Have you felt like you 'did a good job' lately? | The day I realized that small steps change the future

The moment I noticed a small step forward

Have you felt like you 'did a good job' lately?

It doesn't have to be a big success.
I'm talking about those moments when you feel like you've moved forward, even just a little bit.

I, as a dad, have felt that way recently when I least expected it.

It was when I looked back at myself continuing to share my thoughts on my blog and on note.

I haven't done anything special.
But compared to who I was a little while ago, I have definitely moved forward.

When I felt that,
'Maybe these small, steady steps are what will change the future,'
I thought to myself quietly.

The anxiety hidden within days that looked smooth

Ever since I started working, I have lived my life dedicated solely to my company.

Overtime and working on holidays were the norm.
I also experienced living away from my family and working abroad.

Because I was focused on my work, my evaluations improved, and I was promoted little by little.

I think things were going well.
At least, I think that's how it looked to those around me.

But at one point,
I couldn't handle the pressure anymore and my health collapsed.

Even when I tried to think about it in my head, I couldn't find any answers.

After a few months of rest, I returned to the company, but
the anxiety hadn't disappeared.

Is it really okay to keep working the same way as before?
That thought kept lingering somewhere in my heart.

You can choose your life over and over again

That was when I encountered
a book called 'The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity'.

In this book, what stayed with me was
the idea that 'your life doesn't end once you've made a decision'.

And, as three important powers for that purpose,

were presented.

Perhaps,
life is not something where you find the 'correct answer',
but something you create while choosing again and again each time.

That is how I came to think about it.

There was meaning in moving in small ways

Dad at that time,
amidst the anxiety of 'is it okay to stay like this',
was trying to find an answer.

But now, my way of thinking has changed just a little.

You don't have to try to find the answer all at once.
You can try things out on a small scale and move forward little by little.

I have come to be able to think that way.

As one step, Dad thought about trying something outside of the company,
and started posting on a blog and on note.

I contracted a server with ConoHa WING,
and set up a blog with WordPress.

Of course, it didn't go well at first.
There were so many things I didn't understand about the settings, and I stopped many times.

Even so, while continuing little by little,
now I am able to post like this.

Looking back, this was something for Dad
that I could feel I 'did a good job' on.

It is not perfect.
But, the fact that I moved without stopping.

I think there was meaning in that itself.

To my children | I want you to live a life where you keep choosing for yourselves

To you all.

From now on, I think you will encounter many choices.

Every time that happens, there will surely be moments of hesitation and anxiety.

But please, I want you to remember this.

That you don't have to decide your life all at once.
And that it's okay to start small, just take a step.

In this era of the 100-year life,
there are countless chances to choose again.

Rather than doing things perfectly,
it is far more important to keep choosing for yourself.

Dad is also still in the middle of his own challenges.
I intend to keep taking on various challenges in the future as well.

Dad believes in that future of yours with all my heart.

That was,
'Have you felt like you "did well" recently? | The day I realized that small steps change the future'
.

The end.

To you,
— HondaYori Papa

* The ideas behind this article,
and the ways of living and facing life that I learned from books,
are summarized on my blog, 'Book Letters from Dad'.

👉 Blog 'Book Letters from Dad'

* The article that served as the basis for these thoughts is here
👉'LIFE SHIFT 2: Action Strategies for the 100-Year Life' Summary & Impressions | "The Power to Carve Your Own Path"

* This story is part of the theme of "envisioning the future."
By reading it not as isolated points, but as a connection,
your understanding of how to envision the future will deepen.

👉 Read articles summarizing hints for future ways of living

* The 7 themes that Dad values are also kept on the blog.

👉 Read 'The 7 Learning Maps' that Dad learned from

(Note: Regarding tips)

I am thinking through things that have no right answer in my own way and leaving them behind in words.

If there is anyone who has felt stuck in the same way, I would be happy if you could gently support me.