Mini-donuts before lunch? Absolutely.

What if your birthday served not just as a date on the calendar, but as a reminder to celebrate yourself?

That’s how mine began. I kicked off the day with a workout - one of my favorite ways to honor my health. I grabbed a free birthday perk (a tradition my daughter, the queen of free deals, passed on). And then the sweet surprise: my wife had left mini-donuts waiting on the counter. Normally I’d pass, but today I chose joy first and ate them before lunch. Why not? Life is short. Eat dessert first.

This year also marks my first birthday in 35 years outside an office. Not better, not worse - just different. A reminder that how we celebrate shifts as we move through life.

Birthdays invite us to pause. To celebrate ourselves. To celebrate with those who love us. And to celebrate with those we love.

But we don’t need to wait for the calendar. We can celebrate in small ways every day:

✨ Choosing workouts that energize us
✨ Sharing time with people who lift us up
✨ Saying yes to unexpected sweetness - in moderation 😁

For me today, it also looked like raspberries shaped into a heart on the counter. Simple, thoughtful, and the perfect reminder that celebration doesn’t need to be elaborate to be meaningful.

Fun fact: I even share this day with Mahatma Gandhi - a reminder that how we live matters as much as how we celebrate.

So today, I celebrate me. And I invite you to celebrate you.

Every day holds something worth honoring.

Create your life.
🍨
Waypoint 338 (Y7 W26)

P.S. Today also happens to be National Leg Day. Knock out 10 squats or 20. Take care of your legs - they take you everywhere.

It would have been easy to say no.

Instead, I chose to take on OrangeTheory’s version of a triathlon - the DriTri.

The “full” version includes:

🚣‍♂️ A 2000m row
💪 300 reps on the weight floor (two rounds of six exercises, 10–40 reps each)
🏃‍♂️ A 5K run on the treadmill

I hadn’t run a 5K event in years and always shied away from triathlons because I have little faith in my swimming ability. But rather than shy away this time, I chose to lean into the challenge. No swimming involved! My goal was to finish at the average time for my age group over the last two years. Not only did I hit that goal, but I also ran the 5K faster than I ever expected to again.

For me, I seek physical and mental fitness. I want to look and feel good. And challenges like the DriTri remind me that I can still compete - even as I get older - and even if I’m only competing against myself.

Challenges stretch us. They remind us that growth happens when we push past comfort and keep moving toward our north star.

The next time a challenge stands in front of you, ask yourself: "What might be possible if I said yes?"

Create your life.
🍨
Waypoint 337 (Y7 W25)

Nature doesn’t ask permission to change—it simply does. So should we.
🍂

Autumn arrives next week in the Northern Hemisphere and with it the unmistakable signs: cooler air, shorter days, brighter leaves, migrating birds.

Change happens all around us. The question is: how will you step into it?
What do you want to create before this year ends?
What bold move will carry you into your next season?

Choose something.
Take the step.
It doesn’t need to be perfect—just forward.

Each season holds a new beginning—this one is yours.

Create your life.
🍨
Waypoint 336 (Y7 W24)

The strongest parts of you may never show.

We often measure strength in what shows: achievements, titles, roles.
But real strength often stays hidden—like roots anchoring a tree, steady and unseen.
You reveal it when you rise after setbacks, when you support others, and when you hold steady through storms.
Strength lives beneath the surface.

Create your life.
🍨
Waypoint 335 (Y7 W23)

👉 The role you choose today shapes the life you live tomorrow.

Every day you choose: react to circumstances or create your future.

Victims feel acted upon by others or circumstances. They see little control, feel powerless, focus on what they don’t want, and slip into “poor me” thinking.

Creators shift their attention toward meaning, purpose, and desired outcomes. They take action to bring visions to life and choose to focus on what matters most.

You hold the pen. You write your story.
What will you choose—victim or creator?

Create your life.

🍨

Waypoint 334 (Y7 W22)

This hurts.
In my home state, families grieve. Friends worry. I do, too.
I grew up in Minnesota. My siblings and their families live there. My daughter studies there.

Wednesday's tragedy in Minneapolis breaks my heart and calls me to compassion.

So many emotions: shock, fear, anger, frustration, deep sadness—and also care for those directly affected, and for those of us holding space from afar.

I believe we rise above this. We must.

I share this weekly reflection with care—not to add to the noise, but to offer a steady moment of compassion and hope.

As I write, my playlist serves up Michael Franti & Spearhead’s “Brighter Day.” These lyrics land with me:

"Don't give up when the hurt is near you,
Don't give up when the world seems to be broken,
Don't give up, you just keep on fightin',
I'm still hopin' with my heart open,
for a brighter day."

I carry these lines for the parents, kids, teachers, community, and world—today and in the days ahead.

Hug your people. Say the words. Keep a small light burning for a brighter day.

Create your life.

🍨

—

Lyrics from “Brighter Day,” Michael Franti & Spearhead (2022).

Waypoint 333 (Y7 W21)

The smallest shift in your face can brighten the whole day.

We make countless choices every day.
Some drain us. Some lift us.

One choice resets your mood—
and changes the climate around you.

A quiet reset.
A light for your path.
A light for the room.

Try it today.
Choose to smile.
😊

Create your life.
🍨
Waypoint 332 (Y7 W20)

When was the last time you did… nothing?

Not because you were sick or exhausted—just because you chose to.

Not everything needs a purpose. Not every moment needs an outcome. Sometimes the best thing you can do—for yourself, your work, and your relationships—is to slow down, let go, and just be. 💡

I find that hard. My mind loves a to-do list. But last weekend, things felt different.

I sat on the beach with my family. I people-watched. I let the lake’s cool water wrap around me. I dug my feet into warm sand. I fought with the umbrella in the wind. I avoided the sun’s glare—and still managed to get the tops of my feet sunburned (something we always laughed at my father-in-law for doing). I listened to the water slap against the shore. I cracked open a book—once.

A few times, the voice in my head whispered, “You could be getting things done.” Maybe you’ve heard that voice, too. But I chose to ignore it. I chose to stay. To laugh. To enjoy the slowdown.

Yes, the work was still waiting for me. It always will be. But after doing “nothing,” my mind felt clearer and my spirit lighter—ready for whatever came next.

Take time to do nothing. It might be the most productive thing you do all week.

Create your life.

🍨

Waypoint 331 (Y7 W19)

Better late than never—and sometimes, the view gets better with time.
Today’s post arrives with the sunset, not the sunrise—and I’m okay with that.

I’m soaking in the simple pleasures, like watching the day wrap itself in color.

Sunsets don’t rush. They show up, shine for a moment, then make way for rest.

Seems like a rhythm worth following.

Create your life.

🍨

Waypoint 330 (Y7 W18)

Big plans for One Word—still true?

July wants to know, what’s up with your word? Remember what you chose?

We’ve crossed the halfway point of 2025. Time for a gut check—not to grade yourself, but to ground yourself.

I chose Explore as my word this year. I wanted to step into new beginnings, seek adventure, and stretch beyond my comfort zone. That still feels right.

Here’s how I’ve lived it so far:

👍 Navigating life as a solo entrepreneur.

👍 Expanding into fitness, personal training, and (most recently) nutrition coaching.

👍 Stepping in front of the camera for my very own photo shoot. Talk about exploring the unknown!

👍 Hiking a nearby state park I had never visited—with a friend and an open mindset.

👍 Choosing challenge and curiosity, again and again.

Didn’t pick a word in January? It’s not too late. Start by asking: What do I want more of in my life right now? Then let that guide your word for the rest of the year.

Want to revisit the full idea behind choosing One Word? Here’s my original post.

Create your life.

🍨

Waypoint 329 (Y7 W17)

You don’t need to see it—you know it when you hear it.

🍎 The crunch of an apple
🥤 The fizz of a soda can.
🍌 The snap of a banana peel.
⛈️ The rumble of thunder.
🔥 The crackle of a campfire.

Unmistakable sounds.
Simple moments.
Signals that something familiar—or important—just began.

Some sounds cue us to get ready. Others invite us to slow down.
Either way, they grab our attention.

Your values work the same way.

Some moments hit with that same kind of clarity:

👍 This is who I am.
👍 This is what matters.
👍 This is my next step.

Values act like internal chimes—guiding decisions, shaping direction, clarifying what matters most.
They help you tune in and find your rhythm.

When your choices align with your values, you create a life that sounds like you.

A life that rings true.

A life that starts to sing.

Create your life.

🍨

Waypoint 328 (Y7 W16)

Want to be more interesting? Start by being more interested.
(Yeah, I know—go figure.)

Last week, I caught myself mid-conversation planning what I wanted to say next.
The other person was still talking.
I wasn’t being rude, just... distracted by my own story.

That moment reminded me:
The best conversations usually aren’t the ones where we impress people.
They’re the ones where people feel seen.

Ask a question.
Listen longer.
Let someone else shine.

You don’t have to be dazzling—just present.
That’s what people remember.

Create your life.
🍨
Waypoint 327 (Y7 W15)

Fear shows up. You don’t have to go with it.

Love leads somewhere more true.

What opens when you gently say no to fear?

What grows when you bravely say yes to love?

The world feels heavy sometimes.

You don’t have to carry it all.

Let fear go.

Choose love.

Create your life.

🍨

Waypoint 326 (Y7 W14)

Some things just taste like summer.

☀️🍦

Vanilla tops my list—simple, classic, satisfying.

But if you hand me a scoop with cherries or berries mixed in?

I won’t say no.

As my grandfather used to say, “Ice cream just fills in the cracks.”

I’ve found that to be true—there’s always room for a little joy.

What’s your go-to flavor—the one that makes everything feel right with the world?

🤔

Life moves fast. Deadlines pile up. Responsibilities stretch long.

It can all feel heavy—full of schedules, expectations, and “shoulds.”

A scoop of ice cream reminds me to slow down.

To savor something small and meaningful.

To remember that delight doesn’t need a reason.

Sometimes the smallest, sweetest things remind us to pause and enjoy the moment.

Ice cream doesn’t solve everything… but it’s a good place to start.

Create your life.

🍨

Waypoint 325 (Y7 W13)

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” — Dalai Lama

Earlier this week, I drove to meet a friend.

Heading down a four-lane street, I saw a line of parked cars ahead in my lane.

I signaled and prepared to merge. The driver in the next lane didn’t let me in.

I got annoyed.

Now, if I may pat myself on the back – I've gotten much better at letting this kind of thing go.

But this one got under my skin.

Eventually, I merged and kept driving. But the moment lingered.

🤔

Why did I react so strongly?

I’ve worked hard on staying grounded behind the wheel.

Then it hit me: one of my core values felt violated.

Kindness.

To me, refusing to let someone merge feels unkind.

And when that value gets stomped on – even by a stranger – it triggers something.

The other driver had no idea.

And consciously, neither did I.

But underneath, it struck a nerve.

Not until I paused to reflect did I see the connection.

💡

Do you know your core values?

Identifying them often kicks off the coaching work I do with clients.

Values give structure to fulfillment.

They serve as a compass for decision-making and emotional insight.

Values + Aligned Action = Enjoyment

So next time something irritates you, ask yourself:

Which of my values feels ignored or disrespected right now?

And if you’re not sure what your values are – I’d love to help.

🙌

Let’s circle back to the Dalai Lama’s words:

Be kind.

To others.

To yourself.

In traffic.

Create your life.

🍨

Waypoint 324 (Y7 W12)