The COVID-19 lockdowns across the world were a very stressful time for a lot of us, but there were also a lot of stories of positive community building and support that came out of that time. One of those stories was that of Frock Up Friday, a facebook group started by friends Bev and Suzie in the UK. The page started as a place where they and their friends could get dressed up on a Friday night and post pictures of their fabulous outfits! After a few weeks the page had amassed thousands of members, well beyond Bev and Suzie’s intended group of friends and family. On the podcast I talk to Bev and Suzie about Frock Up Friday, the ways the group has promoted values like inclusion, compassion and self care, and how this all relates to their ikigai.
In this episode you’ll hear:
What led Bev and Suzie to start Frock Up Friday
How the group has helped people feel more connected and less lonely
About how dressing up for fun on Fridays has led people to be more confident and creative
How the group brings different types of people together and lets them learn from one another
In March 2020 during the lockdowns at the beginning of the COVID 19, two friends Bev and Suzie decided to dress up on Fridays, pretend like they were going out, and post their photos on a Facebook group page they created called Frock Up Friday. They invited their friends to join the group and share photos of their Friday outfits.
After just a few weeks the group had over 13,000 members worldwide.
Initially the group was just about dressing creatively and sharing styles but it’s become something so much more. Frock Up Friday for many people became an escape from the virus; from the impact of lockdown; from politics; and from anxieties of personal battles in health, mental health, body image and gender issues to suggest a few.
Frock Up Friday is about promoting inclusion and self care, sharing compassion, encouraging zero negativity, frocking up without costing the earth, and encouraging people to dress for dopamine!
If you are a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, you’ll love this episode! Join me as I have a fabulous chat with Genie Gurnani, internationally televised drag queen from Drag Race Thailand Season 2, AND globe-trotting creative leader and marketing executive who has led teams at Disney, Vice Media, and Netflix. We discuss Genie’s dual careers, and how the two complement one another. Genie also shares with us some of the ways being on Drag Race opened doors to wonderful opportunities to try new things and discover new talents, and how important it is to not let fear stop you from taking advantage of exciting things that come your way!
In this episode you’ll hear:
About Genie’s two lives as a marketing executive and a drag queen, and how they balance the two
How being a drag queen helped and hindered Genie’s marketing career
Advice for people who are feeling marginalised at work, or in general
How taking opportunities that came after being on Drag Race led to Genie developing new skills and talents
How Genie found comedy and storytelling to be a common thread running through both the corporate and entertainment worlds
Genie is a globe-trotting creative leader and marketing executive who has led teams at Disney, Vice Media, and Netflix. They are also an internationally-televised drag queen who is part of the world’s fiercest reality TV franchise, having starred on RuPaul’s Drag Race Thailand. In the past, Genie thought these were two different careers, two different lives, two different selves. But eventually they realized, everything they do is one and the same. They are an entertainer. They create entertainment. And they help brands be more entertaining to connect with their audiences.
On this episode of the Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai podcast I talk to virtual magician, David John. Before COVID, David was running a tourism business and was doing magic on the side, but then the pandemic hit and he had to turn his side hustle into his main income! David’s virtual magic experience was in high demand during lockdown, internationally, as people were feeling isolated and David’s show helped bring people together. Listen to the episode to hear all about how and why his side hustle became his life saviour!
In this episode you’ll hear:
How David weathered the pandemic as his tourism business was put on hold
About David turning his side hustle of magic into his main income during the pandemic
How working in various corporate roles has helped David with his virtual experience work as a magician
The value in doing different jobs and careers throughout your life instead of just thinking there’s only one career for you
How important David’s virtual entertainment work became for people separated by the pandemic
David John is a talented and innovative virtual magician, known for his mesmerizing performances that captivate audiences from all around the world. With a deep passion for magic and a strong commitment to his craft, David has mastered the art of illusion in the digital world, creating an immersive and unforgettable experience for his viewers.
David’s performances are characterized by sleight of hand, mind-illusions, and comedic presentation. His attention to detail and dedication to creating an authentic magical experience sets him apart from other magicians in the virtual world. Whether he’s making objects disappear into thin air or performing mind-reading acts through live video interactions, David leaves his audience in awe, questioning the very limits of reality.
David engages his viewers through captivating storytelling and interactive elements. His ability to connect with his audience, even from a distance, is truly extraordinary.
Whilst I know that the idea that your body regenerates at a cellular level every 7 years is not strictly true (multiple paces depending on your cells), I’ve always found this story fascinating when it comes to the seasons of change. As I celebrate the end of my 7th year in business, I took a trip down memory lane on previous reflection posts: Year 6, Year 5, Year 4, Year 3, Year 2, Year 1 seems I did not reflect! And the post I wrote about why I chose June 29th as the date to launch)
I noticed a few things about my cellular level change from reading these reviews
My authentic voice is coming through more – less perky, more vulnerable and many more personal stories
I’m not trying so hard to prove myself, my value or my contribution. In the early days, there’s a lot of market information and it all feels quite distant.
I’m in the transition of counting. Just like Korea is changing the way people calculate age or like when you are a teenager desperate to grow up, I always talked about the next year of business. Not “I’ve been in business for 2 years” but “I’m about to start year 3” – a psychological trick (that probably tricked no one). I guess after 7 years I truly feel like I have arrived in a sustainable way – especially pivoting and thriving through a pandemic
So with that all said, here we go into the “Annual Year in Review” from the Productivity Planner weekly Review
Wins: Big and Small Not Work Life Balance but Life Design
I’ve always disliked the concept of work life balance (Still alive when I am at work thank you very much!) so I prefer the term “Life Design” to think about how I want to curate the experiences I have with my clients, my family and my interests. I have been able to maintain a 4 day coaching and facilitation work week, spend evenings and weekends with my family and commit time to creative projects and cultural and sporting experiences.
Invested in a Shared Atelier
This was a big step for me to put money into a creative space. I’ve taken “Can Meerkats Swim?” (My third book coming soon) from preliminary sketches to 14 watercolour illustrations. I can take up space with my #100tshirts100stories textile project. Atelier float is in an old factory in the shitamachi and if you are in Tokyo, let me know and we can arrange a studio visit. It’s a bit shabby but also somewhat magical! And I’m reminded of the words of Virginia Woolf, “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” (or any creative pursuit). You can check out my #wip on my artist instagram.
ACC recertified and on the road to PCC
Working with three mentor coaches over a few months was incredibly insightful and, as I had suspected, humbling. With any professional skill set, it is easy to get into habits over time and not all of them are useful. The process of recording,receiving feedback against the ICF competency markers and coaching conversations was really useful to sharpen my skills. It was quite gratifying to see the changes and I know it made me more useful in the coaching sessions with my clients. 80 hours to go to 500 hours plus the new Coaching Knowledge exam. One of the markers from the Ikigai 9 assessment is “I would like to learn something new or start something” and I definitely experience that during this process.
Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai podcast about to close out Season 2
Connecting with guests and recording this podcast is truly one of the joys of my life. I feel so thrilled to be able to chat to such interesting and normal people who are living their life in ways which are meaningful to them. In this season we’ve had yet again a wonderfully diverse group of people from sports, fashion, mental health, wellness, activism, community work and even a family. Do check it out on your favourite podcast player or on YouTube and feel free to leave a review and subscribe if you have not already. I’m also researching guests for Season 3 so do let me know your ideas!
Guest Speaker on Ikigai in 3D
I got to have a few more face to face experiences (carefully curated in line with my life design plans as above) A wonderful crowd at FAJ and LVMH in April followed by a 3 day Ikigai and Ikikatta summit hosted by YPO ASEAN United and YPO Zen Pacific Chapters were brilliant experiences where I truly felt イキイキ and a sense that I was making a difference in people’s perspectives on their life.
Tokyo Marathon Fundraising for #outruncancer
I was honoured to support vanessa Oshima and raise NZD2600 approx ¥230,000 for #outruncancer It was my third time to run the Tokyo marathon. I’m no faster than I was in 2011 but I had much more fun than in 2017. Thanks to everyone who liked my FB run updates and to those who sponsored me or came out to cheer me on in March. I was proud of my training consistency this time. It’s rare for me to stick to a plan
Things I didn’t do
Website Renewal… but we are nearly there! You might start to see some peeks of the rebranding knowing around.. It’s bold and energetic and joyful
Sell the “Integrate your Ikigai” book proposal. Sadly the proposal has not set the publishing world on fire with multiple six figure advances in a bidding war. I’ve learned A LOT about the business side and publishing a niche title with a category killing best seller followed by a number of minor competitors seems to be the biggest challenge. So it is back to the drawing board, on the hunt for a new agent or an independent press who would like to take it on. Currently in research mode, shortlisting potential partners! Let me know if you have connections to agents or small presses in the self help/ non-fiction space.
Learnings
Family first
One of the things I am most grateful for is the flexibility on my schedule and the ability to work online. I started the business just as my daughter was entering first grade “一年生の壁” (the first grade wall) could be avoided to some degree as I was more accessible. The transition to JHS has not been easy and again I’ve been grateful that I have yoyu in my schedule so that I can be there for her when she needs it. I’ve also been making more time to learn impossibly complex card games with my son. Good for my Japanese and for bonding time!
Alcohol free life is freeing up my life
After realising that I was suffering after 3 glasses of wine in ways that were not sustainable (think talking to God on the great white telephone in the middle of the night or planning my life around hangovers), I decided that as I head into my perimenopause years that alcohol might not be the best thing in my life anymore. As you know, I’m not someone who thrives on moderation, tending to be “all in” so I decided to experiment with sobriety. I used the deadline of the Tokyo Marathon as my first milestone. Needing to wake up at 5:30am to train was not going to be supported by a few drinks the night before. Now it has been almost 8 months since I had a drink and I plan to keep it that way. I’ve noticed that the times when I thought “Oh, I need a drink” were actually more “Oh, I need room in my mind” I’m grateful that more places have more interesting non-alcoholic options these days as the ritual of a kanpai and that first sip is still important to me.
Hold self imposed deadlines with a sense perspective
As I looked back at previous versions of this review, I felt a bit of shame. “Oh these things I said I was going to do but I did not. “ Then I realised with a good dollop of humility that no one cares that my website has not been updated in the last year and no one is going to care that much when it is!
Likewise publishing dates, solo exhibitions and launches. It’s better to move at my pace where I don’t burnout, than hustle through my check list and the arbitrary dates I set.Mieko Kamiya describes ikigai as “A sense of happiness and that my life is moving forwards” so I try to experience things more with that intention. Enjoying the process and savouring the learning tis currently more important to me than shipping it. And I need to recognise that I shipped a LOT last year in multiple fields!
Next 12 months
Summer holidays redux – a new take on this integral part of my life design- I have to admit that I’m a little sad my kids no longer relish the idea of a month in Europe so this time we will be trying a new configuration. A family holiday for a week in Turkey then my son and I will travel on to the UK for 10 days or so. It’s a bit of a logistics puzzle but the tickets are booked so let’s give it a go
Reconnecting with Points of You® – My long awaited (originally booked for May 2020) second time to attend the L3 Turning Point Programme is finally happening in Greece in October. I’m also getting involved with the project team designing an in-house support system to create a culture of dialogue in corporate settings. So great when your passions come together.
100tshirts100stories project: if all goes to plan it will be featured in an expo in Tokyo in October. Let me know if you would like a studio visit or if you have a run event tshirt you would like to donate.
Reconnecting with rowing…the calling is getting pretty strong after a blissful hour on the river in May. I’m waiting until the temperatures lower a bit and then I’m planning to join a Boat Club – my legs are going to be amazing for Tsukuba marathon in November which I entered on a whim as it is popular with my run club!
The calendar is already getting pretty exciting for Q4 with some really interesting ikigai journey projects, systems coaching for teams and as always beloved and special 1:1 coaching with a wonderfully diverse group of clients.
Well, that’s it for now – strongly recommend this review process on the weekly, monthly and annual basis! Interesting to see the patterns and the evolution. Let’s grab a virtual coffee and you can share your review with me! Thank you for reading this far and for all your support over the years. Take care!
This week on the podcast we are all about mountains and mushrooms! I am talking with the wonderful Alison Beale about her weekly trips to the mountains around Tokyo and why she has become rather addicted to these hikes. Alison shares with us some of the physical, mental, emotional and social benefits she has experienced on her trips to various mountains and why she loves discovering all the wonderful biodiversity on the mountains, including mushrooms!
In this episode you’ll hear:
How rehabilitating an injury led Alison to weekly mountain walks
Why Alison enjoys finding different types of mushrooms while hiking
Advice on how to keep yourself safe while walking in the mountains alone
What Alison learnt about fear and ways to use that in everyday life
The community aspect of hiking and how life affirming it can be
Alison is Director of the University of Oxford Japan Office. She came to Japan immediately after graduating from Oxford and has had a long career in international education and cultural relations, mostly with the British Council. She worked for the organization in various cities in Japan, and then in Trinidad and Tobago and Shanghai China, before coming back to Tokyo. She then decided to ditch her peripatetic life, and now heads up the representative office of the University of Oxford in Japan.
Alison is passionate about building links between the UK and Japan and holds a number of voluntary positions for example as Vice-President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan and Executive Director of the Japan-British Society. She is also a fan of the performing arts and is on the Board of the New National Theatre Tokyo.
This week on the show I have a fantastic conversation with my long term mentor and multi-potentialite, Rochelle Kopp. Rochelle is a consultant, an author, a mentor, an educator, a board director, and an activist. Last year Rochelle was named as one of Change.Org Japan’s Changemakers of the Year, and has recently been spearheading a movement to protect Tokyo’s green oasis Jingu Gaien from a redevelopment plan that would sacrifice a thousand trees and raze two historic stadiums in order to make room for three skyscrapers. Listen to the episode to hear all about Rochelle’s career and activism and how both are sources of ikigai for her.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.
In this episode you’ll hear:
Why her career as an intercultural consultant is a source of ikigai for Rochelle
How Rochelle started her activism through online petitions to protect Japan’s green spaces
Why trees and green spaces are so important for our physical and mental health
Rochelle’s ideas about what her role as a non-Japanese person in Japanese society is and could be
Rochelle is a consultant, author, mentor, educator & board director specializing in global communication, leadership, human resources, & organizational development. She primarily works with Japanese companies with global operations and global firms doing business in Japan, primarily through training seminars, teambuilding, and coaching. Rochelle also keeps busy with several other activities. She writes columns for the Japan Times and several Japanese publications including the Asahi and the Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun, and has published over 35 books on intercultural and management topics. She is an outside board director to two Japanese companies. She is a mentor through 500 Global. And more recently, she has become an activist, spearheading a movement to protect Tokyo’s green oasis Jingu Gaien from a redevelopment plan that would sacrifice a thousand trees and raze two historic stadiums in order to make room for three skyscrapers. Her petition on Change.org has over 195,000 signatures and last year she was named one of Change.org Japan’s Changemakers of the Year.
On the latest episode of the podcast I’m joined by Koji Tokumasu, who was selected as “one of the most influential 50 members of rugby in the world” by Rugby World (UK) in 2017. Koji was General Manager at the Rugby World Cup 2019 Bid Committee to gain the right for JRFU to host RWC2019, the first time outside of the traditional Unions, AND was the Senior Director at Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee to deliver the most successful Rugby World Cup ever! Join us for this episode as Koji shares with us his enduring love of rugby and how it led him on a journey across the world, and back to Japan to spread that love for rugby here!
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.
In this episode you’ll hear:
How Koji went on a journey from Japan to Wales inspired by a love of Welsh rugby
The remarkable story of Koji’s involvement in Japan making a bid for the Rugby World Cup leading to success in 2019
How Koji adapted to life after the Rugby World Cup after spending so much time working towards that goal
Why and how Koji started the Shibuya International Rugby Club
How rugby taught him to enjoy playing the game (of life) without just focusing on the end result
Koji Tokumasu is a visiting professor at Kanda University of International Studies, Special Director at Japan Rugby Football Union, and President of Shibuya International Rugby Club. Koji was the Senior Director at Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee to deliver the most successful Rugby World Cup ever. He was General Manager at the Rugby World Cup 2019 Bid Committee to gain the right for JRFU to host RWC2019, the first time outside of the traditional Unions. Koji was also selected as “one of the most influential 50 members of rugby in the world” by Rugby World (UK) in 2017.
Koji Tokumasu has also held positions as Editor and writer of Sports Department at Nishi Nippon Shimbun (Newspaper with 600,000 daily print run in the Kyushu area), English teacher and Marketing Director at Meikei Gakuen Junior and Senior High School, Editor at Kodansha International Publications Co Ltd, and Head of International Relations/ Marketing/Public Relations/ of Japan Rugby Football Union. Koji has also held honorary positions as Board Member of Asia Rugby, Board Member of World Rugby, Board Member of Japan Rugby Football Union, President of Asia Rugby, Honorary President of Asia Rugby, and Special Director at Japan Rugby Football Union (International relations).
#IAmRemarkable Free Online Workshop – June 7, 2023
I am excited to invite you to attend my 4th #IAmRemarkable workshop on Wednesday, June 7th, 2023 at 11:30am to 13:00pm JST via Zoom. Everyone is welcome!
#IAmRemarkable is a global movement that empowers everyone, including underrepresented groups, to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond, while challenging the social perception around self-promotion. Learn more at g.co/iamremarkable
In this interactive session, you will participate in group discussions and exercises to increase your comfort and confidence in self-promotion.During this 90 minute workshop we will:
● reflect on our own limiting beliefs on self-promotion.
● share data and research regarding self-promotion and bias.
● go through the main exercise to help you identify and share your achievements.
● wrap up with discussion and take home exercises.
On the latest episode of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai we are joined by Yui Maejima. Yui is a Neo Kimono Stylist supporting her clients to find themselves through a new perspective in their kimono. Yui’s first experience with kimono as a child made her never want to wear them again, but then as a young adult she went to the US and through being in another culture began to appreciate being Japanese more. She decided to immerse herself in something uniquely Japanese as a way to explore her cultural identity and express herself, and settled on modern kimono fashion. Through her love of fashion and of being Japanese, Yui found her ikigai in Neo Kimono style and now helps others see themselves in a new light with her styling.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.
In this episode you’ll hear:
How Yui’s first experience with kimono made her not want to ever wear kimono again at 10 years old
How being in the USA made her appreciate her Japanese culture and embrace kimono as a way to express a part of her identity as well as her love of fashion
About how kimono used to be contemporary daily wear in the past and how that freed Yui up to evolve and modernise kimono in her styling
About Yui’s styling business and how it connects to her Ikigai
Yui Maejima was born and raised in Yokohama, Japan. As a college student she studied information systems in the US for two and half years before returning to Japan and working as a systems engineer. Her experience in the US gave her a new appreciation for Japanese culture and she studied the art of wearing kimono.
After 7 years as a systems engineer. she pivoted her career into the kimono industry working first in a kimono rental company and then as a freelance kitsukeishi 着付師 (Kimono dresser). Now Yui refers to herself as a Neo Kimono Stylist supporting her clients to find themselves through a new perspective in their kimono.
On the latest episode of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai we have a truly inspirational guest for you. Steve Judge is a professional speaker, author, and resilience coach, who in 2002 experienced a near fatal car accident and due to his injuries was told he may never walk again. But he decided to fight that prediction and found a passion during his rehabilitation that motivated him.
Throughout his rehabilitation he kept setting goals for himself and achieving them, from standing and walking, through to running, cycling and Power Triathlons. Eventually Steve became an elite athlete, and in 2011, in Beijing, he crossed the finish line to become world champion in the power triathlon! So if you are looking for motivation and inspiration, especially through setbacks and challenges, this episode is for you.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.
In this episode you’ll hear:
About Steve’s autobiography, Don’t Lean on Your Excuses
The near fatal car accident that Steve experienced in 2002
How anger and thinking of his future self motivated Steve throughout his rehabilitation
How Steve became an elite athlete and two time world champion
Why Steve now wants to empower others through motivational speaking
Why Steve wears a 5 yen coin, or “go-en”, around his neck
As a professional speaker, author and resilience coach Steve’s mission is to deliver his story that took him from wheelchair to world champion and beyond. His journey starts with a 5 Yen (Go-En) coin that he was given by a Japanese traveler in 1996. Steve tells his story of how he used this coin and the Japanese concept of Kintsugi to mend his badly broken body and how he feels that he is now on the path to fulfill in his life in relation to his Ikigai.
