All posts by Andrea Jacques

  • Discover your four passions

    In a previous article on reinventing yourself, I mentioned four key Passions you must discover to recalibrate your internal compass and ensure that your next incarnation is more aligned with your authentic self. Here, in more detail,...

    • Posted March 9, 2023
    • 0
  • Why New Year’s resolutions fail.

    The majority of New Year’s resolutions fail for the same reason that so many businesses do – because people let their strategy limit their vision. Here’s a simple example. Jeremy determines what he will do for his...

    • Posted November 27, 2019
    • 0
  • Being An Authentic Mom Despite the Madness of Motherhood

    Motherhood is hard. Yes, it has its rewards. But especially in today’s economy where making ends meet requires both parents to be working outside the home, the recognition of exactly how much work it is to be...

    • Posted October 22, 2018
    • 0
  • The Tao of Deciding

    First of all, full disclosure: I am a lover of alliteration, not an expert in Taoism. As a coach and facilitator, however, I am an expert in supporting people and teams to make better decisions and take...

    • Posted August 23, 2018
    • 0
  • Apply these principles in your life and make things better

      This past year I took on a new role as the Chair of the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) at my son’s school – a large public school in downtown Vancouver, Canada. It has been incredibly rewarding...

    • Posted July 15, 2018
    • 0
  • Together We Shine

    Closing the gender gap is more than just a moral imperative to benefit women, it’s an economic one that benefits everyone. As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated in his 2014 keynote speech at the World Economic Forum...

    • Posted May 23, 2018
    • 0
  • Changing the “WHY” you work

    In the same way that junk food isn’t a healthy way to satisfy your body’s cravings, it can damage your long-term well-being to attempt to resolve career cravings with solutions that don’t address their root cause. Last...

    • Posted April 19, 2018
    • 0
  • Taming Your Career Cravings

    Most spouses of expats living in Japan have left behind successful careers to experience the opportunity of living overseas. It’s possible that something was missing in your last career and you welcomed the opportunity to leave and...

    • Posted March 19, 2018
    • 0
  • A Brave New Year

    I belong to a women’s group that has been meeting monthly for over 15 years. We don’t have cocktails, or trade recipes, we drink tea and listen deeply to each others’ joys and struggles. In a world...

    • Posted January 7, 2018
    • 0
  • Perfecting Perseverance

    Willpower, in the form of “ganbare” is so woven into the fabric of Japanese life that it is difficult to navigate a day in Japan without hearing this term. Ganbaru or ganbatte means “give it your best”...

    • Posted October 18, 2017
    • 0
  • Time to Thrive Part 3: Staying on Track

    If you’ve followed the advice in parts one and two of this series, you’ve picked your focus, made a proper plan and started executing it. Despite this focus and organization, however, you’re eventually going to run into...

    • Posted October 4, 2017
    • 0
  • Ikigai and aging well

    Japan, along with many other countries in the developed world is experiencing a marked increase in the percentage of its population that is over fifty. With this changing demographic comes an increased interest regarding what it takes...

    • Posted September 2, 2017
    • 0
  • Time to Thrive Part 2: The Planning Paradox

    You’re smart, successful and ambitious. You work hard. You’re obsessed with being productive. So why do you always find yourself wondering where the time goes and if you’re really making progress? Last month, I introduced the first...

    • Posted August 15, 2017
    • 0
  • TIME TO THRIVE: Getting more life for your time.

    TIME is your most precious resource. Even more precious than money. You can save money to use in the future, you can invest it and it will grow, and you can get a second job or start...

    • Posted July 15, 2017
    • 0
  • Too Damn Busy: Why you are and how to stop.

    Here’s a statement about my life – and probably yours. The day I started writing this article, I got stuck in our elevator for 30 minutes – and enjoyed it! Somewhere in a day that was jam-packed...

    • Posted May 12, 2017
    • 0
  • New beginnings part 2: Barriers to a brighter future

    Making the move to a new and better stage of your life and career without getting overwhelmed by the inevitable challenges and uncertainty the process it involves, is a challenge. Last month I wrote about the importance...

    • Posted April 12, 2017
    • 0
  • New Beginnings Part 1: KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE

    For most foreigners living in Japan, the time to leave eventually comes. Whether leaving out of desire or necessity, this transition can be fraught with stress. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be. I’ll...

    • Posted February 15, 2017
    • 0
  • Have You Found Your Calling?

    Vocation/ Calling: Vocation and calling are often used interchangeably because they have similar definitions. Vocation is defined as a strong desire to spend your life doing a certain kind of work and calling as a strong inner...

    • Posted January 12, 2017
    • 0
  • Create more meaning, fulfillment and impact in your work

    While holidays are a time most people look forward to because they can forget about work, being away from work provides a great opportunity to gain some perspective on it and develop strategies to make it more...

    • Posted December 22, 2016
    • 0
  • The Rise of the Portfolio Career

    Do you have a job but dream of building a career? You might be out of luck. Why? The traditional definition of what constitutes a career is becoming obsolete. Consider the following definitions of career: 1) a...

    • Posted November 14, 2016
    • 0
  • The meaning of work: OCCUPATION

    How the words you use when thinking and talking about work influence your performance and fulfillment. Occupation: Defined as an activity that a person spends time doing, people who see work as an occupation tend to neither...

    • Posted October 26, 2016
    • 0
  • Saving your business without selling your soul

    A few years back I spent most of August on a self-styled writing retreat at a gorgeous house overlooking the ocean on Vancouver Island. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful or inspirational place to write....

    • Posted June 16, 2016
    • 0
  • Success by Accident: The Kintsugi Path to Soulful Success (part 2)

    Last month you learned three of the three keys to which artist and entrepreneur Morty Bachar his ability to go from pottery beginner to building 23 successful pottery teaching studios across the country and growing Lakesidepottery.com to...

    • Posted April 10, 2016
    • 0
  • Success by Accident – The Kintsugi Path to a Fulfilling Life

    On January 29th, I published my first book, Wabi-Sabi Wisdom: Inspiration for an Authentic Life. In brainstorming ideas for the cover image, my husband recommended the idea of using a photo of kintsugi, the Japanese art of...

    • Posted March 12, 2016
    • 0
  • WA

      “Wa” is a concept integral to understanding the roots of Japanese culture. Most often translated as “harmony”, the practice of wa in Japanese society involves maintaining peace, unity and conformity within the group. On many levels,...

    • Posted February 23, 2016
    • 0
  • The 8th Mindset of Workplace Transformation: Motivation vs. Inspiration

    The eighth (and final!) mindset of workplace transformation addresses where people derive the energy and impetus for action from. At this time of year this mindset is relevant even if you are not a leader as it...

    • Posted January 10, 2016
    • 0
  • Transforming Work Part 7: TIRED vs GOOD TIRED

    How do you maximize performance? Great leaders and the most successful and valued employees understand that high performance cannot be achieved or sustained without nurturing fulfillment. The seventh mindset of workplace transformation centers on shifting your focus...

    • Posted December 10, 2015
    • 0
  • Transforming work Part 6: Transforming the Tyranny of ‘To Do’

    Ever had a day, a week, or even a year where you’re troubled by the nagging sense that you haven’t been truly productive, despite being incredibly busy? You are not alone. Whether you work for yourself or...

    • Posted November 20, 2015
    • 0
  • Transforming Work Part 5 – Slowing Down to Speed Up

    Are you the kind of leader who is always putting pressure on your team (and yourself) to get things done faster? Research shows that this management methodology is counterproductive. Contrary to the deadline “rush” that is commonly...

    • Posted September 11, 2015
    • 0
  • Transforming Work Part 4: Purpose Over Profit

    (This is the 4th article in a series                                                                                                                                                        on the mindsets of  workplace transformation.                                                                                                                         Click to go to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)  The fourth mindset shift is one that leaders and employees at all levels desire, but have trouble sustaining – the shift from a...

    • Posted August 14, 2015
    • 0