When opening the grand door to a new world.
Do you remember the goals you set in 2023? If you do, then you are a very special person because 99% of people do not! Maybe you completed them without even knowing it. Maybe you got new goals, or you just forgot your old ones. Next year, let’s focus on at least remembering your goals and let them guide you.
When reflecting on the events of this year, I asked a client, 「What were your goals or themes for this year?」 After a moment of silence, she quietly answered, 「I don’t remember.」
Following this, we reviewed her activities since January using the feedback sheets I send after every session. Keeping monthly session logs serves as a memory trigger and contributes to self-acknowledgment. This process seemed to be meaningful for her as well.
In one of the interior advice sessions conducted via Zoom, it seems she was able to rearrange her room utilizing my advice, creating a unified and comfortable space. Furthermore, she added more houseplants, organized an unused keyboard, and bought new furniture for the freed-up space. I was told that she expects to have all the furniture in place by Christmas. Hearing that the sessions were helpful made me happy too.
Professionally, her dream of selling her cakes in a cafe was becoming a reality. She had fortuitously met the owner of a cafe chain and obtained an opportunity to be involved in developing a new menu. It was the realization of the dream we had discussed in a previous session. She herself felt a strange sense of wonder as her dream neared reality.
Moreover, in her effort to value herself, she started studying aromas. Looking back, it seems that each month, some action or another was leading to behaviors that changed her future. However, upon discussing this, I realized that she seemed to be in a somewhat passive state. She expressed a desire to set and achieve her own goals more proactively next year.
Another client said that being asked by her chiropractor who is learning coaching, 「What do you want to do about your work from now on?」 She described feeling so overwhelmed at the time that her body stiffened. She is committed to skill development and fully engages in the work she is asked to do, but she also acknowledged her tendency to be passive. It appears she is still uncertain about whom she wants to serve and in which direction she wishes to proceed.
Simply focusing on personal skill development and accepting assigned work does not greatly expand one’s world. Therefore, I suggested that she consider ways to use her existing skills to benefit a larger number of people. For example, she could use her language skills not only for Japanese speakers but also as a bridge to people whose native language is the same as hers. Combined with the translation capabilities of ChatGPT, this could maximize the use of her abilities.
I, too, once had a moment of realization when a mentor said to me, ‘Why not use your abilities not just for the company, but for yourself?’ That made me stop and think. After that, I decided to become independent to contribute more to others. Now, 18 years have passed, and I have been able to positively change many lives and have received a lot of gratitude. This, in turn, has led to unexpected personal growth for myself.
By offering what we possess to society, we can achieve self-realization and simultaneously have a positive impact on the lives of others. This will likely be the key to maximizing the power we hold and creating a better world.
When you feel as though your feet have come to a halt on the path of growth, it may actually be the opening of a great door to a new world. Indeed, drafting the script of your future self is not easy, but it is during such times that a guide often appears in unexpected places. Personally, I met my life’s mentor through an acquaintance. Our email exchanges revealed the infinite possibilities unfolding before me and empowered me to co-create a new chapter.
Now that the future is clear, all that remains for me is to take action. With 18 years of experience as a life coach, I am sincerely looking forward to crafting your story together.