Stardate 04/10/2026
It’s just after 5:00am as I write this.
I’ve already been awake for an hour. Like most mornings, the first part of my day began with prayer and meditation, followed by a quick look at my sleep report. I pay attention to deep sleep and REM because they tell me something important: whether the way I’m living is supporting peace… or quietly working against it.
So far, so good.
That matters to me because my workload is on the high side, and I’ve learned the hard way that inner peace doesn’t survive long when I ignore the signals.
I’m also happy to report progress on the number one item on the honey-do list.
If you’ve been following along, you know there was a difference of opinion about who should build the shelves in the basement. That difference of opinion was rooted in past experiences. Fair experiences. Honest experiences.
What I’m realizing now is that this whole shelf project is actually an experiment disguised as a home improvement task.
I’m trying to prove something — not to my wife, but to myself.
I’m learning that when I gently step outside my comfort zone and give myself permission to learn new things without pressure, I can accomplish far more than my own brain thinks I can handle.
My brain can be stubborn.
When there’s tension or unfinished business in my head, it often shows up during sleep. That’s where the real battle happens. I used to think the solution was to push harder during the day. Now I’m discovering the solution is to cooperate with my own mind instead of fighting it.
I’m learning how to team up with my brain.
Less tension.
More patience.
One small task at a time.
Once this story is scheduled for release at 8:08am Pacific Time, I’ll be in the basement working on drawer #3. I’ve given myself one hour for the task.
If I were a professional cabinet maker, this might take ten minutes.
I am not a professional cabinet maker.
I am a man learning to be comfortable in the “uncomfort zone.”
When the hour is up, I stop. No frustration. No overrun. No pressure.
This is an experiment I can’t lose.
If the drawer is complete in one hour, I win.
If it’s not complete, I still win.
Because the real goal isn’t the drawer.
The real goal is learning to live peacefully while doing things that once felt intimidating.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” — John 14:27
Peace isn’t the absence of work.
It’s the presence of calm while doing the work.
And that’s new for me.
I can already sense that when this shelf project is complete, there will be a conversation with my wife about what comes next. If this experiment continues to go well, I have a feeling it may lead to some interesting projects in the future.
But that’s a story for another day.
Join me here:
https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong
Captain’s Addendum
Spock: “Captain, it appears you are conducting an experiment on yourself.”
Bones: “I’ve seen worse patients, Spock. At least this one’s learning.”
Michael: “Gentlemen, I’m finally figuring out how to work with my own mind instead of against it.”
Grateful for another quiet morning, one drawer at a time.
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