Gratitude "Podcast" Interview: Kris Sundberg

Well, hi, everybody. It's David George Brooke, that gratitude guy with, of course, another guest on the gratitude podcast interview for today regarding the pandemic. And today's guest is a friend of mine that I've known for. Gosh, I just almost hate to admit it because then you can do the math. But like right around 50 years. And one of my favorite lines is, where do you go to get a friend that you had for 50 years? What store can you purchase that in

Anyway, Chris Sundberg from Mercer Island, Washington. Chris, welcome to the podcast

Good morning, David. Good morning, good morning. So let me start you out with a question

This is really my whole intent here is to get information and some thoughts and ideas from other people that might help others or one another

So what is your best coping mechanism to deal with this pandemic

Well, one thing my dear old dad used to say is don't worry about something until you have something to worry about

Oh, I like that. So as one of your earlier guests, I think, mentioned, one of the things I try and do is stay away from advertiser-supported media, whose business model seems to be based on promoting fear and anxiety

to the point where, you know, they get everybody's amygdala jacked up so that they get the

maximum number of eyeballs watching their content at one time Right Instead of that I found that what this situation has done has really given me and Nancy

some real quality time to do things that we wouldn't otherwise seem to have time for

Like we're going on long daily walks and we're doing. jigsop puzzles you know and whoever would have had time to to do that you know

except for this sort of forced isolation that we're undergoing right now that's a

great point and what I say that again your dad's quote I love that don't worry

about something until you have something to worry about you worry about I really like that that's good so during this would certainly be called an uncertain time

so during this uncertain time what are you what do you find you're most grateful for

Well, obviously health, but secondarily, I think that this situation has given us a good opportunity to review and contemplate some social and economic practices that maybe were overdue for reconsideration

For example, on the most personal level, I think we can pretty much agree that the hand-shaped greeting

is done. Yeah. You know on a larger level I say we can pretty much agree that the cruise ship industry is pretty much done also Yeah On the national level I think it gives us a good opportunity to reconsider and perhaps make some improvements in our emergency preparedness and also economic self

Good point. Good point. And speaking of that, you mentioned Nancy, of course, is your wife and the jigsaw puzzles and the walk

and things like that. And I'm thinking about, I found some really good ones on this question

Any other thoughts or tips or ideas for things people can be doing while they're kind of housebound

Well, you know, certainly you can binge watch on your favorite cable or Netflix shows

I've always been a reader. For me, anytime I have the opportunity to read

it's like all this time. And I've got a stack of books that

you know, happy to dive into. Yeah, yeah, books are, I've heard that one too

And you mentioned the walks, too, think about some of the exercises. You mentioned a really good point about that

the jigsaw puzzles and spending quality time with Nancy. And I think another one that somebody mentioned the other day

which I just, I went, wow, what a great thing is that something called family dinner time has

actually made a comeback when everybody's at home and you and I grew up in an era where it was just

part of the deal. Every night there was four or five or six I had seven in my family And you sat down for family dinner and kind of digested the day and debriefed and all that kind of thing And it kind of making a comeback So that excellent

Those are good. I agree. I think this is really an opportunity to reevaluate, you know, what it means to be part of a family, part of a city, part of a society, how we interact, what we do, how we respond

and interact with our loved ones. And it's just, there's lots of opportunities here, you know, once we get past all of the fear and anxiety

That's really true. That's true. A lot of silver linings, I think

And so last question is really even before this, if not through this time right now

do you have sort of a quote or a philosophy or something that would kind of describe your approach to not only handling this

but maybe even life. I loved your dad's quote too, but anything else that's sort of more overarching

that kind of directs Chris? Just try and live by the golden rule

And for those who don't know what that is, I certainly know, well, what is the golden rule? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Yeah, that's so true. So true. Good, good thoughtful stuff. Of course, I'm not surprised coming from counselor

So, well, listen, thank you so much. I appreciate you being part of the podcast and I will be chatting with you soon

You're welcome, David. Take care