INDEX<\/h2>\n
\u30fbThe content of my work hasn\u2019t changed, but I don\u2019t enjoy my job anymore<\/a> Mari Sakuramoto Mrs. Sakuramoto, the creator of the online counseling service \u201ccotree,\u201d was someone who struggled with self-reflection. While looking back on her experiences at that time, she told her story up to the birth of cotree.<\/p>\n Sakuramoto:<\/strong> \u201cI worked as a securities analyst at Goldman Sachs until I started the cotree business. Honestly, I thought it was a vocation at that time. It\u2019s fun to talk with people, to interview for research, or to analyze data. I felt I loved my job.\u201d<\/p>\n A change occurred in Mrs. Sakuramoto after the \u201cLehman Shock\u201d of 2008. The instability in the industry made her feel unstable.<\/p>\n Sakuramoto:<\/strong> \u201cNow, when I think carefully, the days of not sleeping at all are still there. I wasn\u2019t aware at that time, but looking back now, I think the bad atmosphere of the industry due to the \u2018Lehman Shock\u2019 had an impact. When the entire financial industry was in shock, I saw that a lot of my friends were getting laid off. That weighed heavily on my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n Her work didn\u2019t change. However, when Mrs. Sakuramoto saw friends disappear from the industry, she had no hope for the future. The industry as a whole wasn\u2019t rewarding and she couldn\u2019t find value in the work itself.<\/p>\n Sakuramoto:<\/strong> \u201cIn the beginning, I think I felt a strong commitment to the company, but gradually I became unable to love a company that was laying off important colleagues one after another, and I began to think about my attitude toward work. When I was thinking about what I was going to do next, I started learning about mental health. Then, cotree was born.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs. Sakuramoto\u2019s own mental breakdown was an opportunity to think about her future. Although it is not apparent, many Japanese people experience similar mental breakdowns. Thinking about this, she started cotree, a business in the field of mental health, which was still an emerging market.<\/p>\n Sakuramoto: <\/strong>\u201cThere are so many people who are distressed and suffering at work, but there are very few places in Japan where people can find a solution by talking about their problems. I thought that if the market is emerging, I should encourage growth and create a world where anyone can think about mental health. Cotree was born in 2014 based on these thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n Few people reflect on their own work – Mrs. Sakuramoto presents the characteristics of Japanese people. Why do we use the word \u201cJapanese,\u201d which is a large group of 120 million people?<\/p>\n Sakuramoto: <\/strong>\u201cI think it is because Japan, traditionally, has a culture of \u2018adapting to people.\u2019 For a long time in our culture, where it was natural to be collaborative, it has been said that it\u2019s good not to bother others, and it\u2019s bad when you are the only one to disagree.\u201d<\/p>\n The answer chosen by the people around me is my answer. That is the Japanese choice. Many of our values come from such a culture. That\u2019s why many of us are confused now that times are changing. For those who have never \u201cchosen,\u201d the question of how to live in this era is rather torturous.<\/p>\n Sakuramoto:<\/strong> \u201cNow is an era when everyone can freely choose how to work and how to live. That\u2019s why we worry. It was normal until recently for the surrounding opinions to be our own opinions, but now, suddenly, you are asked \u2018how do you want to live?\u2019 We don\u2019t yet know how to find the answer.\u201d<\/p>\n From the beginning, we should be more tolerant in our lives. However, \u201cfreedom,\u201d which sounds like a good word, at first glance, sometimes constricts people.<\/p>\n Mrs. Sakuramoto seems to believe that counseling and coaching can be one way to address this.<\/p>\n Sakuramoto:<\/strong> \u201cSince the year 2000, the number of Japanese people suffering from depression has increased. The lifetime prevalence of depression is 7%. If you have 100 friends, then seven will be depressed at some point in their lives. Depression is neither a special disease, nor an illness that affects you because your mind is weak. Now that it has come to be understood as such, the number of people confronting it is increasing. Beyond that, I feel there is penetration from counseling, coaching, mindfulness, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n The importance and inevitability of facing the topic of \u201chow can we live in a way that is true to ourselves\u201d is becoming widespread, and there are a lot of people who want to have this conversation with themselves. However, they may also be worried about how to engage in self-reflection. Mrs. Sakuramoto says that she wants people to be aware of three points.<\/p>\n Sakuramoto:<\/strong> \u201cPlease pay attention to changes in lifestyle, mood, and physical condition. I don\u2019t think you should be conscious of this all the time. First, one minute a day is fine. If you feel like your \u2018breathing is shallower,\u2019 or your \u2018back hurts\u2019 more than yesterday or than last week, it is an S.O.S. from a disturbed body. In order to catch the S.O.S., you need to cultivate a habit of focusing on your own health.<\/p>\n In particular, there are three signs<\/strong> that tend to appear when the mind is burdened. If you see these signs as you reflect on your daily routine, try to look inward to see if you are stressed,\u201d said Mrs. Sakuramoto.<\/p>\n Sakuramoto:<\/strong> \u201cDecreased ability to think, shallow sleep, and a reluctance to meet people; let\u2019s start by considering these three signs. When these elements appear, it is often because you are stressed. We tend to turn a blind eye to signals from the mind and body. That\u2019s because we don\u2019t want to admit that we are weak, and we don\u2019t think this is a society where we can express suffering. Of course, it\u2019s hard to notice and accept all the signs at the very beginning, but even if it is only little by little, I want to create a culture where it is normal for people to look at themselves and their surroundings, and that this is recognized.\u201d<\/p>\n Mind and body are closely related, as expressed by \u201cboth mind and body!\u201d When your mind is burdened, your body won\u2019t stay well. You should understand this first.<\/p>\n The most important thing is not to lie to yourself. Are you forcing yourself to be strong? Do you pretend not to notice the signs that your mind and body are giving you? What is needed is not just the courage to admit this, but honesty.<\/p>\n When we experience a mental breakdown, we are unconsciously driven by guilt. We may think \u201cit\u2019s because my mind is weak\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t do whatever I please,\u201d which places more load on the mind seeking help, but that\u2019s not what you really need.<\/p>\n Mrs. Sakuramoto said she saw the moment her mind gave some kind of sign as the moment \u201cwhen I needed to change my way of life.\u201d<\/p>\n Sakuramoto:<\/strong> \u201cMany people still regard mental breakdowns as \u2018pampering\u2019 with regard to oneself and others. However, when you feel that your mental condition is not good, that\u2019s the time when you need to change. As the current situation is placing a heavy burden on your mind and body, it must change in a positive direction. Of course, change is sometimes painful. It\u2019s not just an easy choice, but your current situation is raising a voice expressing \u2018pain.\u2019 I really want you to stop ignoring this voice and stop covering up your thoughts, feeling \u2018pain\u2019 and admitting it has nothing to do with pampering. Once you acknowledge this, try to focus on what and how to make changes.\u201d<\/p>\n For example, when there is stress in the work environment, there are many options, such as whether to put up with it, whether to change department, or whether to change job. If you are afraid of change, you will end up choosing to put up with it because transfers and job changes involve anxiety and fear.<\/p>\n However, is that really okay? The mind is giving a clear sign of \u201cwanting to go away.\u201d Of course, all conclusions made after careful thought are correct, but if the final conclusion is to run away from self-reflection, shouldn\u2019t you reconsider?<\/p>\n \u2500\u2500 Why are you feeling \u201cpain\u201d now?<\/p>\n I want you to confront this question seriously. Don\u2019t run away from having a discussion with yourself and others.<\/p>\n Sakuramoto: <\/strong>\u201cIf you have a close friend, a colleague, or a subordinate who is suffering, it is important to become someone that person can talk to. Let\u2019s imagine what the other person thinks and what he\/she feels joy about. For example, each person\u2019s motivation is different. Do they have a strong \u2018authority motivation\u2019 and want to have influence over people? Do they have a strong \u2018achievement motivation\u2019 and want to achieve a goal? Do they have a strong \u2018safety motivation\u2019 and do not want to take risks? Do they have a strong \u2018affinity motivation\u2019 and want to cooperate with people? By simply understanding these motivations, you should have a bird\u2019s-eye view of how you and other people can work without stress. By increasing the resolve of yourself and others, you will be able to feel more comfortable with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n Way of life, lifestyle, way of thinking, way of working \u2026 \u201cDiversification\u201d is discussed in every case. We are now able to choose for ourselves. It may still be difficult, but we can be free by looking into ourselves.<\/p>\n Simple thoughts and feelings are good. Why don\u2019t you listen to your own responses when you ask the question \u201cHow do I want to live?\u201d<\/p>\n \u30fbDue to their cultural background, Japanese people are not used to \u201cself-reflection.\u201d Planning\uff1aYohei Azakami I wonder when people…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1214,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"1211","footnotes":""},"categories":[367],"class_list":["post-1815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interview","tags-mentalhealth","tags-changeinworktyle","features-recommend","en-US"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1815"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1815\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5193,"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1815\/revisions\/5193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtech.mec.co.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\u30fbWhy do we struggle with self-reflection?<\/a>
\n\u30fbFirst, let\u2019s take the time to address our mental state on a daily basis<\/a>
\n\u30fbLet\u2019s accept the fact that your mind is seeking change, then take action<\/a>
\n\u30fbTakeaway<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/d1ro80vdse4hgc.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/31151126\/IMG_0079-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nAfter graduating from Kyoto University, Mari joined Morgan Stanley Securities. Later, after working for Goldman Sachs Securities, she founded cotree Co., Ltd. Currently, she operates the \u201ccotree\u201d online counseling service.<\/small><\/p>\nThe content of my work hasn\u2019t changed, but I don\u2019t enjoy my job anymore<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/d1ro80vdse4hgc.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/31151136\/IMG_9942-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhy do we struggle with self-reflection?<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/d1ro80vdse4hgc.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/31151107\/IMG_0011-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFirst, let\u2019s take the time to address our mental state on a daily basis.<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/d1ro80vdse4hgc.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/31151146\/IMG_9980-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLet\u2019s accept the fact that your mind is seeking change, then take action<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/d1ro80vdse4hgc.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/31151516\/IMG_9992-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway<\/h2>\n
\n\u30fbFirst, reflect on the three elements of lifestyle, mood changes, and changes in physical condition.
\n\u30fbEven just one minute a day is effective in creating the habit of making time to have a conversation with yourself.
\n\u30fbSome change is necessary when a mental breakdown occurs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEditing\uff1aBrightLogg,inc.
\nWriting\uff1aShino Suzuki
\nPhotography\uff1aNobuhiro Toya<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"