I “White-Boxed” My Brain. Now What?

We all have various energies we manage daily—physical, mental, spiritual—and the thoughts, feelings, and intuition that go with them.

These energies form an internal team that guides and leads our decision making which, in turn, shapes our experiences.

When I was younger, my predominant life energies were ruled by my brain and body—my human doing—and my Brain was the CEO.

But as I’ve grown older and wiser, my creative Heart and Soul—the managers of my human being—have become better leaders of my life rather than my logical Brain.

So I “white-boxed” my Brain.

(Incidentally, the verb “white-boxed” was derived from my book The White Box Club Handbook which introduces the concept of a white box representing major life changes like packing up after a job layoff).

“Wait? What? You laid-off your Brain…?”

Yes. And here’s how and why.

How? First, the realization came to me during a morning meditation. And I knew it was time to take action.

Then came the official memo:

Dear Brain,
 
You’re receiving this communication because Michael’s life has taken a new direction and you will no longer be continuing as CEO. Effective immediately, you will be transitioned to the role of Business Consultant. We felt this was an appropriate redistribution of resources based on Michael’s current life goals and future projections.
 
On behalf of Michael, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your many years of valuable leadership and wish you the best in your new role.
 
Sincerely,
Heart, CLO (Chief Loving Officer)
Soul, CSO (Chief Spiritual Officer)

Why? Because as CEO, my Brain was (and still is) a fantastic Project Manager who’s great at execution, managing budgets and resources, and all the other official business of my life.

But with creativity? Not so much. And creativity is the heart of my existence and my business, hence the name michaelcreative.com

My Heart and Soul shine as my creative leaders and that’s why they’ve been promoted to lead my life moving forward.

Oh sure, we’ll still need my Brain to help bring new ideas to fruition, but he no longer has a seat at the table during creative think tank sessions. His energies are better aligned with implementation.

This shift in leadership has created the momentum for the expansion of new visions and directions. Now I can soak longer in the excitement of new ideas without moving into details too quickly, and the extended creative marination makes for a richer and more delicious dish.

How much is your head leading your life over your heart and soul? And how’s that working for you?

Perhaps, like me, it might be time for a change in leadership—an opportunity for you to lead with your human being rather than doing.

Be Well,

Michael Thomas Sunnarborg

Want to chat about your human doing and being? Schedule a free 30-minute call with me at connect.michaelcreative.com