Get to know our forum star @Sunisshiningandsoareyou!!

Interviewee: @Sunisshiningandsoareyou

Interviewer: @yourbuddy30

Buddy: Which is your favourite role at 7 cups and why?☀️

Sun: Oof that’s a difficult question. I really don't have a favorite, I think hehe, I love all the roles I currently serve, some I enjoy a bit more as compared to others so that would probably be being a forum supporter and a peer supporter: Two lol.

I love supporting and interacting in the forums, forums are more "self-paced" I feel, and I try my best to make more people feel heard, seen, acknowledged and supported, at my pace.

Peer support, I really enjoy supporting my fellow listeners via all the roles I have and otherwise too, be it through mock chats, sharing resources, guiding or assisting with something etc. I chose peer support here because I feel, often a listener may feel alone and find themself struggling to cope after a chat or some mild site related issue~ the worst case scenario, they may consider dropping a role, or leaving the site altogether. I believe it's on everyone here to ensure this place remains supportive, compassionate, inclusive for all, be assured that they aren't alone, and that they do matter, what they do makes a difference still. A lot of times a few kind words and support in those low moments has helped in retaining many amazing listeners, without whom, this site won't be the same.

Buddy: I have always seen you replying to most of the threads being posted and it is highly appreciable. How do you manage to do that?🌞

Sun: Lol I love forum-based questions hehe, they most definitely are my favorite place in 7 cups (minus the unhelpful updates, glitches and bugs lol), there's just so much happening in there, and I simply try my best in ensuring more people feel heard and supported, as I mentioned in the above question.

How do I manage? Mhm, I'm unsure too, I just maybe spend too much time in forums haha. There's always "one more forum post" and sometimes I can't help but hop over and reply and enjoy it too. It simply feels gratifying to know I could make someone feel acknowledged and supported.

Buddy: Who is your role model and why? (here or outside cups or both)🌝

Sun: I am sometimes a little weary of this question honestly, because I understand how it would seem to some people kinda like "how come you don't have any role model" but it's true for me, in a way that, I don't have a specific "name" or person that I want to be like or admire (going by what "role model" means).

I feel I'm surrounded with so many amazing people, specially in 7 cups, I find at least one person here with every *positive* adjective in the dictionary and then there's different ways of presenting that. Person A and Person B are both kind and they cannot be compared, but they have different ways of *being* kind or expressing their kindness, and for me that's a tug of war lol, I want to be like Person A and Person B and they both become my role models for #1 Being kind and #2 Being kind in their own *unique* way. So it's more about "what qualities I look for in the kind of person I want to be".

To sum, everyone I come across who inspires me, intrigues me, impresses me in some way, is my role model. And I try to continually better myself with that inspiration and aspiration to look up to.

I'd like to give a special shout out to someone I do really admire off cups though, they aren't around anymore, but I feel proud to be related with them, who were and still are often described as the life of any room, or the one that gave and kept giving without keeping a count, on many days, that's who I aspire to be also! <3

Buddy: You make the environment so friendly and fun. What motivates you to do that and be there for everyone here at cups?🌻

Sun: That's honestly very sweet of you to say hehe, I'm really glad I'm able to create such an environment.

I do feel it's not a one person's task though, so you best believe that it's again a team effort, somehow I strongly feel that y'all here bring my best version out, and I'm immensely grateful to share this loving, supportive, compassionate space with y'all.

So I believe, the answer to the question is that, *you* the one reading this, part of my tribe, are my motivation and I'm a better person because of you. Thank*youu* for it!

Buddy: What made you want to become a listener here?🌼

Sun: Great question hehe, I too enjoy hearing everyone's story on what really brought them here.

For me, it was the mere thought of "saving a life" that brought me here, I just wanted to do something to save a life, 7 cups even though isn't a crisis support platform, *has* saved many lives. I feel, it's the little steps that matter, that count, that lead us somewhere. I'm grateful to accompany some people in their little steps as they walk towards healing, towards becoming better, towards growing as human! And simply to sum, to be a "someone" for people who have no one, to remind them that they matter too, and are a worthy existence and life, no matter how their current life looks like.

Thank you so much for your wonderful and well detailed answers Sun! I loved reading through and getting to know you💛

Thank you Buddy for your time asking these wonderful questions and helping us get to know Sun❤️

This interview is part of the Living with Leaders Interview Series. Want to engage too? Give or take an interview here: https://tinyurl.com/LivingwithLeaders 🌝

Thank you for reading everyone!💖