All posts tagged "Personal Growth"

  • Success by Accident – The Kintsugi Path to a Fulfilling Life

    On January 29th, I published my first book, Wabi-Sabi Wisdom: Inspiration for an Authentic Life. In brainstorming ideas for the cover image, my husband recommended the idea of using a photo of kintsugi, the Japanese art of...

    • Posted March 12, 2016
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  • The 8th Mindset of Workplace Transformation: Motivation vs. Inspiration

    The eighth (and final!) mindset of workplace transformation addresses where people derive the energy and impetus for action from. At this time of year this mindset is relevant even if you are not a leader as it...

    • Posted January 10, 2016
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  • Transforming Work Part 7: TIRED vs GOOD TIRED

    How do you maximize performance? Great leaders and the most successful and valued employees understand that high performance cannot be achieved or sustained without nurturing fulfillment. The seventh mindset of workplace transformation centers on shifting your focus...

    • Posted December 10, 2015
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  • Transforming work Part 6: Transforming the Tyranny of ‘To Do’

    Ever had a day, a week, or even a year where you’re troubled by the nagging sense that you haven’t been truly productive, despite being incredibly busy? You are not alone. Whether you work for yourself or...

    • Posted November 20, 2015
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  • Transforming Work Part 5 – Slowing Down to Speed Up

    Are you the kind of leader who is always putting pressure on your team (and yourself) to get things done faster? Research shows that this management methodology is counterproductive. Contrary to the deadline “rush” that is commonly...

    • Posted September 11, 2015
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  • Transforming Work Part 4: Purpose Over Profit

    (This is the 4th article in a series                                                                                                                                                        on the mindsets of  workplace transformation.                                                                                                                         Click to go to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)  The fourth mindset shift is one that leaders and employees at all levels desire, but have trouble sustaining – the shift from a...

    • Posted August 14, 2015
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  • Transforming Work Part 3: From control to creativity

    The last two months have featured two key mindset shifts that forward thinking leaders and employees must make to have a positive impact on transforming their workplace. The first was to shift from a surviving work style...

    • Posted July 10, 2015
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  • Transforming Work part 2 FROM STATUS TO SERVICE

    An ever-growing volume of research is demonstrating that if businesses are to thrive and profit for the long term, work must become a source of aliveness, not just livelihood, for each and every employee. To achieve this,...

    • Posted June 8, 2015
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  • Transforming work and workplaces

    For more than 25 years now,  I have worked with individuals and organizations to transform their work and their workplaces. In many ways the situation has improved. Technology has made it possible for people to work from...

    • Posted May 11, 2015
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  • Get real for big change

    As a working mom, I am constantly bombarded with information about what I should be doing to be a good mother, wife and business person. I should always feed my family healthy, organic, creative meals, I should...

    • Posted April 9, 2015
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  • Lessons from a florist : 4 Ikebana principles to guide a happy life

    I studied ikebana – Japanese flower arranging – for some time while I was in Japan. (At one point, I was even on a student visa and was meant to be studying 20 hours per week!) Unfortunately,...

    • Posted November 10, 2014
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  • Soul Success, Part 1: Define success on your terms

    The biggest challenge with achieving success is that it is defined in reference to the traditional status quo. The assumption is that when you have the good job, the house, the car, the husband or wife and...

    • Posted July 4, 2013
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  • The year of no excuses

    We are now well into March and a majority of people have already fallen off their New Year resolution wagon. Most have good excuses for doing so and are still telling themselves that they will get on...

    • Posted March 3, 2013
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  • The dark side of ganbatte

    “Ganbatte” is a seemingly innocuous word that every foreigner in Japan quickly becomes familiar with regardless of their level of Japanese. On the surface it appears to be a friendly motivational phrase that is used to encourage...

    • Posted February 3, 2013
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  • Out with the old

    Japanese year-end traditions are one of the many things about Japan that have continued to play a big part in my life and work since I returned to Canada more than a decade ago. I don’t eat...

    • Posted January 2, 2013
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  • Learning to let go

    Successful people often attribute their success to the tenacity with which they hold onto their vision, their principles, and their ideas about the right and wrong way to do things. Yet it is precisely this attachment to...

    • Posted December 3, 2012
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  • Don’t sweat the ‘chisai mono’

    In our world, August and September are usually slow from a work perspective. Many clients postpone sessions due to holidays or because they are busy ramping their families up for fall. This year was a different story. ...

    • Posted October 31, 2012
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  • Red socks and tattoos

    This past month I came across two very powerful metaphors – red socks and tattoos – that are trans- forming my choices in life and work. First, the socks – Red socks (or any other red item)...

    • Posted September 28, 2012
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  • Genki: part 2

    Last month I gave you three tips for physical energy to help you get and stay genki. This month focuses on some less tangible strategies for ramping up your energy and enthusiasm in life and work. Ever...

    • Posted July 31, 2012
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  • O Genki Desu Ka? My top tips to increase energy for life and work

    “Genki” is one of my favorite Japanese words. Despite being used as the functional equivalent of “How are you?” and “I am fine”, “(O) genki desu ka” and “Genki desu” have a much more inspiring undertone.  Because...

    • Posted July 1, 2012
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  • Being jouzu: leveraging your talents for success

    Any foreigner living in Japan quickly discovers the word “jouzu”, a Japanese word that means skillful or talented. When uttering any relatively coherent Japanese phrase, kind Japanese listeners eager to encourage your linguistic brilliance often exclaim “Anata...

    • Posted May 31, 2012
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  • The one thing

    The first quarter of the year has already come and gone and hopefully you are feeling great about your progress so far. Unfortunately, you are far more likely in the 90% of people who feel like they...

    • Posted April 2, 2012
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  • Spring cleaning for peak performance

    Spring cleaning your house is a great way to renew your energy and lift your spirits in the short term, but spring cleaning your time will enhance your energy, productivity, and results for years to come. So...

    • Posted March 1, 2012
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  • Love and other drugs

    As Valentine’s Day looms and people around the world turn their minds to love and chocolate, the movie title, Love and Other Drugs, got me thinking about the various types of love and the different kinds of...

    • Posted January 31, 2012
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  • Criticize by creating

    Life is filled with opportunities to complain and criticize. We witness it in both organized forms, such as documentaries and protests, and organic forms like customers complaining about poor service, employees criticizing their company’s policies, and bosses...

    • Posted December 1, 2011
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  • Single vs Family: the right to choose

    A recent article in The Japan Times suggested that Japanese people in their 20s and 30s are delaying marriage and family due to income concerns. I got married when I was 39 and had my first child...

    • Posted September 29, 2011
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  • To eat or not to eat? That is the question

    In my efforts to eliminate the last ten pounds I gained while pregnant with our son, I have spent the last few years trying every diet imaginable. Despite modest success, none of these plans seemed to stick...

    • Posted September 1, 2011
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  • Creative living in Japan

    Many people long for a more fulfilling life, yet few take advantage of the multitude of opportunities around them to create it. When I was living in Tokyo, this topic came up one day over coffee with...

    • Posted July 29, 2011
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  • Right-sizing your vision

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   In this final installment of the Stressed in the City series I want to address an often misunderstood topic that is at the root of stress for many successful people – vision...

    • Posted June 8, 2011
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  • The power of purpose

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   If you are in Japan, there are many pressing survive level concerns competing for your attention right now, so why should you bother investing any energy to think about cultivating a sense...

    • Posted May 15, 2011
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