Savoring the Season

How did everyone spend the Christmas weekend? I can't hide my surprise to see the city completely transformed into a New Year's atmosphere after one night.

This is something I feel especially in Japan, but things change so quickly.

As soon as Halloween is over in October, Christmas and New Year's related promotions start.

The switch from Christmas to New Year's is only one day.

Convenience stores and shop-related businesses, in particular, quickly change overnight to New Year's specifications. All of the Christmas glitter is taken down and it's New Year's, including the music.

I have experienced this kind of thing many times in Japan, but I still find myself unable to keep up.

I feel like I haven't caught up with it, or rather, I want to savor each and every one of them a little more.

It is not only Christmas and New Year's, but I would like to spend more time feeling the significance of thing and events.

I think people usually think that even seasonal events are like a job. Do you feel like it is your job to do something, even if it is just a seasonal event?

Are your feelings being left behind?

I used the timing of the transition of events as an example this time, but I imagine that many of us feel this way in our daily lives.

I think this is why it’s important to intentionally adjust our environment, so our mind and body can keep up in a healthy way.

At such times, I would like all of us to spend some quality time for ourselves, even if it is only for a few minutes.

Sometimes it is good to have professional help, such as coaching, to assist you.

I recently received feedback from a client who had nine individual coaching sessions.

“What changes or insights did you notice after the sessions?

I am now able to balance work and study, which was my biggest concern. I was having trouble with my relationship with my boss at work, I couldn't involve the people around me, and the amount of work I had was increasing rapidly, causing me to become stressed and tired. When I came home from work, I was too tired to study, blamed myself, and became frustrated every day. During the sessions, I realized that I had beliefs such as "I have to be perfect," "Studying is hard," and "It works better if I don't speak my mind.” Tasks got done by doing things that could be done lightly, studying while taking a break, and gradually expressing my opinions. My life, which was not fun at all because I could not take action and had to hold back what I wanted to say and relax, became enjoyable as I was able to take small actions, talk about what I wanted to say, and incorporate time to relax in moderation. While my life was improving, my mother became ill and I spent anxious days living apart from her. There were times when I could not make good progress. Thanks to the sessions I had with Maho, I was able to overcome these difficulties by thinking about what I could do in my current situation and realizing that I could not have done it alone. At one point I thought about resigning, but I am glad that I did not quit because I did not like my job or the relationships I had with others, and I am glad that I made it through until I was transferred. If I had quit, I would have regretted it. In the end, my office was ranked No. 1 at work, and I was able to achieve some good results. I had a lot of problems with my boss, but he continued to care about me even after the transfer, and I think we built a good relationship. I was able to incorporate my studies into my life. I am grateful that even when I felt like giving up, Maho did not give up and walked with me.”

The time I spend reflecting on these sessions is a source of strength for me and a reminder of my own future.

I know everyone will have a busy week as we approach the end of the year.

I encourage you to make time to savor things, even if it is only for a short period of time.

Wishing you all a happy new year!!