Transformations with Jayne

This week on the podcast I talk to one of my very best friends Penelope Thompson. I have known Penny since 1998 when we met at university and lived together for 2 years. It’s my great pleasure to share this special person with the listeners of Transformations with Jayne. As well as being my friend, Penny is also an amazing mother of three very special boys, and Director Group Communications at Māia Studios. Penny has faced some sizable challenges in her life and has lots of wisdom to share with you all about resilience, determination and taking control of your own story.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me and Penelope, @transformationswithjayne and @thompson_penelope 

or send us a message here.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Penelope and I met and became friends many moons ago
• The big life change that happened four years ago that forced Penelope to completely reimagine and restructure her life
• About Penelope’s experiences parenting neurodiverse children and children with serious medical challenges
• What ‘independent parenting’ is and why Penelope prefers it to other terms like single parent or solo parent
• About Penelope’s current work with Māia Studios, a communications company focused on purpose and making a difference in the world

About Penelope:

Penelope is Director Group Communications at Māia, which is building a home for kaupapa driven communications in Aotearoa. Penelope leads the workflow of the team and helps to oversee the Māia Cause and Māia Startup pou.

Penelope brings more than a decade of experience spanning the full range of communications specialties. Adept at working closely with businesses to link communications with business strategy and impact, she has a track record of calm, skilful delivery of results, every time.

Based in Onehunga where she is raising her three boys, Penelope has qualifications in Politics, French, Italian, PR and Communications. It is a love of language and diversity that brought Penelope into the industry. It’s her passion for delivering outstanding communications that shift perceptions and make a measurable difference in the world that keeps her here.

Connect with Penelope:

Māia Studios Website: https://maiastudio.co/

Māia Studios Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maiastudionz

Māia Studios IG: https://www.instagram.com/maiastudionz/

Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/thompson_penelope

LinkedIn: https://nz.linkedin.com/in/penelope-thompson-a843ab1b4

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting

This week on the podcast I am catching up with Jennifer Shinkai, ikigai researcher, facilitator and coach, author, and host of her own podcast; Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai. Jennifer was last on the podcast in 2019 before the pandemic, and since then has experienced a lot of transformation in her working life. Join us as we catch up on everything Jennifer has been up to since the last time we chatted.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me and Jennifer, @transformationswithjayne and @ikigaiwithjennifershinkai, or send us a message here.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How being approached to write a book about ikigai led Jennifer to start her own podcast
• How COVID changed Jennifer’s working life and how she used that experience to build community online with Make March Matter
• How Jennifer has incorporated more creativity into her life through revisiting her own art practice
• About Jennifer publishing her children’s books ‘Can Giraffes Swim?’ & ‘Gus’
• What ‘conscious incompetence’ is and how it can be a good thing

About Jennifer:

British born, Oxford educated, Tokyo based Ikigai and Inclusion facilitator and coach, Jennifer Shinkai is the host of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai Podcast and YouTube, the founder of Make March Matter: Free Online Community for Business Owners and the writer and illustrator of “Can Giraffes Swim?” She loves leading a rich and varied life and wants more people to find more ways to experience Ikigai regardless of where they live or how they spend their days.

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Line Stickers: https://line.me/S/sticker/19573327/?lang=en&utm_source=gnsh_stickerDetail

Episode 58: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/d8cfd1b5-a087-4249-86bb-a73cc1f73d41  

Jennifer‘s book: Author page on Amazon 

Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/03/why-did-covid-disappear-from-our-collective-consciousness-so-quickly 

Make March Matter: https://www.facebook.com/groups/makemarchmatter2020/about

Connect with Jennifer:

Website: https://jennifershinkai.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoach 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/ 

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting

On this week’s episode of Transformations with Jayne I am joined by Jo Tindling, podcast manager, as we discuss how our years are going so far. At the end of 2021 Jo and I recorded an episode talking about what we wanted to make happen in 2022, and seeing as how we are at the halfway point of the year I thought it would be a good time to do a bit of a review. 

Join us as we recap where we were at the end of 2021, what our ambitions were for 2022, and how we think we are doing so far in achieving those goals. And check out the 2021 episode here: https://transformationswithjayne.captivate.fm/episode/2021-year-in-review

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me and Jo, @transformationswithjayne and @tindlingjo 

or send us a message here.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• What we put on our 2022 wish list, back in December of 2021
• How 2022 has been going for us so far, and what has been ticked of our lists
• The unexpected benefits of starting my second podcast, Jandals in Japan
• How Jo came to live in exactly the kind of place she was dreaming of in 2021
• How to get a taste of the future life you dream of, right now!

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Jandals in Japan podcast: https://www.jandalsinjapan.com/

Connect with Jo:

Art Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tindlingjo   

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jotindling

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting

I love a story of someone finding their way in Japan! Michele Fujii came back to Japan with her husband and found a job, one day realising that although it was a nice job, she really wanted to extend herself and so she started doing just that. If you are wanting to make the most of living in Japan and want to know “how”, then Michele’s story might be just what you need to spark some inspiration for you to take control of your life in Japan. 

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me, @transformationswithjayne 

or send us a message here.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Michele came to be in Japan 
• The Tale of Genji and how that sparked Michele’s journey of self development
• The surprising thing that happened at work for Michele when she started taking control of her own career
• What’s next for Michele! 

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Michele’s landing page: https://subscribepage.io/6YOWE1#

About Michele:

Michele holds a master’s degree in Japanese Language and Culture from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research areas of interest are transculturation and the internationalization of universities and vocational schools in Japan. She has worked as a freelance translator, a Japanese-language textbook editor in Boston, and an English teacher in Shiga Prefecture with the JET Program from 2010 to 2013. Currently, she promotes the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Initiative at Kansai University’s Institute for Innovative Global Education, facilitating U.S.-Japan relations between higher education institutions.

Connect with Michele:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/fujiimichele/

Medium  https://medium.com/@michele-fujii

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting

If you are wondering how you and your child can have a better night’s sleep but you live in Japan and all the “Sleep Experts” are overseas, then Dr. Laura Gainche is here to help. It’s been a while since I was up to my ears in babies and sleep schedules, but you’ll hear Dr. Laura’s ideas on how parents like you in Japan can make your lifestyle work for you, no matter what is going on around 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. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me and Laura, @transformationswithjayne and @scienceforallwomen 

or send us a message here.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Dr. Laura came to be a specialist in the science of sleep, and living in Japan
• Some of the pressures that women in Japan face and the challenges of raising children here
• Baby sleep! What does it actually look like and what is healthy
• When should you change your child’s bedtime?Dr. Laura dishes up the info on bed times!!
• Mums, are you getting what you need too?

About Laura:

Dr. Laura is a French-Chilean Sleep Scientist and a Holistic Sleep Coach living in Tokyo Japan.

She’s also a mother, an entrepreneur, and an ally well aware of her privileges.

She has studied or worked in Europe, Switzerland, the United States of America, Australia, and Japan.

Laura believes that the third of our life spent sleeping gives us the potential to create the life we want for ourselves and our families.

She supports mothers go from sleepless to blissful nights through the power of science and connection.

Connect with Laura:

Website: http://www.sciwom.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/gentlesleepjapan/

http://www.facebook.com/groups/mamatomojapan/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/scienceforallwomen/

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting

BYO Podlaunch: https://www.subscribepage.com/byopodlaunch

I love to have listeners join me on the show and today Stacy Kurokawa and I are talking about life in Japan and how she has incorporated “Forest Therapy” into her life and is now showing others how to enjoy it too. 

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @transformationswithjayne, 

or send us a message here.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Stacy came to be in Japan
• Cycling 100 km from Mie to Kyoto!!
• What she likes about Japan and how she is helping people to reconnect with nature through Forest Therapy
• We have shout outs to Stacy’s friends and listeners of the show

About Stacy: 

In 1999 Stacy moved to South Korea to help adult English learners. In 2003, Stacy moved to 

Japan in 2003 to work for AEON, an adult conversation school. Stacy is a qualified forest therapy guide and continues to teach English online. 

Connect with Stacy:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-k-aa4b32186/ 

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting

This week on the podcast I talk to Lydia Beukelman, host of the Business Success Japan podcast. Lydia has taught English in South Korea, taught Japanese language and business culture in the United States, and is currently teaching in Japan as part of the Jet Programme. 

Lydia’s podcast helps foreigners coming to Japan for business learn about the business culture here, and I will be a guest on the podcast soon, so keep an eye out for that episode at the link below!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @transformationswithjayne 

or send us a message here.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• What led to Lydia creating her podcast, Business Success Japan
• What Lydia learnt about herself from doing her podcast
• Some differences between Lydia’s time in South Korea and her time in Japan
• Lydia’s advice for people coming to Japan for business

About Lydia:

Lydia is an American who has recently started her next chapter in rural Nagasaki, Japan. During college, she studied abroad twice: once in Shiga prefecture and then in Tokyo. She graduated with a major in Japanese and minor in philosophy, and moved to South Korea to teach

English. After returning to the States, she taught Japanese language and business culture to professionals doing business in Japan and started the Business Success Japan podcast as a way to share curated, high-quality interviews on the current state of life and work as a professional working in a Japanese context. She finally made it back to Japan at the end of 2021 and is currently working as a teacher on the Jet Programme.

Connect with Lydia:

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/businesssuccessjapan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydia-beukelman/

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting

Note: This episode’s interview was recorded before the earthquake on the 16th of March, and our conversation about disaster preparedness does not talk about this latest big earthquake. I thought that would sound a bit weird for listeners so I spent a few minutes in the beginning of this episode discussing my family’s experience of this latest big earthquake. We were lucky to not experience any major damage or injury, and thank you to everyone who reached out to check and see if we were all ok. 

As we pass the 11th anniversary of the 3-11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown, it’s a great time of year to refresh your memory of what to do when disaster strikes as well as check your preparations and have discussions with family about what actions you will take. Beth and Jayne have a fun but important discussion about this and how it has helped them to feel less anxious and more in control despite the sheer number of natural disasters that happen in Japan. 

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me and Beth, @transformationswithjayne and @wanavijapan2011 or send us a message here.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Beth has transitioned back to living in Australia after 14 years in Japan
• What is WaNavi and why you should know about what they do
• Why preparing for disasters actually helps you to feel more relaxed
• Some of Beth’s top tips for preparing for a natural disaster wherever you are in the world

About Beth:

Beth is an Australian who lived in Japan for 14 years. After experiencing the 3.11 Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 as a first-time mother, Beth attended WaNavi Japan’s first charity Earthquake Preparedness Workshop and was inspired to join WaNavi. Beth has been on the Board of Directors since its establishment in 2011. She has a BA in Psychology and a Dip Ed in Primary Education and has worked in Primary school settings in Australia and Japan. She is currently studying Emergency and Disaster Management at Charles Darwin University and working as Primary Teacher whilst residing in Adelaide, Australia. Beth uses her expertise to work with schools, embassies, community groups, and companies in Japan, providing Earthquake Preparedness, Life-skills and Bilingual Cultural Workshops.

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

https://www.wanavi.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Earthquake-Preparedness-Helpcard.pdf 

Connect with Beth:

Website: http://www.wanavi.org/ & [email protected]

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wanavi.japan1/

IG: http://www.instagram.com/wanavijapan2011/

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting

This week on the podcast I’m talking with Paige Baldwin Ando, a creativity coach based in Tokyo. Paige has helped people with novels, paintings, blogs, music and more, through her Whole Self Creative creativity coaching company. If you are feeling creatively stuck in the middle of a project, or don’t know where to start a new project, Paige will give you some great advice on overcoming those creative blocks. 

Also in this episode you’ll hear about an exciting new project I’ve started working on with Lawyer On Air host Catherine O’Connell! 

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me and Paige, @transformationswithjayne and @wholeselfcreative 

or send us a message here.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Paige’s coming to Japan story and why she finds living in Japan endlessly fascinating
• How a creative block Paige experienced led her to research creativity and eventually get certified as a creative coach
• Why creativity coaches have a 360 degree vantage point to see things about your project that you can’t
• The difference between intuition, and the fear-based voice that tries to stop you from doing new things

About Paige:

Paige Baldwin Ando is a US-born creativity coach living and working in Tokyo, Japan. Since 2012, Paige has helped clients worldwide to overcome blocks and reach their creative goals. With her gentle, reliable support, clients have finished novels, filled galleries with paintings, launched businesses, and much more. Using practical tools to support and guide you every step of the way, Paige relishes helping you make your creative dreams a reality.

Connect with Paige:

Website: www.wholeselfcreative.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wholeselfcreative

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wholeselfcreative/

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting

This episode is Part two of a series about the education system in Japan and how we as foreign parents can navigate it all more successfully.

Make sure you listen to Episode 119 for Part One before you join us for this one.

It's a doozy though!

In this episode you will hear:

What it's like to be on the PTA in Japan

What kind of dynamics can affect bilingualism in your family

Connect with the guests:

Kristine Ayuzawa 

Fran Ishido

Jacqui Miyabayashi

Jordana Matsuda

Connect with Jayne:

PodLaunch with Jayne: https://www.jaynenakata.com/podcastconsulting