Michael Thomas Sunnarborg's Blog, page 9
August 21, 2017
Puzzled With Life? It’s Natural.
My sister Becky loves jigsaw puzzles. In fact, I don’t remember a time in the past 20 years when there hasn’t been a puzzle in process on a card table somewhere in her house.
Putting a puzzle together can be calming and relaxing and can put our mind at ease—a natural de-stressor much like other routine tasks such as ironing or folding laundry. Research points to the benefits of solving jigsaw puzzles, because the activity exercises both the left (logic) and right (creative) hemispheres of the...
August 6, 2017
7 Ways to Claim Yourself from Lost & Found
Feeling lost? Missing yourself? Wondering where you’ve gone?
As life unfolds, we often go on autopilot, forgetting our priorities and intentions. Even as we learn how to let go and “go with the flow,” we may find ourselves suddenly drifting down a choppy river—things are not headed in the direction we’d intended.
Losing course happens easily. Life is always changing, and change brings complexity. It’s easy to lose our way, and sometimes we even lose ourselves in the process.
We lose ourselves...
July 18, 2017
Bad Day? 6 Tips For Rapid Relief
Bad days. We all have them.
Whether our irritations result from problems at work—like managing a difficult boss—or issues at home, we have more control over the momentum of each day than we think.
Thousands of thoughts barrage us each day. But just like advertisements, we choose to focus on only a handful of those thoughts—usually the ones with the most emotional power.
If our thoughts are positive and productive, they will lift our mood. But when our thoughts are critical or negative, they w...
June 26, 2017
5 Ways to Respond Deliberately to the World
As we find ourselves immersed deeper and deeper into an unpredictable world, we can quickly succumb to the noise and cacophony of rapid change. When times are uncertain, a natural reflex is to close our minds, stick our heads in the sand, and wait out the storm.
Although this response appears to be an act of protection and personal safety, it’s simply reacting to fear—and when we react instinctively to our fears, we surrender the ability to choose our responses. Over time, our actions can bec...
June 19, 2017
It’s True, Father Knows Best
As I was organizing my desk the other day, I heard the words of my Dad telling me, “Keep a clean work area.” And even though I still see my Father on a regular basis, many of his words of wisdom stick in my head and continue to serve me over the years.
Sometimes parents are just our “parents,” but I’ve been fortunate enough to develop deep and meaningful relationships with both my parents. We decided at an early juncture—after I’d gone off to college—to take the time get to know one another a...
June 12, 2017
4 Ways to Lift Yourself Out of Loneliness
Britney Spears wasn’t lying. Her words “My loneliness is killing me” aren’t just lyrics from the opening chorus of her 1998 hit single Baby One More Time. Loneliness can, indeed, be deadly.
According to research by Dr. John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago, loneliness is a contributor to poor health, including higher blood pressure and a weakened immune system. In addition, prolonged periods of isolation may indicate more serious long-term problems.
In fact, the overall mental health of...
May 23, 2017
Money Matters: 5 Ways To Rethink Your Income
While facilitating a career transition group recently, the discussion of finding our life’s work surfaced. As the dialogue unfolded, the conversation turned toward the pros and cons of entrepreneurship versus traditional job employment—including the issue of money.
After the session, a member of the group approached me with questions. She was curious about how I had transitioned back into consulting after being laid off from a full-time job:
“So this is what you do now for work? Run this grou...
May 14, 2017
By The Way, Mom Was Right
In the hustle and bustle of our busy world, small things — like finding our keys or keeping a clean kitchen — can make a world of difference. Simple habits practiced over time can have profound effects on our sense of equilibrium, especially when we develop healthy and consistent habits early in our lives.
As an adult, I still hear my mom’s voice in my head giving me practical nuggets of advice — in fact, sometimes I hear it several times a day.
And this is a good thing.
Let’s admit it. Mom...
By Way, Mom Was Right
In the hustle and bustle of our busy world, small things — like finding our keys or keeping a clean kitchen — can make a world of difference. Simple habits practiced over time can have profound effects on our sense of equilibrium, especially when we develop healthy and consistent habits early in our lives.
As an adult, I still hear my mom’s voice in my head giving me practical nuggets of advice — in fact, sometimes I hear it several times a day.
And this is a good thing.
Let’s admit it. Mom...
May 1, 2017
Does Your Phone Have Bellybutton Lint?
Admit it. You have a relationship with your phone. Seriously. You do. Don’t believe me? Try going an entire day without it, or a half-day, or even just an hour (for some).
Believe me now?
Phones have become our companions. And as with any relationship, we will have good days and not-so-good days. When our technology runs great, everyone is happy. But on down days, not so much.
Technology has intertwined itself so completely into our lives that we might not even realize how much we rely on it....
