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Becoming Your Authentic Self - A Self-Liberation Guide to 'Earning Individually' for the Showa Generation -

2025年5月11日 20:50

Good evening! This is Katatsu.
This may be sudden, but have you ever experienced swallowing your words at work while thinking, "I actually feel this way..."?
Especially as a middle manager in your 40s or 50s, you often can't speak your mind freely due to your position, right?

You're expected to deliver by those above and below you, you have to read the room, and you might even think, "It might be easier to just stay silent."
But actually, when you keep burying your true feelings like that, your confidence gets chipped away little by little.

And as for how to regain that confidence?
Well, a "side hustle" might just be the key.
The ability to speak up isn't actually a skill or a personality trait; it often comes from "financial peace of mind."
In other words, whether or not you have the "power to earn" makes a huge difference in how easy it is to express your true feelings.

Today, I will gently and casually dive deep into the option of "earning individually," which even the Showa generation can do, to help you break free from the "self that can't speak its mind."

1. Why can't we speak our 'true feelings' at work?

1.1 The reality of the 'caught in the middle' position of middle management

Middle management is truly like a 'cushion.'
From above, you're told to 'get better results,' and from below, you're told 'I want you to understand me more.'
In other words, you are 'sandwiched.'

So, how do you survive under that pressure...?

It starts to look like the optimal solution is to 'not rock the boat.'
That is why true feelings are tucked away more and more.
But are you really protecting yourself by doing that?

1.2 The background of the ingrained habit of reading the room

It's a common Showa generation trait, but 'reading the room' is practically like breathing.
Seniority, self-sacrifice, and reading the room—these were basic behaviors akin to the Three Sacred Treasures.
For example, 'I have an opinion, but I won't say it.'
When this continues from student days all the way through your career, 'not saying anything' becomes the norm.

Compared to young people who share their thoughts daily on social media, the way we train our 'muscles for expressing ourselves' is fundamentally different.

For the Showa generation, expressing an opinion itself was 'extraordinary.'

1.3 Suppressing your true feelings strips away your confidence

You probably intended 'I'll keep it to myself' as self-defense at first.
But when that continues for years, you start to believe that 'my opinions don't really matter.'
This is the feeling of gradually losing the ability to hear your own voice.

'What was I thinking again?' 'What do I want to do?' Even if you ask yourself, there is no response. It's like an echo in the mountains with no echo.

Not being able to speak your true feelings means you are constantly missing the chance to affirm yourself.
That is an act that slowly erodes your confidence.

2. What does it mean that 'earning power' becomes 'speaking power'?

2.1 Financial security gives confidence to your words

Aren't there people at work who state their opinions confidently?
If you look closely, those people carry an air of 'I can make it even if I'm not here.'

And the true nature of that is 'earning power.'

If you have even a little side income, it creates a buffer that says, 'Maybe I don't have to rely solely on this company.' That buffer strangely gives you composure in your speech.

In other words, you get the feeling that 'it feels okay to say it.'
This is very important.

2.2 The 'power to think' honed in the process of earning

Side jobs basically have 'no correct answer.'
So, you have no choice but to think.

'What is being asked of me?'
'How should I convey this?'
By going through this trial and error, the 'power to think' naturally grows.

And once you develop the habit of thinking for yourself, you become able to judge based on 'your own standards' rather than the faces of others.
In other words, earning money also becomes 'training to regain your own axis.'

2.3 Earning a little, and growing 'trust in yourself' bit by bit

Even if it's just 1,000 yen a month, it's incredibly happy when you earn it with your own power.

I actually had my first paid note sell recently.
I received 300 yen plus a 100 yen tip, totaling 400 yen.
It makes me happier than I imagined.

The feeling of 'being useful to someone' warms your heart just by itself.

Especially for the Showa generation, many have been indoctrinated with 'don't speak unless you get results.'

But side jobs are different.
Your 'now' might be someone else's 'help.'
That experience makes you think, 'It's okay to just be myself.'

3. How the Showa Generation Can Prepare Their Side Hustle Mindset

3.1 You Don't Need Time or Skills. What You Need Is a "Mindset"

When people hear "side hustle," many think, "No way, I can't do that."
Especially for the Showa generation, there's a tendency to think, "I need to prepare properly" or "I have to start in a perfect state."

But in reality, your "mindset" is often more important than skills or time.

For example, writing about a small experience on a blog.
Or summarizing a hobby you used to be obsessed with on note.

If you think of this as "practice for sharing" rather than a side hustle, the hurdle drops significantly.

In other words, the mindset that "you don't have to have everything ready before you start" is incredibly important.

3.2 The Peace of Mind of Having "Another Self" Outside the Company

If your only place is your workplace, you end up relying entirely on those human relationships and evaluations.
Isn't that a bit scary?

For example, feeling like "everything is over" the moment you stop getting along with your boss.

That is precisely why creating another "place for yourself" outside the company will make your mental state much more stable.

A double life like "manager by day, content creator by night" is surprisingly viable.
This isn't running away; it's "diversification."

Because you aren't betting everything on one thing, your heart is less likely to break even if something goes wrong.
In that sense, a side hustle might feel more like a "safety net" than "insurance."

3.3 Small Tips for Starting Safely Without Getting Caught

With side hustles, there's always that anxiety of "what if I get caught?"
Especially for the Showa generation, the atmosphere where side hustles are a no-go is still deeply rooted.
But depending on how you do it, you can significantly reduce the risk.

For example—

Publishing under a pen name
Not showing your face or using your voice
Intentionally delaying the generation of revenue

If you use these kinds of tricks, you can operate anonymously, and the risk of your company finding out can be lowered significantly.

Moreover, it's often easier to show your "true self" when you're anonymous.
It's like being able to write about things you wanted to say but couldn't with peace of mind.

The point is to connect with the outside world little by little while securing a "safe zone."
That is the perfect starting line for a side hustle for the Showa generation.

4. A 3-Step Practical Method for Cultivating Earning Power

4.1 Re-evaluating Your Experiences and Thoughts as "Value"

To get results from a side hustle, the perspective of "will this be useful to someone?" is incredibly important.
Conversely, what is "obvious" to you might be "appreciated" by someone else.

For example—

Small tricks you use when training subordinates
Chatting techniques for keeping the family together
Life lessons learned from failure

Even with stories like these, there is always someone who needs them.
You might think, "Huh, is there any point in writing this?" but they are surprisingly read. And you will be thanked.

Then, you can realize, "I have value that I can offer too."
First, please start by "opening the shelf of experiences inside yourself."

4.2 How to Think About Choosing a Genre Without Failing

With side hustles, there are infinite genres, and honestly, you might get a little lost.
But you don't have to do everything.
The criteria for choosing is simple,

Can I keep doing this?
Are the initial costs low?
Can I leverage my own experience?

Thinking in terms of these three points makes it much easier to choose.

For example, if you don't mind writing, blogs or note are a good fit.
You can write at your own pace, and it becomes an asset.

Conversely, product sales are difficult due to procurement and inventory management, so it's hard to stabilize earnings despite the effort involved.

What's suited for the Showa generation is 'sharing knowledge.'
A form that uses 'what you already have,' such as life experience or work know-how.

If you leverage what you already have, the learning cost remains low.

4.3 Start from 1,000 yen a month! How to build up your earnings

The most important thing in a side hustle is 'not to aim for big results right away.'
If you set goals like '50,000 yen a month' or '100,000 yen a month' from the start, the pressure will stop you in your tracks.
First, a goal of 'earning 1,000 yen a month' is fine.

The flow is like this—

Identify your strengths, experiences, and things you like
Try sharing them (blogs, SNS, note, etc.)
While watching the reactions, turn them into content (PDF materials, online consultations, etc.)

If you cycle through these three steps on a small scale, a 'system for earning' will naturally be created.
And the greatest achievement of all is the success experience of 'I earned this myself.'

This experience gives power to your words.
Your true feelings and your confidence will sprout from here.

5. Reclaiming your 'true self' by earning

5.1 Sharing is a journey to find your own words

There is a path that many people take when doing a side hustle.
That is 'sharing.'
A small blog, a post on social media, an essay on note.

They are all acts of 'conveying yourself to someone else in your own words.'
And this act of sharing is more powerful than you think.

The reason is,
for us in the Showa generation who have become too accustomed to 'not saying things' for many years,
'speaking in your own words' is incredibly precious just by itself.

At first, you won't be able to write well.
You'll probably stop, and think, 'Who would read this?'

But even so, when you put it out there,
a moment will come when you think, 'Oh, this might be my true feeling.'

And when those words reach someone and are 'empathized with,'
you are already halfway to 'self-liberation.'

5.2 Becoming able to judge based on your 'own axis' instead of others

I think many people have spent their lives meeting someone else's expectations.
Bosses, colleagues, seniors, juniors, family, parents, parent friends...

But a side hustle is a slightly different world.
What you do and how you do it are all 'decided by you.'

You think for yourself, act for yourself, and accept the results yourself.

There are no 'expectations of others' here.
That is precisely why your own axis grows.

Of course, you'll be anxious at first.
But once you have the experience of 'trying it yourself and succeeding,' the way you see the world changes.
You start to think, 'Huh? Maybe I'm actually capable.'

This self-trust becomes the foundation for speaking your true feelings.

5.3 It's so easy to live without having to read the room

Try to imagine it for a moment.
'What will they think if I say this...'
'I want to say it, but it'll be a hassle...'
A life where you are always swallowing your words.

That feels like your own outline is gradually fading away.

But as your 'own words,' 'your own power,' and 'your own axis' grow through your side hustle,
that outline becomes clear.
You become able to honestly say, 'This is my opinion.'

Of course, I'm not saying you should suddenly act aggressively.
It's just that realizing 'I don't have to read the room so much' makes things incredibly easy.
When you can trust yourself, you don't have to be on the defensive.

As a result, the time you can be yourself at work and at home increases.

That is 'self-liberation.'
It might sound a bit exaggerated, but this is a change that really takes effect gradually.

6. Summary: First, start small and earn for yourself

So, thank you for sticking with me for so long!
If you've read this far, I think you already feel it to some extent.

'The power to speak up isn't just about training.'

When you become able to earn on your own, you gain confidence little by little,
and that confidence creates the leeway to think, 'It's okay to speak my true feelings.'
When that accumulates, before you know it, you're no longer forcing yourself to read the room at work or at home.

In other words,
'the power to earn individually' = 'the power to speak freely.'

So, if right now,
'I want to become someone who can say more of what I want to say'
'I don't want to end it all by staying silent'
If you're thinking that—

First, try earning a little bit.
1,000 yen a month is fine.

Try writing an article on note, or sharing your own experiences.
That might become your 'first true feeling.'

In the end, the 'problem of not being able to speak your true feelings' is not a skill issue, but a 'lack of peace of mind.'
Peace of mind can be created by yourself.

And the first step to that is 'earning a little.'
You don't have to aim for 100,000 yen a month right away.

First, try delivering something in your own words.
Try testing if you can be useful to someone.

From there, you should be able to experience the feeling of your voice returning.

See you again.

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