I’m in a tiny cold house in Yokohama Japan this Winter Solstice. Being here reminds me how valuable it is to travel to places where the culture and language are quite different from mine. Suddenly it becomes crystal clear that so much of my personal operating system is built on a set of methods, beliefs, and assumptions that are not shared by most of the humans on the planet. I’ve found it both humbling and healthy to be reminded of just how much of my paradigm has come from people who grew up in the same corner of the world as I have. Being here has been a potent reminder that taking things for granted isn’t just a matter of being perhaps a bit ungrateful at times, but also of not being deliberate about how (and perhaps where) we live. Both are a choice after all. Ones worth exploring.
My son Mason (the reason I’m in Japan for the holidays) embodies that explorative spirit. During his highschool graduation trip to Japan 6 years ago something resonated deeply in him. Even though he couldn’t talk with most of them, he had found his people. So he set about studying and learning the written and spoken language with every shred of his free time. He made Japanese friends via the internet with whom he could practice speaking and ultimately changed his undergraduate major to Japanese. During his senior year of college, he managed to get into a Stanford post-grad program here in Yokohama that helped hone his language skills to the point that he was able to land a meaningful job with a Japanese company in Tokyo.
His transformation isn’t just lingual however. He now stands taller, works harder than ever, and enjoys dates and outings on the weekends. Mind you, this is a man who, at one point not too long ago, rarely left his room. I’d like to say his shift is a result of brilliant parenting. But other than a bit of patience and love, the truth is, Mason’s shift is not the fruit of any parental strategies or efforts. Instead, it came from two things. First, at some point Mason woke up and decided he had suffered enough by living a life that wasn’t what he wanted. And second, from that place of deep dissatisfaction, he resolved to start taking the actions to create a life he loved. And while he now lives far from where he grew up and very differently than he was accustomed to, he has done his work and is now loving his life.
Where are you suffering around changes you want to make? Whether large or small, is it time to make your next move? I promise just making one small shift toward living a life you love, brings with it an abundance of fresh courage and enthusiasm. Why wait?
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