more mature. (Ha!) One step closer to eventually leaving our house and taking on the world for himself.

And one step closer to taking part of me that day too.

Breathe it in folks, these days are going by fast.

Leadership

Recent challenges have forced me to live up to the title of the newsletter. I was not happy with my part in the results my team was getting, and it dawned on me that it was incumbent upon nobody but me to do something about it.

And as a result, there’s another example of both trusting your people and trusting the process. Even one person down, my team is set to smash their goals this month, which is gratifying on a level salespeople with monthly quotas know quite well.

In doing so, maybe I am learning to trust my own process and banish that evil imposter syndrome forever.

The battle continues…

Couch to Ultramarathon

Weekly mileage: 23.4 miles

Long run of the week: 11.8 miles

Another week of solid progress, and I can definitively say that this project has already become something I’ve enjoyed quite a bit. Not to mention I’ve gotten in much better shape over the last two months.

I’ve been building my cardio base and move into focused 50k training next week, which I’m excited for since the first couple week’s mileage is less than my current average.

Mentally, this has been a revelation. For the first time in a couple years, I’m getting regular, dedicated time to think. My blood pressure and resting heart rates are better. I’m sleeping better.

Good begets good.

And the extra energy is carrying over into other areas of my life; like being more present with my family and even being more creative and energetic at work.

Midlife crisis? More like midlife renaissance indeed.

Our closing quote for the week is from Ann McGee Cooper, “Celebrate any progress. Don’t wait to get perfect.”

Perfection is largely unattainable. Progress can be found everywhere if we look for it.

Live triumphantly. See you next week.