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stress is an easily identifiable condition that not only causes anxiety but is also highly psychosomatic, affecting everything from our digestive system to our skin.
“We have to learn to turn off the autopilot that’s steering us in an endless loop.
Our brains can take in millions of bits of information but can only actually process a few dozen per second. When we say we’re multitasking, what we’re really doing is switching back and forth between tasks very quickly. Unfortunately, we’re not computers adept at parallel processing. We end up spending all our energy alternating between tasks, instead of focusing on doing one of them well.
Train your mind to return to the present when you find yourself getting distracted.
We’ve all been bored in a class or at a conference and started doodling to keep ourselves entertained. Or whistled while painting a wall. If we’re not truly being challenged, we get bored and add a layer of complexity to amuse ourselves. Our ability to turn routine tasks into moments of microflow, into something we enjoy, is key to our being happy, since we all have to do such tasks.
There are many types of meditation, but they all have the same objective: calming the mind, observing our thoughts and emotions, and centering our focus on a single object.
When doing business in Japan, process, manners, and how you work on something is more important than the final results.
“Your mind and your body. You keep both busy,”
Never be afraid to die. Because you’re born to die.”
“I feel I have enough experience to join those who are addressing big questions. About ten years ago, when I began reading and thinking more broadly about the questions of what are we, where did we come from and where are we going, I was astonished at how little this was being done.”
you keep your eyes and ears open, read the paper, see what’s going on, stay curious about everything, you will automatically be in your time.”
Every person has an essence, or mabui. This mabui is our spirit and the source of our life force. It is immortal and makes us who
“The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”2
In Zen Buddhism, meditation is a way to become aware of our desires and emotions and thereby free ourselves from them. It is not simply a question of keeping the mind free of thoughts but instead involves observing our thoughts and emotions as they appear, without getting carried away by them. In this way, we train our minds not to get swept up in anger, jealousy, or resentment.
We should never forget that everything we have and all the people we love will disappear at some point. This is something we should keep in mind, but without giving in to pessimism.
A complementary Japanese concept is that of ichi-go ichi-e, which could be translated as “This moment exists only now and won’t come again.” It is heard most often in social gatherings as a reminder that each encounter—whether with friends, family, or strangers—is unique and will never be repeated, meaning that we should enjoy the moment and not lose ourselves in worries about the past or the future.
teaches us to focus on the present and enjoy each moment that life brings
“Happiness is always determined by your heart.”
“Keep going; don’t change your path.”
exercise releases hormones that make us feel happy.
Stop regretting the past and fearing the future. Today is all you have.
