I was recently convinced that mine would finish short and on page 53. Fortunately, the chapter and the book are ‘to be continued…’’ ‘Mortality’. How does that word make you feel? It can be a scary word for many of us, yet it’s something that others don’t seem to give…

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from 25 years of living in Japan, it’s that to the Japanese people, the Sakura, or cherry blossom, is much more than just a pretty pink flower. What It Really Is It’s a symbol of renewal, hope, resilience, and the fleeting nature of life itself. The allure…

Is it really the biggest city in the world? (Yes it sure is!) My 25 years in Japan have left me with incredible experiences, and a handful of interesting trivia. Designed for very light easy reading as you enjoy articles, take a moment to check out this 1–10. 1. The city…

A reverse hack for success. I want to be the worst writer in this publication. I want to be the worst player in my tennis group. I want to be the most unfit in my gym. I want to be the least knowledgeable in the room. This all sounds pretty melodramatic doesn’t it? Like I’ve…

Does the adage “too much of anything isn’t good” apply here too? In the realm of self-help, motivation, and life-changing advice, there are renowned figures such as Tony Robbins, Darren Hardy, Dale Carnegie, and Jim Rohn, among many others including Medium stars like Tim Denning Ayodeji Awosika, Zulie Rane and…

The Practice of Mottainai: Embrace Sustainability and Make a Positive Impact — In my 25 years in Japan, if I was to identify one single word which I’ve heard the most it’s probably this “Mottai-nai” (もったいいない), or ‘Wasteful/wastefulness/sacrilegious’ This proves to me that the Japanese on an individual level are highly and constantly conscious of their environment on physical, emotional and spiritual…

Sometimes You Have to Look Up to Look Within I’ve been writing every day on Medium for months. But today I didn’t feel that I had anything meaningful to say. I wouldn’t call it writer's block but I simply didn’t have anything I was excited about sharing which I felt would translate into value for readers. Whenever my computer…

Enter ‘Yutori’: The Art of Balancing Self-Care in Modern Life through Ancient Techniques. Do you ever just feel like you’re getting caught up and overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of daily life? The constant daily demands of work, family, and responsibilities can leave us feeling overwhelmed and depleted. Like a lot of things I write about, there is a way to manage…

The Power of Small Incremental Steps of Improvement. Unleashing the Authentic Magic of Kaizen in Your Life “Let’s make it perfect!” Said no Japanese person, ever. If my 25 years in Japan have taught me anything, it’s that perfection doesn’t exist, and nor should it. The reason is this; If you believe perfection exists, then you’re giving yourself or others permission to no longer try. …