Hi, everyone, Carlie Taylor here for this week's Mojo Monday. And before I start, I just wanted to say I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and looking forward to the new year. And I guess this episode is relevant to heading into twenty twenty five when we are looking with anticipation to the year ahead and a lot of people setting intentions and well what we traditionally call resolutions. But I've actually been reading a book by doctor Brian Ogawa, who is an expert in Japanese psychology or in Marita therapy, and it's called A River to Live By, Twelve Principles of Marita Therapy, and it's given me some very powerful insights that I would love to share with you today. And as we do approach the new year, there's certainly no shortage of podcasts and conversations about reflecting on the past and setting goals for twenty twenty five. And while these practices are undoubtedly valuable, we are certainly doing that as a family.

Hi, everyone, Carlie Taylor here for this week's Mojo Monday. And before I start, I just wanted to say I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and looking forward to the new year. And I guess this episode is relevant to heading into twenty twenty five when we are looking with anticipation to the year ahead and a lot of people setting intentions and well what we traditionally call resolutions. But I've actually been reading a book by doctor Brian Ogawa, who is an expert in Japanese psychology or in Marita therapy, and it's called A River to Live By, Twelve Principles of Marita Therapy, and it's given me some very powerful insights that I would love to share with you today. And as we do approach the new year, there's certainly no shortage of podcasts and conversations about reflecting on the past and setting goals for twenty twenty five. And while these practices are undoubtedly valuable, we are certainly doing that as a family.

We do that every year together.

We do that every year together.

We reflect on our achievements, the things we're most proud of for the previous year, and then we look at our intentions and set some goals for the year ahead, and that there also is an equally important perspective on heading into the new year, and that is about accepting where we are right now and living fully in the present moment. And this idea stems from one of the key principles in Marita therapy and also in Buddhism, recognizing that all we truly have is in the here and now. Life unfolds in moments, and if we don't fully embrace an except where we are, we risk falling into that tyranny of the shoulds and the coulds, that endless loop of wishing things were different or dwelling on what could have been. It drains what Marita refers to as say no yukobel, which is our life energy. It's that fuel that drives us to live well because we all want to live well and we all want to have meaningful connections, and also we innately want to find safety and purpose in our lives, and of course being motivated to.

We reflect on our achievements, the things we're most proud of for the previous year, and then we look at our intentions and set some goals for the year ahead, and that there also is an equally important perspective on heading into the new year, and that is about accepting where we are right now and living fully in the present moment. And this idea stems from one of the key principles in Marita therapy and also in Buddhism, recognizing that all we truly have is in the here and now. Life unfolds in moments, and if we don't fully embrace an except where we are, we risk falling into that tyranny of the shoulds and the coulds, that endless loop of wishing things were different or dwelling on what could have been. It drains what Marita refers to as say no yukobel, which is our life energy. It's that fuel that drives us to live well because we all want to live well and we all want to have meaningful connections, and also we innately want to find safety and purpose in our lives, and of course being motivated to.

Grow and improve is super important.

Grow and improve is super important.

Setting goals can inspire, hope and push us forward. And the thing is this is really crucial. There must be a balance if we become overly focused on future outcomes like losing weight or getting a.

Setting goals can inspire, hope and push us forward. And the thing is this is really crucial. There must be a balance if we become overly focused on future outcomes like losing weight or getting a.

Degree, which is what I'm trying to do at the moment, or.

Degree, which is what I'm trying to do at the moment, or.

Finding a partner, undermining who we are right now. Respecting who you are in this moment must take precedence over what you're striving to become. When we're too focused on the future, we miss the empowerment that comes from the choices and actions that we take today. So living fully now isn't just about mindfulness. And we've all heard of mindfulness and there's so much science behind it now, but it's also about honoring the value and the dignity of your current self while still holding that space for growth and aspiration. So as you do reflect on the year that's passed and then look ahead to twenty twenty five to set your goals, set your intentions, I encourage you to embrace this dual mindset. So set those goals, yes, but don't let them overshadow the importance of being present and accepting your self as you are. You know, this balance between striving and accepting is what empowers us to live a rich and full life. And in the book, Agawa references a nineteen ninety eight Japanese film called After Life and I really love this concept and wanted to share it with you. So in the movie, people have passed away and they arrive at an office where there's this case worker, and the case worker asks them to choose one single meaningful life moment, and this moment is then recreated on film, and then they get to carry that memory into eternity. And alternatively, they can opt to raise all memories, losing both the joy and the pain that came with their lives. So at first, many of the deceased recall moments of excitement or pleasure, or of course they went into that negative bias of all the things that went in their life. But as they reflected more deeply, the memories that they chose were often the simplest yet most meaningful. So for example, a warm hug between a mother and a child, giving away a daughter at a wedding, or a quiet conversation on a park bench. So think about it, what moment in your life would you choose to take with you. So when I reflected on this, a memory popped into my head, and it was my mother and I laughing together in the kitchen when I was a teenager. And I have like this beautiful visual memory of this, we laughed so hard that we actually cried, and I don't even remember what we were laughing about, but that connection that we shared in that moment, it just has stayed with me forever. And another cherish memory that I have is walking with my son so Oscar during that challenging period when he wasn't well.

Finding a partner, undermining who we are right now. Respecting who you are in this moment must take precedence over what you're striving to become. When we're too focused on the future, we miss the empowerment that comes from the choices and actions that we take today. So living fully now isn't just about mindfulness. And we've all heard of mindfulness and there's so much science behind it now, but it's also about honoring the value and the dignity of your current self while still holding that space for growth and aspiration. So as you do reflect on the year that's passed and then look ahead to twenty twenty five to set your goals, set your intentions, I encourage you to embrace this dual mindset. So set those goals, yes, but don't let them overshadow the importance of being present and accepting your self as you are. You know, this balance between striving and accepting is what empowers us to live a rich and full life. And in the book, Agawa references a nineteen ninety eight Japanese film called After Life and I really love this concept and wanted to share it with you. So in the movie, people have passed away and they arrive at an office where there's this case worker, and the case worker asks them to choose one single meaningful life moment, and this moment is then recreated on film, and then they get to carry that memory into eternity. And alternatively, they can opt to raise all memories, losing both the joy and the pain that came with their lives. So at first, many of the deceased recall moments of excitement or pleasure, or of course they went into that negative bias of all the things that went in their life. But as they reflected more deeply, the memories that they chose were often the simplest yet most meaningful. So for example, a warm hug between a mother and a child, giving away a daughter at a wedding, or a quiet conversation on a park bench. So think about it, what moment in your life would you choose to take with you. So when I reflected on this, a memory popped into my head, and it was my mother and I laughing together in the kitchen when I was a teenager. And I have like this beautiful visual memory of this, we laughed so hard that we actually cried, and I don't even remember what we were laughing about, but that connection that we shared in that moment, it just has stayed with me forever. And another cherish memory that I have is walking with my son so Oscar during that challenging period when he wasn't well.

We would go for a lot of walks.

We would go for a lot of walks.

And we would talk and it was these moments of connection, and they are certainly ones that I am going to cherish forever. So have a think about what moments you would choose, because you might find that they're not the big things, they're not the big successes. Maybe they are, but the real meaningful moments come with often the simplest of moments. And that's why it is so important that we do live in the here and now, because if we are constantly looking to the future or dwelling on the past, we can miss these beautiful moments that happen right in front of us. And these memories that were in the film and the memories that came up for me, they are a reminder of the important of living in the moment rather than living for the moment. So living for the moment often leads to more impulsive or reckless behavior that lacks that deeper meaning. It's almost like, oh, well tomorrow, it doesn't matter. But living in the moment allows us to be fully present, finding purpose and connection even in the most mundane stuff. So Agawa emphasizes that the past and the future do matter, and of course they do matter, but their meaning comes from the present. The past can lose its grip on us when we shift our perspective, and the future is built by the moments in the here and now. So, as Marita said, every day is a new day, and our control over how we live exists only right now. And to experience your own life force, which is what Marita referred to as that say no you, Cobol invite you to pause for a moment. So stand tall with your arms by your sides, palms facing out, and feet hip with the part. This is tanasana or mountain pose in yoga. It's one of my favorite poses. And just notice your breath. Notice the cool inhale and the warm exhale. Now notice your heart beating. Your heartbeat is a reminder that you are alive and grounded in the present moment. This is tapping into your life energy, and your breath is the best way to tap into this because it's always there. We have these monkey minds that are going here, there and everywhere, but our breath is always steady, it's consistent, and it's reliable. All you have to do is just notice it, and that is a way we can then ground ourselves into the present moment. So doctor Ogawa writes, we are not meant to be demure wallflowers waiting only for sunrise moments to choreograph our life spirit. So this new year sets your intentions and goals, but balance them with living fully in each moment, because that's where life truly happens. So I wish you all a happy new year everyone, and I will catch you in twenty twenty five.

And we would talk and it was these moments of connection, and they are certainly ones that I am going to cherish forever. So have a think about what moments you would choose, because you might find that they're not the big things, they're not the big successes. Maybe they are, but the real meaningful moments come with often the simplest of moments. And that's why it is so important that we do live in the here and now, because if we are constantly looking to the future or dwelling on the past, we can miss these beautiful moments that happen right in front of us. And these memories that were in the film and the memories that came up for me, they are a reminder of the important of living in the moment rather than living for the moment. So living for the moment often leads to more impulsive or reckless behavior that lacks that deeper meaning. It's almost like, oh, well tomorrow, it doesn't matter. But living in the moment allows us to be fully present, finding purpose and connection even in the most mundane stuff. So Agawa emphasizes that the past and the future do matter, and of course they do matter, but their meaning comes from the present. The past can lose its grip on us when we shift our perspective, and the future is built by the moments in the here and now. So, as Marita said, every day is a new day, and our control over how we live exists only right now. And to experience your own life force, which is what Marita referred to as that say no you, Cobol invite you to pause for a moment. So stand tall with your arms by your sides, palms facing out, and feet hip with the part. This is tanasana or mountain pose in yoga. It's one of my favorite poses. And just notice your breath. Notice the cool inhale and the warm exhale. Now notice your heart beating. Your heartbeat is a reminder that you are alive and grounded in the present moment. This is tapping into your life energy, and your breath is the best way to tap into this because it's always there. We have these monkey minds that are going here, there and everywhere, but our breath is always steady, it's consistent, and it's reliable. All you have to do is just notice it, and that is a way we can then ground ourselves into the present moment. So doctor Ogawa writes, we are not meant to be demure wallflowers waiting only for sunrise moments to choreograph our life spirit. So this new year sets your intentions and goals, but balance them with living fully in each moment, because that's where life truly happens. So I wish you all a happy new year everyone, and I will catch you in twenty twenty five.

See you

See you