Mike Sansone

Chicago

Senior editor, NFL (Bears, Chiefs, Falcons) @TheAthletic. Previously Bears/NFL editor @chicagotribune. JOIN ME AT: https://t.co/R3nvPxxXyZ

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Articles

The Weight and the Whisper

1 week ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

The Reaching Hearts publication is a place where readers can find stories about “Good Loves, Good Friends, and Unconditional Forgiveness.” Also Patience, Kindness, Gratitude, and Joy. Follow publicationPoetryA Poem of ForgivenessNot yet a Medium member? Read full poem here for free. I waited for words that never came,An “I’m sorry” hung in silent air. The wound still fresh, the ache still loud,While they moved on, unaware. I held the grudge like armor worn,Thinking pain gave power back.
Build It or Break It: Forgive or Fracture

1 week ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

Forgiveness | Love MusclesForgiveness is a Love MuscleWhy Grudges Break What Love Could HealEvery relationship is a living, breathing thing. And just like our own bodies, they suffer when something toxic lingers too long. Grudges are emotional toxins. Left unaddressed, they fracture connection, erode trust, and poison love from the inside out. But forgiveness? Forgiveness is the antidote. It doesn’t excuse the pain — it transforms it.
Forgiveness Is Freedom

1 week ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

Forgiveness | Love MusclesReleasing the Weight of What WasHave you ever carried a grudge so long it became part of your story? Something someone said… did… or failed to do — playing on repeat in your heart like a song you can’t skip. You tell yourself you’re over it, but the pain bubbles back up when their name is mentioned or their face shows up on social media. That’s the thing about unforgiveness: it hides in plain sight.
What’s Blocking Your Heart?

1 week ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

Love Muscles | AvailabilityIdentifying Barriers to Emotional AvailabilityHave you ever wanted to connect more deeply with someone — only to find yourself pulling back, shutting down, or unsure how to move closer? If so, you’re not alone. Emotional availability doesn’t just happen — it’s something we build by removing the barriers that stand in love’s way.
Hold Space or Hijack It: Listening That Lifts or Silences

1 month ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

Love Muscles | ListeningA Build It or Break It scenario to build Listening Love Muscles. In every conversation, we make a choice — to hold space or to hijack it. One builds trust. The other chips away at connection. When we hold space for someone, we’re not just hearing their words — we’re offering them safety. It’s the quiet power of staying present without needing to fix, interrupt, judge, or insert our own story.
Build It or Break It: Patience

1 month ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

Love Muscles | PatienceBuilding Lasting Bonds or Breaking Down Trust with FrustrationNot yet a member of Medium? Read the full story with this free link. Most relationships don’t fall apart because of big betrayals — they slowly crack under the weight of small frustrations and unmet expectations. At the heart of those cracks? A missing muscle: Patience. Think of it this way: relationships are dynamic and ever-evolving, kind of like a garden.
From Stuck to Sparked - In 4 Solid Ways

1 month ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

ImaginationUsing Imagination to Overcome Relationship RutsNot a member? Read this for free with this link. Ever feel like your relationship is stuck on repeat? The same routines. The same arguments. The same silence. It’s not that the love is gone — it’s that the spark is buried under the weight of everyday patterns. But here’s the secret: imagination is the match that can reignite it.
Book Recommendations: Imagination Week

1 month ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

Books | Love MusclesA NEW Love Muscles SeriesAs you may have noticed, we’re hosting themed weeks centered around a specific Love Muscle each week. Last week, we looked closely at Honesty. This week has been on Imagination (and next week is Patience). As part of this week-long deep dive, on Saturdays, we will be offering book recommendations on the topic. Here are the books I recommend on Imagination as we close up Imagination Week on Reaching Hearts:1.
Thinking on Thoughts: Imagination

1 month ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

QuotesA Weekly Thursday feature with themed quotesI love quotes, and several people I love do, too. Maybe you’re with me on this train of thought. There are periods during the day when I will ponder a single word. I will look it up in a dictionary and a thesaurus and chew on what I find. This week, we ponder on the word and practices of Imagination and a few quotes to think about:“What makes someone special is imagination or creativity, the ability to make a mental leap and see things differently.
Build It or Break It: Imagination - Grow Together or Drift Apart

1 month ago | medium.com | Mike Sansone

Love MusclesFanning the flame or losing the spark? What do you do when love feels… dull? Not dramatic. Not disastrous. Just a little lifeless. The spark has dimmed. The routine has settled in. And connection feels more like coordination. Here’s the truth:Love doesn’t die from conflict. It withers from neglect. And the first thing to go? Imagination. BUILD IT: Use Imagination to Strengthen ConnectionImagination is the relationship muscle most people don’t know they need.