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!
The Japanese focus on imperfection to prevent burnout
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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 enough, always behind, and overwhelmed by the prospect of how much you still have left to do, I offer a different perspective: You are already caught up, and anything you accomplish today is progress. You are already caught up, and anything you accomplish today is progress. When we take on the perspective of catch-up, we may lie in bed stressing about what we didn’t finish, and what we need to do tomorrow. We feel like a mess, and over time, burnt out. But when we choose the perspective of progress, we let ourselves feel accomplished, productive, and confident. We take our time and are able to rest when we need to, rather than feeling guilt over the prospect of doing nothing. A tradition of valuing imperfection Humans are psychologically prone to see things through the negative lens– we are biologically drawn to focus on our shortcomings, mistakes, and imperfections. While helpful in the world of survival, in the modern world this can negatively affect our ability to find contentment in life. In moments like this, I like to remind myself that in Japanese culture there are several traditions that emphasize the value of imperfection:
In this way, this appreciation for imperfection can help us reflect on the transient nature of life, where value lies not in perfection, but in the journey. We're allowed to focus not on what we lack, but on our progress there. When it comes to consistency and perseverance, compassion is key. Focus not on what you have yet to do, but try to see your life through the lens of continuous progress– recount what you have done and accomplished at the end of the day, and then let the day reset tomorrow. You are already caught up, and anything you accomplish today is progress. Warm regards, 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 😊
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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!
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