I teach about health inspired by simple Japanese philosophies and lifestyle practices, so you can learn to find peace, fulfillment, strength, and health in your own body. Sign up for my newsletter to receive all my writing and exclusive resources!
My advice for the end of 2024
|
Dear Reader, Wow! It’s already the end of the year. In ways it feels like I’ve been looking forward to this day for a while, in other ways it’s incredible that so much time has passed already. How are you feeling about it? I tend to have a bittersweet relationship with the end of the year. On the one hand, it’s a lot of fun to reflect on all that I had happened in the past year— memories of travel, accomplishments, change, hobbies, and relationships. On the other, reflecting on what I had done ironically brings to light all the things I hadn’t achieved. I’m reminded that the human mind is not geared towards contentment, but survival. Lesson 1: Be mindful of where the mind wanders. If you catch yourself ruminating or having a cringe-y thought, do some focused breathing for 1 minute. Just 1 minute. See how it feels. Other lessons from 2024 that I’ll be carrying forward with me in the new year: Lesson 2: Write everything down. A good idea, a thing to do, something inspirational, a memory, a story. It doesn’t really matter if you do or don’t look back on it, but it gets the mind moving in ways that feel empowering. Lesson 3: Do the 4 pillars every day. Eat something healthy, move your body, make a social connection, and rest. Even small acts count. Health is the foundation to everything else. Lesson 4: Be kind. To others, but also yourself. The longest relationship you’ll ever have is with yourself, so it’s important to make it a loving one. Treat yourself with self-love, but also a loving inner voice. Lesson 5: Ask what if (best possible outcome)? If you’re going to imagine what if the worst possible happens, might as well also reflect on what if the best possible happens. I find that the happiest people tend to focus on the latter. Lesson 6: Make a list of real luxuries. And use them as your compass: Good health, travel, restful sleep, meaningful relationships, interesting conversations, ‘unproductive’ but joyful hobbies, belly laughs, unstructured time, delicious food, a mind at peace. If you’re not sure where to start, reflecting on happy memories is a good place to begin. Lesson 7: Stay curious and playful. Pursue what you find interesting, fun, and motivating, even if it may seem challenging. A curious and playful mindset will help you start, learn, and enjoy the journey. Life is too short to not try. What lessons from 2024 will you be carrying with you to the next year? This is my last newsletter of the year 😊 Thank you for joining my newsletter and following my thoughts! I learn as much from my readers as much as I hope to share. It’s been an incredible journey with ups and downs, but ultimately a lot of good memories, lessons, and gratitude. See you in 2025 🌟 Warmly, Kaki Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, please forward this email to your friends and family (or share the article) 🌱 If this email was forwarded to you, it's nice to meet you 😊
Follow on Instagram for more health tips, tricks, and inspiration: |
Hi, I'm Kaki!
I teach about health inspired by simple Japanese philosophies and lifestyle practices, so you can learn to find peace, fulfillment, strength, and health in your own body. Sign up for my newsletter to receive all my writing and exclusive resources!
Dear Reader, I watched my friend add an extra three tablespoons of olive oil to her broccoli with a mixture of amazement and skepticism. She then broiled it in the oven until the florets were basically charred through, and the stems soft and wilted. Then she added a dollop of butter and a dash of salt. The broccoli tasted good, but it didn’t quite taste… like broccoli anymore, I suppose. The best vegetable cooking tip I’ve ever received was also the simplest Watching my friend cook broccoli,...
Dear Reader, Life has been a bit overwhelming for me recently. I feel like I never have enough time, energy, or bandwidth, and taking care of myself can sometimes feel like an additional chore rather than a way to enhance my wellbeing. But when I feel this way, I remind myself that healthy living doesn’t need to be stressful. The steps you have to take to look after your health are not as drastic as hour-long workouts or following a ketogenic, sugar-free raw diet. It can require a bit of...
Dear Reader, What is the most beautiful Japanese word to exist? This was a question posed by the Japanese national broadcaster, NHK, in a public survey. And the answer astounded me. What may surprise you about Japanese beauty Learning about this survey, my mind immediately went to the more poetic aspects of Japanese. As a language, Japanese has a strong relationship with nature, and many words and adages are based on natural elements. For example, there is a word setsunai, which is based on...