Dear Reader, I don’t think people were born into this world to be productive. As in, all people are perfectly capable of growth and accomplishment, but I don’t think work is my (or anyone’s) life purpose. And the moments where I am able to take a step back and recognize that, are the moments I feel the happiest and at peace. In Japan, I think there are values of hard work and career growth as well as values of cultivating personal interest-- it often depends on who you're speaking to! But...
21 days ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, Taking care of yourself is simple in concept, but in practice it often feels anything but straightforward. On the one hand we have those who believe in the 'toughness' of eating right and exercising to enjoy the benefits of self-improvement. A mindset that leans into the idea that all we need is a bit of self-discipline to become the best version of ourselves. On the other, we have those who believe in accepting ourselves where we are. An approach that is more guided by the value...
28 days ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, Have you been to Japan before? If you have, you'll be quick to notice that phenomenal customer service is not limited to just high-end luxury shops and hotels. If you walk into any regular store, you will likely be greeted by an employee who will politely welcome you in, bow to you, and rush to help you as soon as they realize you need assistance. Their uniforms are crisp, clean, and appearance clearly cared for. The shelves are put together, the products aligned and organized....
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, On paper, health seems simple: eat healthy foods, exercise regularly. But in practice, it often feels anything but simple. For many years I overate, underate, stressed about food, did every kind of exercise and diet that was supposedly life-changing, stressed about my body, and couldn’t find peace with it. For a time, I believed that stressing about my health would be something I had to deal with forever, that I couldn’t escape it. But I’m glad I didn’t stop searching for...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, You need to live more kisoku tadashii! When I was much younger, my grandmother would often admonish me with this phrase whenever I visited her in Japan during the summer. As I woke up at 11am, with my bed, hair, and room a mess, with no plans for the day and nothing proper to eat in the fridge, I thought that summer breaks were supposed to be like this. What is wrong with an unstructured day? It was freeing and fun, to wake up without an alarm and without any responsibilities for...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, Happy Sunday! How have you been doing? If I'm being honest, I've been feeling quite overwhelmed recently. It feels like there is a lot happening at once, and a lot of it outside my control. In times like this, when mentally I feel out of balance, it's very easy for me to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of taking care of my physical health. Thinking about eating well, exercising, and sleeping early can take a bit more effort than usual. So rather than trying to be perfect in my...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, How are you doing these days? How do you feel when you wake up? Many of us start our day with the feeling that we are behind. Behind in work, in school, our health goals, our finances, or our relationships. Prolonged, we end up feeling like we are spending our whole lives trying to catch up– catch up to who or what is not always exactly obvious, but we know we’re running behind. And so we end up burnt out. If you often find yourself in this position of never being productive...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, I recently discovered a very interesting fact. According to research by Unicef, among 41 developed countries in the European Union and the OECD, there is only one country where fewer than one in five children are overweight: Japan. It’s an alarming statistic that I’m not necessarily happy about – I wish all countries everywhere had lower levels of childhood obesity – but it’s a true one nonetheless. Low levels of childhood obesity can also partially explain why adult obesity and...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Dear Reader, Does cooking stress you out? Let’s face it– even if you love cooking, sometimes cooking is a chore. After working for 8 hours, the last thing we want to do is be on our feet, sweaty, and then think about having to do the dishes afterwards. This is why I’ve adopted Zen principles to my cooking philosophy. A major tenet of Zen is on letting go of what generates stress and to instead bring in elements that make us feel at peace. A part of this is building a natural flow to our...
3 months ago • 3 min read