Episode 13

10 Lessons from My Personal Life
40 Lessons from 40 Years of Life (Part 1)

with Risa Kawamoto

Welcome to the another episode of the Journey Podcast!

In this episode, I’m sharing the first 10 lessons I’ve learned in my 40 year journey, to celebrate turning 40 this year!

I’m breaking down my lessons into a 4-part series and in this episode I will be covering the lessons I learned from my personal life. The next 3 episodes will cover lessons I learned from my corporate career, Yoga as a student and teacher, and starting and building my own business.

10 lessons from my personal life:

1. Freedom comes with responsibility

I went to Summerhill School in the UK, an alternative school where lessons are non-compulsory, both adults and children have equal status and children are encouraged to learn to make their own decisions and take responsibility for their actions. I learned from a young age to make my own decisions and take responsibility for my own actions, which really served me well in my adult life.

2. My stubbornness is a gift

I have always been passionate about equality from a young age. Over the years I realised that stubbornness can be a gift and this has led to my passion for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion work. My stubbornness has driven my career and business and helped me pursue my Yoga, Ayurveda, and coaching business whilst navigating through challenges and rejections. Thanks to my stubbornness, I continue to commit to creating positive change, disrupting societal norms, and making the world a healthier, happier, and fairer place.

3. Answers come from within

I used to seek external guidance for challenges in my career, relationships, and business, wanting others to tell me what the right thing to do. However, I’ve always known that deep down that all the answers I’m seeking are already within me. I am also passionate about encouraging others to reflect and think deeper and help them find their own answers.

4. Creating positive ripple effects in everything I do

I came across the Vedic philosophy teaching of karma when I started learning more about Yoga. Vedic philosophy teaches us that everything we do has certain consequences and results that can either be beneficial or harmful or positive or negative or even a mix of both. I now ask myself this question all the time “What positive report effect do I want to create with my action I’m taking right now?”.

5. Learning to be ok, just to be me

As a Japanese born woman living in the UK, I’ve often felt like an outsider in both countries, and struggled to fit in. Throughout my twenties and thirties I mimicked behaviours to fit into professional and social expectations, leading to physical and mental health issues like eczema, depression, and burnout. Rediscovering my true-self through Yoga has helped me embrace my authentic true-self and confidently express my views and opinions.

6. Learning to accept my family

Being sent away to boarding school in the UK at the age of nine, I felt anger and resentment towards my parents for many years. This led to depression, smoking, and drinking during my teens and in my young adulthood. However, I’ve come to understand that my parents acted with the best intentions, seeking a different education for me. I’ve accepted that I can’t change them and recognise their unique way of caring.

7. Putting myself first

The pandemic highlighted the importance of self-care. Working from home allowed me more time for Yoga and self-care. My experience of managing a small team also made me realise the need to care for myself before taking care of others. My yoga and self-care practices have helped me regulate my nervous system and my emotions and prioritising my self-care is now a core principle in my life.

8. Acknowledging my privileges

Growing up, my mum often reminded me of my privileges, but it’s easy to focus on personal struggles, and for me that is being an immigrant, a woman of color, and my lack of formal education. Recently, I took Conscious Marketing training with Tristan Kaz, who introduced me to the concept of social location, highlighting how certain identities provide proximity to power. This made me realise that I hold privileges as a cisgender, heterosexual woman with a smaller body. This was a powerful realisation for me, and I am now committed to acknowledge and share my privileges more.

9. Sharing my struggles

I find a sense of healing through expressing my challenges in words, whether through writing or conversation. Also the positive feedback I’ve received from others for being open and transparent about my journey made me realise the importance of sharing struggles and I’m committed to continuing this openness and transparency on my journey.

10. My scoliosis is a blessing

Despite causing chronic pain and insecurity about my body, I’ve come to accept my scoliosis as a blessing. My scoliosis serves as a reminder to slow down and listen to my body, and to prioritise rest and self-care. My scoliosis also led me to begin my Yoga journey, which has helped me relieve tension and bring balance to my body. Through yoga philosophy, I’ve learned self-acceptance and self-compassion, ultimately appreciating my body and its power to heal.

If you enjoyed this episode or it inspired you in some way, please rate and leave a review so we can reach as many people as possible.Take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories and tag me @risa_kawamoto or share on your LinkedIn and tag me there!

Thank you for listening!

If you are an introverted aspiring leader and wanting to discover your authentic voice, reconnect with your inner-wisdom and lead authentically but you feel like you need some support and guidance, I invite you to check out my 1:1 Somatic Coaching Programme and schedule a 30 minute connection call.