As I write, coronavirus is the center of attention here in Japan (and of course a problem in many other countries) and so many people are worried about the sickness and the impact on their businesses and lives.

My heart goes out to everyone who is ill, facing a sudden loss of income or even bankruptcy, uncertain about having to work from home, or wondering how to take care of children now that all the schools have closed.Even if you happen to be reading this months or years later, when coronavirus is a thing of the past, you'll still no doubt face difficult days from time to time.Difficult days are a part of life. I'm a firm believer in this saying:"Life is 10 percent what happens and 90 percent how you respond to it."How you choose to think about a situation really does make a difference - especially to how you feel - and it's something that you can control.

In Episode 60 of the Sasuga! Podcast, you'll hear

• Thoughts on how to respond to coronavirus and other challenging situations that you may face
• What you can learn from Winnie the Pooh about dealing with Difficult Days
• A simple technique to get you out of worry and into positive action

Enjoy!

Emiko Rasmussen says she had a crush on me from the moment she saw my 2016 TEDx Talk! Even though she thought I probably wouldn't respond, she decided to be brave and contact me through social media.

That was the start of our lovely friendship.

Emiko moved from Japan to the U.S. when she was 20 years old. Facing language and cultural barriers, she played small and missed out on multiple opportunities.

Many times, she wanted to raise her hand and share her opinion or say "YES!" to reach her potential, but she kept repeating her limiting beliefs in her mind: "My English isn't good enough" or "I don't feel confident." This stopped her from being her true self and doing what she really wanted to do.

Look at her now! Emiko is an inspiring speaker and podcast host. After being laid off from her corporate job, she's a full-time online entrepreneur who teaches other Japanese women how they can break through common barriers and shares important skills to elevate their work life.

In Episode 59 of the Sasuga! Podcast, you'll hear

• How Emiko went from feeling invisible in her company to being an inspiring leader
• How Emiko used to worry that people might think she was stupid because English was her second language and now hosts her own podcast in English
• The meaning of "menterrupting" and what you can do about it

Enjoy!

Last week, I did something on a Facebook Live that I didn't intend. I was shocked when I saw the replay.I thought about deleting it. I showed it to my Japanese team members, and they encouraged me to keep it.So I was brave and I did.Now I'm taking this opportunity to talk about the importance and the benefits of being brave. What's one small step out of your comfort zone that you can take to be brave?

In Episode 58 of the Sasuga! Podcast, you'll hear

• The inspiring story of a Japanese woman who went from fear to formidable in her presentation
• How being brave benefits you and those around you
• How I revealed more than I planned on a Facebook Live!

Enjoy!

Did you know that Valentine's Day in Japan is VERY different from in other countries?For example, while women in Japan are busy buying or making chocolates for those they love (as well as for those they may not love so much…), American men are under pressure to find a restaurant that isn't already fully booked for a date with someone special.I had so much fun chatting about this with Hilary DeCesare on the Sasuga! Podcast. Hilary is an award-winning Silicon Valley entrepreneur, speaker, and coach who created the Relaunch Company to support women going through changes in their business, life, or lovelife.

For Hilary, love isn't just for your lovelife. It's the secret ingredient for you to sprinkle in all areas of your life.

In Episode 57 of the Sasuga! Podcast, you'll also hear

• An innovative and efficient way to use your calendar to be sure you're using your time wisely
• How to use the three voices in your head
• Hilary's simple technique to get out of feeling that you've lost hope or you're stuck

A little research after the interview revealed that White Day was first celebrated in 1978 in Japan and was started by the National Confectionery Industry Association.

Other countries that celebrate White Day are Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and China.

Enjoy!

Do you find yourself switching between tasks throughout your day?

Maybe you even pride yourself on being a multitasker?

Multiple studies in recent years have revealed the downside and dangers of multitasking.

Yet even as long ago as the 1700s, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield said, "There is time enough for everything in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once. But there is not enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time."

If you never seem to have enough time, you'll want to listen to Episode 56 of the Sasuga! Podcast.

You'll hear

• Why multitasking destroys your productivity
• How multitasking negatively impacts your IQ
• 5 steps to start monotasking and benefiting your output, time, and brain

If you listened to the interview with my style coach, Aya Jean, on Episode 54 and Episode 55 and found it a little difficult to hear, I have good news. Team Sasuga! has created a beautiful full transcript and guide with questions for reflection to help you make the most of this interview.

Click here to download your transcript and guide.

Enjoy!

Many of us learned "You've got to DO more" to be recognized and show your value in your work and life.

Being productive and contributing value isn't about doing more and working harder.

Have you heard this before?"You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes every day, unless you're too busy. Then you should sit for an hour."

In Episode 55 of the Sasuga! Podcast, I share Part 2 of my interview with my style coach Aya Jean.

You'll hear

• Aya's top tip for improving your productivity
• How to build confidence with your style if you're concerned about what your family or those around you might think of you
• A special tip for Japanese women, especially if your name ends in "ko"

We've also created a beautiful full transcript and guide with questions for reflection to help you make the most of this interview.

Enjoy!

What can you learn from a Japanese woman who ran one of Japan's premium model agencies for nearly two decades, was a model for four decades, and now works closely with global changemakers to help them craft their unique style and have a bigger impact in the world?Well, you can learn how to look fabulous for a start!

But more than that, you can learn how even those who we see as beautiful, savvy, and successful have faced frustration, doubts, and adversity to reach where they are today.

In Episode 54 of the Sasuga! Podcast, I interview Aya Jean, who took me on an eye-opening and fun style journey in 2019.

You'll hear

• How Aya went from being frustrated with a long to-do list to being happy with a few small achievements
• How it took Aya many years to build up the confidence to go into Yoshinoya on her own - and how you can build confidence faster
• How challenging it was to be a CEO in Japan as a female model in her 20s - and how easily you can start your own business now

Enjoy!

If you're like many of the Japanese women I coach, you probably have doubts about being able to achieve great results. You think that others can do it, but you're not good enough. Maybe you're scared to take "massive action."

Or you set big goals for yourself and then don't achieve them because your expectations of yourself are simply too high. How frustrating is that?

Here's what works.

Be consistent. Take specific, small steps to get great results.

This works for whatever results are important for you - whether it's improving your English, or decluttering your home, or becoming confident on conference calls.

Small steps will get you there.

Make it easy for yourself.

In Episode 53 of the Sasuga! Podcast, you'll hear

• How I achieved 200 editions of the Sasuga! Tips For You newsletter - and how you can use the same techniques in your life
• The meaning of the word "mickle"
• How to get 25 percent off your 90x Goal Planner, which you can start using any day (like I do!)

Enjoy!

Have you heard about the idea of choosing a word of the year to keep you focused and inspired? More and more people seem to be doing this these days. I learned about this several years ago and have been choosing my word every year since then.

I easily get enthusiastic and distracted with new things, and having a word of the year helps me to stay on track.

You may also find a word of the year useful to keep you motivated if you find it difficult to take action.

Last year, my word was "Cherish." This was a wonderful word for me because, in my mind, it combined the ideas of focus, care, and gratitude. I wanted to cherish people who are important in my life, the things that I have, and my time.

This year, on the personal side, I want to focus more on self-care - so that I can be in the optimum physical, mental, and emotional state to make my best contribution in the world. I'll talk more about self-care on future episodes of the Sasuga! Podcast.

In Episode 52 of the Sasuga! Podcast, you'll hear

• My 3 words of the year for my business and how they relate to you
• How I've focused on my purpose and the contribution I want to make - and you can too
• How I'm bringing you something new every week from this Wednesday

Enjoy!

As another year comes to a close, you may hear people asking, "How was your year?"

If you're like most people, you'll find it very easy to remember the bad parts. In fact, you may even say it was a horrible year because of several bad things that happened.

Did you know that this is because of how your brain works? And you can actually train your brain to work differently, so that you can learn from your negative experiences without continuing to feel bad about them and be more intentional about remembering your positive experiences.

In Episode 51 of the Sasuga! Podcast, you'll hear

• Why it's often easier to remember the bad things that happened and forget about the good stuff
• How Queen Elizabeth referred to the years 1992 and 2019
• A simple 5-step exercise to reflect on and make the most of your year

Enjoy!