Michael Thomas Sunnarborg's Blog, page 4

Time to Unplug

When was the last time you unplugged from the noise and hustle of everyday life?

Just like our electronics, we all need to reboot and refresh on a regular basis.

How will you take time this week or weekend to unplug and reconnect with yourself and your family or friends?

It’s worth the investment.

—

Be safe. Be healthy. Be well.

Michael Thomas Sunnarborg

Need help unplugging from the busyness? Then schedule a free 30-minute chat with me at connect.michaelcreative.com

The post Time to Unplug appe...

A Simple Reminder

Sometimes a simple reminder is all it takes.

 

The post A Simple Reminder appeared first on Michael Thomas Sunnarborg.

Being a Blessing to Others

(Front of card): “I have been blessed to be a blessing to others.” (Back): “Pass it on.”

I first picked up this powerful proclamation from a minister at St. Andrew’s Cathedral when I was singing in my cousin’s choir at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Honolulu, Hawaii.

And when I heard those words, they went straight to my heart.

Not only did I instantly appreciate all of the blessings that I’d received in my life, but I also realized that sharing those blessings was part of my greater purpose and miss...

Note to Self: Trust Your Heart

Starting a new year is always cathartic.

Between thinking back on the lessons learned of the past year, and imagining forward into visions of the new year, there’s always a lot of data for our heads to process.

And taking time to process our thoughts is good brain food.

So what about our hearts?

Our heads have a lot of experience, but so do our hearts. Thoughts are important, but so are feelings.

What did your heart learn this past year? And what does your heart long to create in the new year?

O...

2020: A Year of Contrast

In December of 2019, I set my intention for 2020 to be the “Year of Clarity.”

I had no idea what was in store.

This past year, clarity has certainly become an understatement—along with any other words associated with transition, change, or transformation.

Sure, 2020 has been filled with plenty of chaos, confusion, and calamity. But this has also brought us connection, cooperation, and the clarity we seek.

And one thing we can all agree upon is that nobody was immune to this pandemic. Everyone ha...

Frustrated? Stressed? Mind Your Words

“This is so hard.”
“I’m so exhausted.”
“I’m completely overwhelmed.”
“I can’t do this…”

Have any of these phrases escaped your mouth lately?

I will admit to 1, 2, and 3. And well, okay—4 slipped out a time or two, but what can you do? Expressing how we feel is the first step to relief.

And although expressing our feelings can be helpful, the real root of our stress comes primarily from the thoughts we focus on and the words we use.

When we think something, that’s one step. But when we express ...

Feels Good? Do More of It

Feeling happy during a pandemic almost sounds like a contradiction in terms.

With all the serious issues currently facing us, it seems like the pursuit of feeling good might not only be viewed as ignorant, but even selfish and shameful.

When in truth, the only way to be truly happy and healthy is to feel good first.
 
Not only is it important for us to feel happy for our own sake, but it keeps us healthy and able to serve and support others who need our light during some of these dark days.
 
Feelin...

COVID-19: The Perpetual Tunnel

Analogies and metaphors have always helped me make sense of things I couldn’t understand; they have built bridges between gaps in my knowledge and experience over the years.

Lately, I’ve been equating the COVID-19 pandemic to the experience of going through a tunnel (which most of us have been through before, whether by train, subway, car, or another vehicle).

When we first enter a tunnel, we are temporarily cast into a period of darkness—and for the time being, we have limited access to light a...

Dealing with the D-word

I’ve been working on a new project recently that has challenged me to be flexible and agile—I’ve had to rethink my process for a task that I’ve known how to do for years.

With routines having shifted dramatically due to the COVID pandemic, we’re all having to be flexible and agile in our approach, even for work that we may’ve been doing the same way for a long time.

From a professional perspective, the project was going quite well. But I had a personal problem that caught me by surprise: I was d...

Now What? Now Wait

It’s July 2020 and who would have thought we’d still be in the middle of a global pandemic?

Maybe the scientists and epidemiologists did, but certainly not the rest of us. Especially us Americans.

While other parts of the planet are beginning to experience the other side of COVID-19, the U.S. didn’t quite get the message the first time. And now we’re paying the price. Big time.

Many U.S. states lifted restrictions too quickly so that they could “get back to normal”—but as we have seen, things ar...