DA358 | Becoming Who You Want to Be, Engaging in the Now, and Tent-Bound Poetry (Aaron McHugh: Part 2)

DadAwesome

In the second half of this conversation, Aaron McHugh dives deeper into how to become the dad you want to be with practical, bite-sized steps. Aaron also shares his poem “Tent-Bound,” a beautiful reflection on navigating uncertainty and embracing new horizons.

Key Takeaways

• Take the first step toward becoming the type of person you want to be.
• Would things have been different if someone had told you what your life would hold?
• It’s normal to feel that the end is out of sight—and not like it.
• Engage in the here and now, even though it’s a hard place to be.

Aaron McHugh

Aaron McHugh is a writer, podcaster, adventurer, author, and global leadership coach. He hosts the fast-growing podcast “Work Life Play,” leads Reboot Your Life experiential weekends, and has been married to his wife, Leith, for over 26 years.

Key Quotes

Tent-Bound

No one told me it would come to this— Tent-bound with a full life of songs and heartbreak. Just outside the zipper door, thunder’s convincing accusation: Am I beyond the reach of love?

I’ve been lost for a while, tiptoeing in someone else’s boots. The trail undefined, the end remaining out of sight, knowing only from here to there.

Cresting midlife’s great divide, an inventory I take. The path that led to here— a dress rehearsal, a preamble— only now am I equipped for the liminal edges of this frontier.

Adjusting my bearing, dressed in alpenglow, the new horizon awaits my arrival, calling down sweet reverence to be the lamp unto my feet. When will I know the weight of my glory?

Links from Today’s Conversation

• Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome
• Aaron McHugh’s Website
• Work Life Play Podcast
• Tent-Bound: A Poem About Midlife and New Horizons by Aaron McHugh
• Fire Your Boss: Discover Work You Love Without Quitting Your Job by Aaron McHugh

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