Category Archives: Creative Writing

What are your supernatural experiences? Here’s one of ours. Happy Halloween! 👻


What are your supernatural experiences? Here's one of ours.

Do you believe in ghosts? I do. Here’s one of my experiences while I was a student government leader at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

What are your supernatural experiences? Here’s one of ours. 👻

While I was serving as Vice President (“VP”) of the student body at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Associated Students of the University of Hawaii or ASUH), my friend, a fellow ASUH Senator and I would often study at our student government office where ghostly things would occur at night. 💀

One evening, I was studying for the LSAT in my ASUH VP office. On the left corner of my desk, I had a glass centerpiece from an ASUH banquet. On the centerpiece were two small fake flowers, one green and one white. Strangely, the two flowers had somehow moved next to my right hand. I placed the flowers back behind the tightly tied bow on my centerpiece. I went back to my studying. Some moments later, I noticed the flowers by my right hand again. They were perfectly paired together like the last time and at the same part of my desk. 😱

I told my friend who was working in the main office. We decided to wrap a lot of tape around my centerpiece, securing the two small flowers against the glass. Someone would have to peel layers of tape to free the flowers. We laughed and closed the door of my office. Being that I was a little freaked out, I chose to study in the main office with my friend. After some time had passed, my friend and I decided to check on my centerpiece. We opened the door of my office and turned on its lights. The white flower was missing from my centerpiece. We looked all over my office but couldn’t find it. Just as I was about to sit on my chair, staring at me was the white flower, lying perfectly in the middle of my seat. Happy Halloween! Aloha, Jon 😳

Positive Masters is an online store at www.positivemasters.com that provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more! 👕👚🛍️

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I seek loneliness to protect me.


I seek loneliness to protect me.⁠ This is a poem about wanting inner peace from judgment and attacks. When your work puts you out in the public, you will get judged, attacked, and punished harsher than if you are quiet and anonymous.

I seek loneliness to protect me.⁠ This is a poem about wanting inner peace from judgment and attacks. When your work puts you out in the public, you will get judged, attacked, and punished harsher than if you are quiet and anonymous.

I seek loneliness to protect me.⁠

Hiding my dreams from my enemies.⁠

If I have nothing, then why would anyone attack me for nothing?⁠

Little by little, I make my imagination real.⁠

In time, you can touch it. ⁠

Then, you can tell me how it makes you feel.⁠

– Positive Masters, Jon Riki Karamatsu, Poem, 10/25/2019 -⁠

This is a poem about wanting inner peace from judgment and attacks. When your work puts you out in the public, you will get judged, attacked, and punished harsher than if you are quiet and anonymous.  I dedicate this poem to all of you going through your challenges. Keep going my friends! 😊❤️

Positive Masters is an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com that provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more! 👕👚🛍️

 

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5 Benefits of reading fiction! 📚📖⁠


There are many benefits of reading fictions such as expanding your imagination, motivating you to be the hero in your life, increasing your empathy, learning different styles of writing, and reducing your stress.

Besides this list, there are many more benefits of reading fiction. These benefits are some that have been beneficial for me. I hope they helpful for you as well!

5 Benefits of reading fiction: 📚📖⁠

(1) Fiction expands your imagination. You visualize the characters & scenes. 😃⁠

(2) Fiction motivates you to be the hero in your life. In most novels, the protagonist faces obstacles to become a hero. Win or lose, you respect the protagonist for his/her tremendous efforts. Likewise, you can do the same in your journey. 👊⁠⁠

(3) Fiction helps you empathize for others. When you read fiction, you empathize for the characters undergoing hardship, an important quality to have in your life and career. ❤️⁠

(4) Through fiction, you learn different styles of writing that aren’t usually shown in nonfiction books. 🖋️⁠

(5) Fiction reduces your stress by taking you into other worlds and into the lives of unique characters. 😊⁠

Positive Masters is an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com that provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more! 👕👚🛍️⁠

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Focus on what I’ll create!


Focus on what Ill create!

Here’s a poem to motivate you to go after your dreams by writing your small goals down in your calendar, notebook, and/or apps!

I grab my pen and design my next day.

It’s a game, so I play.

Scratch out all the hate.

Focus on what I’ll create.

– Positive Masters, Poem, 9/28/2019 – 😊

Positive Masters is an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more! 👕🧢

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It’s too late. Where I’m going, you have to die.


I wrote this poem for Positive Masters at http://www.positivemasters.com & @positivemasters ✒

Repost @positivemasters
• • • • • •
I met a girl at a coffee shop.

We fell in love. Then we fought.

She thought I lied about being alive.

I cried, “Let’s still try. We can still thrive.”

She replied, “It’s too late. Where I’m going, you have to die.”

– Positive Masters, Jon Riki Karamatsu, Poem, 10/4/2019 –

I based this poem on my unpublished first novel, a paranormal, suspense and romance story that I worked on from October 2006 to January 2014. 📖

Positive Masters is an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more! ❤

 

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Dream Cloud Mantra Unisex T-Shirts!


Our Dream Cloud Mantra Unisex T-Shirt will motivate you to work hard every day to achieve your small wins so that you can someday reach your dreams!

Our Dream Cloud Mantra Unisex T-Shirts represent your hustle every day to achieve your small wins in hope of one day reaching your dreams! Keep going!

If you have a dream of who you want to be and what you want to do, you have to put in the effort daily. Over time, all your small wins will add up, and who knows, some years down the road, you’ll be living it!

Our Dream Cloud Mantra Unisex T-Shirts represent your efforts to create your dreams. These shirts are soft and lightweight, with the right amount of stretch. The following are further details of our shirts: 100% combed and ring-spun cotton (heather colors contain polyester); Fabric weight: 4.2 oz (142 g/m2); Shoulder-to-shoulder taping; and Side-seamed.

Positive Masters is an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!

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Part 3 of 3: Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation.


Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation. It's a super power that will expand your gratitude .

Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation. It’s a super power that will expand your gratitude power, another super power, making your positive lifestyle even stronger.

Part 3 of 3: Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation.

From the middle, you can see the connection between dark and light because from the middle, you can see everything, dark, light, and all the shades in-between. If you can see the light when you’re in darkness, even a glimmer, then you can be grateful in your darkest moments.

In fact, the more you practice being in the middle, you’ll be able to expand your gratitude practice because you can always see the good (light) in all your bad (dark) situations. This is definitely a super power to have! Here are my 10 examples of how suffering can expand your gratitude practice despite a challenging experience:

1. When a loved one dies, you’re grateful for the time you had with that person.
2. When your romantic relationship falls apart, you’re grateful to have had the opportunity to experience romance.
3. When you fail at a goal, you’re grateful for the lessons you learned from the failure.
4. When you face financial hardship, you’re grateful for every little thing you have that helps you get by.
5. When you provide value for others but get attacked by opposition or critics, you’re grateful for your ability to create value for others and evolve.
6. When facts in litigation aren’t believed by the trier of fact where you face fines, jail, and/or unfavorable rulings you’re grateful that you had the opportunity to tell what happened.
7. When you can no longer drive a vehicle, you’re grateful for public transportation and private sector transportation programs.
8. When your health declines, you’re grateful for still being alive and having what abilities you still have.
9. When you’re wronged by people, you’re grateful for all the positive people in your life.
10. When your life appears to be in turmoil, you’re grateful that you were born to even have a shot at life.

Positive Masters is an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!

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Focus on what you can control! Don’t let your anxiety control you.


Focus on what you can control! Don't let your anxiety control you.

Focus on what you can control! Don’t let your anxiety control you.

As soon as you wake up, express your gratitude for all the good things in your life and do a 5 to 10-minute meditation if you have time. Freshen up, listen to uplifting music, and have a nice breakfast. Avoid your phone and computer until you’re charged up with positive energy because there may be messages and emails in your devices that will raise your cortisol and stress you out before you even had a chance to mentally prepare yourself for your day. It’s like preparing yourself for a match in sports, you want to be mentally ready!

Then when you address your challenges for the day, attack the tasks that you can control. Understand the problems that you can’t control but push them to the side so you can achieve your wins for the day.

[I wrote this post for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!]

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Part 2 of 3: Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation.


Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation.

The middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation.

Part 2 of 3: Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation.

From the middle, you can see the connection between dark and light because from the middle, you can see everything, dark, light, and all the shades in-between. Darkness won’t consume you because you’ve trained yourself to see the light, even if it’s only a speck, which will make you appreciative of your life in your darkest moments. Nor will you be blinded by light and overlook the darkness hidden beneath it all so you’ll be ready for any negativity that could emerge.

In Part 1, we talked about how we humans are prone to judging others. We can also be very judgmental on our experiences, labeling them as either bad (dark) or good (light). When you experience suffering, you may feel tempted to label it as darkness, which may cause you stress, anxiety, frustration, sadness and/or anger, all negative emotions that pushes aside your happiness and negatively impacts everyone you interact with. From the middle, you’ll be able to see the light in even the most darkest of situations because you’ll be able to recognize the good that came out of a bad situation.

For example, when you fail at something, you’ll be able see the lesson in that failure, a lesson that will make you grow only if you embrace it. You’re able to use that failure as a huge motivator in your self-improvement process. 

When someone you love passes away, you’re able to be grateful for all the experiences you shared with that person. You know that your loved one would want you to be happy and that he or she would be so sad to see you suffering over his or her death. 

So live in the middle to always see the positive in every bad experience. You’ll also be prepared for anything bad that may arise from what you thought was a great situation.

[I wrote this article for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!]

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Part 1 of 3: Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation.


Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation.

Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation.

Part 1 of 3: Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the light in every dark situation. 😊

Live the middle way. From the middle, you can see the connection between dark and light because from the middle, you can see everything, dark, light, and all the shades in-between. If you can see the light when you’re in darkness, even a glimmer of light, then you can be grateful in your darkest moments. 🌅

We humans are prone to judging others and our experiences. We label people and our experiences as either bad (dark) or good (light). From the middle, you don’t jump to a conclusion that someone is either dark or light, bad or good. From the middle, you don’t jump to a conclusion that an experience is dark or light, bad or good. 🌄

When a person lashes his or her anger at you, you’re tempted to label that person as a dark person. When you’re in the middle, you’ll see the light in even the most hateful person. You go deeper and have empathy for that person who may have suffered deeply at the hands of others. 🙏

For my career, my worst experience was working in a courtroom with an elder judge who was often grumpy and giving tantrums. I was so broken down by this man that my close friend Brandon took me to the beach in the middle of my workday to lift my spirit up. Being in the Vietnam War was his backstory. There was probably more to his story. He would break the law and give leniency to veterans of war. He was always kind towards beautiful women. In contrast, he would slam the book at ordinary citizens, even sending a kid to prison for a number of days for racing his car on a street. Instead of hating the judge like some of the other attorneys, staff, and citizens attending the hearings, I did my best to look deeper to see how he may have suffered emotionally from the war or maybe even by the way his parents raised him. By doing this, I could wish the judge happiness. ❤

[I wrote this article for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!]

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Be sure to know how far you’re willing to downgrade your lifestyle in exchange for your dreams before you take on any of your goals that places a risk on your finances.


Be sure to know how far you're willing downgrade your lifestyle in exchange for your dreams before you take on any of your goals that places a risk on your finances.

Be sure to know how far you’re willing downgrade your lifestyle in exchange for your dreams before you take on any of your goals that places a risk on your finances.

Here’s our Master 5 Sticker! Other characters in our Positive Masters universe also have stickers available at http://www.positivemasters.com !! 😃

Master 5 is the master of financial peace. Master 5 says, “Everyone has different thresholds for dealing with financial risk. Be sure to know how far you’re willing downgrade your lifestyle in exchange for your dreams before you take on any of your goals that places a risk on your finances. Have enough reserves to handle the risk and a back-up plan just in case your project takes longer than expected to make returns on your investment of capital and/or sweat equity.” 🤔

For many of us, finances can be stressful. For me, I’ve burned my retirement funds twice, once for my political career, and again for my businesses ventures. For me, I would rather put my money in my career and education that makes me grow more well-rounded instead of buying a new car that depreciates. I buy things that I need or motivates me to improve myself. Here’s one of a number of examples of sacrifices I chose to take a chance on for my dream projects. Hawaii has been super hot and humid, and unfortunately, my air conditioner in my bedroom broke down early this year. “Ah, darn, I’ll sleep on the floor of my office since I have an air conditioner there.” Well that broke down yesterday, so now I’m sleeping back in my bedroom with two fans blowing and with my windows shut because the traffic is so loud near my place. 📚🎬👕🛫

[I wrote this article for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!] ❤

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Exercise your mind daily to be grateful for all the good things in your life!


Every day be grateful for all the good things in your life.

From the moment you wake up until you go to sleep, be appreciative of all the good things in your life. For me, this is one of the most powerful practices. once it becomes a habit, it can power you through your darkest periods of your life.

Exercise your mind daily to be grateful for all the good things in your life. Darkness can strike at any time. It can happen gradually or suddenly. No matter what difficulty you’re facing, there’s always things to be grateful for. 😊

For me, gratitude has been one of the most important lifestyle practices. I start my day by being grateful for having an opportunity at life. When I make my breakfast and beverage, I use my dishes and kitchenware with gratitude, many of which were from my loved ones, some who had passed away. My gratitude practice can make my problems look smaller. The key though is to practice it daily with other positive lifestyle practices such as getting enough sleep, focusing on what I can control, exercise, etc. If I slip and don’t apply myself to these practices, my problems start appearing larger than they should, allowing darkness to cloud my vision. That’s when I have to reset myself or be near a positive loved one who can boost me back up to get back into my rhythm with my positive lifestyle practices. ❤

[I wrote this article for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!] ❤

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The only way to know whether you’ll attain your greatest dream that’s very difficult to get is by working at it for a very long time and confronting the negativity that comes with the process.


The only wa

The only way to know whether you’ll attain your greatest dream that’s very difficult to get is by working at it for a very long time and confronting the negativity that comes with the process. 👊

What you want has a high chance of failure, enough to make you very uncomfortable. The process will cost you money and stress on your mental and physical health. It’ll require at least 7 years of hard work, meaning thousands and thousands of hours of sweat, both mentally and physically. You’ll live on only what you need, spend less time with friends, face negative events and people, and go in and out of darkness facing your demons. Remember, you’re expected to fail after all of this. Would you still go for your dreams? Is it worth it? 🤔😣😯😬

Personally, although it’ll take a lot of grit to weather the emotional and physical pain, I feel it’s worth it. I would rather go for my dreams, instead of wondering what could have been had I tried. Even failing at it gives me an answer that’s more satisfying than regretting on not giving it a shot. No matter what happens, you build yourself up with more knowledge, lessons, skills, and relationships from the journey you undertook. 🙌

[I published this article at Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more! ❤

 

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You can have a meaningful life through your attitude!


You can have meaning in your life through your attitude! If you have a positive attitude, you can find meaning in your life even under difficult circumstances.

Do all you can to have a positive attitude, a super power that will help you through your darkest times.

Having a Meaningful Life – Part 3 of 3. ❤

You can have meaning in your life through your (1) creativity, (2) experiences, & (3) attitude. ❤

Today, we highlight how your attitude has a role in attaining meaning in your life. If you have a positive attitude, you can find meaning in your life even under difficult circumstances. The foundation of this 3-part article is from Dr. Victor Emil Frankl (1905-1997), an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, & Holocaust survivor. He was able to have meaning in his life despite going through the horrors of being imprisoned in a Nazi death camp. His father died of illness & his mother, brother, & wife were killed by the Nazis. Dr. Viktor Frankl’s tragic optimism focuses on (a) affirmation of the meaning & value of life, regardless of circumstances; (b) acceptance of what cannot be changed; (c) self-transcendence in serving a higher purpose; faith in others & in something beyond our realm; & (d) courage to face adversity. 🙏

The following dialogue between Dr. Frankl & his patient, an elderly, depressed man who could not overcome the loss of his wife shows the depth one’s attitude has on one’s meaning in life:

Dr. Frankl asked, “What would have happened if you had died first, & your wife would have had to survive you?” 💔

“Oh,” replied the patient, “for her this would have been terrible; how she would have suffered.” 💔

Frankl continued, “You see such a suffering has been spared her; & it is you who have spared her this suffering; but now, you have to pay for it by surviving her & mourning her.” The man said no word, but shook Dr. Frankl’s hand & calmly left his office. ❤

This conversation brought tears to my eyes. My friends, no matter what you’re going through, no matter how tough it is, you have the ability to see the light & keep moving forward. ❤

[I wrote this article for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, & fashion to boost your happiness & counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!]

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Monkey Mind Yellow Unisex T-Shirt by the Positive Masters!


Don't let your monkey mind drive you bananas! Don't worry about the future. Be present. Work on what you can control now.

Calm your monkey mind by being in the present and working on what you can control.

Don’t let your monkey mind drive you bananas! It’ll try to make you worry about what may or may not happen in the future. Detach yourself from your monkey mind. Be present. Focus on what you can do now. You got this! 🐵😃🙌

Our Monkey Mind Unisex Short Sleeve T-Shirts are soft & lightweight, with the right amount of stretch. They are comfortable for both men & women. The following are further description of our shirts: 100% combed & ring-spun cotton (heather colors contain polyester); Fabric weight: 4.2 oz (142 g/m2); Shoulder-to-shoulder taping; and Side-seamed. 🐒

[I wrote this post for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, & fashion to boost your happiness & counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!] ❤

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You can have meaning in your life through your experiences!


You can have meaning in your life through your

Experience things that brings you joy!

Having a Meaningful Life – Part 2 of 3! 👊

You can have meaning in your life through your (1) creativity, (2) experiences, and (3) attitude. Let’s go over experiences. 😃

In addition to your creativity, you can have meaning in your life through your experiences, both good and bad. For instance, when you complete a challenging goal, say running a marathon after a year of training, you feel extremely good! Maybe you spend many months teaching a child math skills. When you see the child solving the math problems, you feel joy! 😊❤ 🤗

Even when you fail at something, you can gain more meaning in your life. Although your failure is emotionally painful, you can become more driven to make your comeback. You try harder or reinvent yourself by trying new things. You learn, grow, and evolve from your failure so you can succeed again! 🙌

[I wrote this article for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com, which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!] ❤

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You can have meaning in your life through your creativity!


You can have meaning in your life through your creativity!

Having a Meaningful Life – Part 1 of 3! 👊

In the mission statement of Positive Masters, we want you to be happy & have a fulfilling life. One of the key points to achieving this, is to have meaning in your life. To attain this, you must have a wide view of your life in order to see the whole spectrum of meaning & values that you can embrace. If your view of yourself is narrow, you may miss those precious gems within you that could sparkle joy in your life. ❤

You can have meaning in your life through your (1) creativity, (2) experiences, & (3) attitude. In this article, let’s discuss creativity. 💡

When you create a value for yourself & others through a service or product, you have purpose. If you’re passionate about that service or product, then even better because your work doesn’t feel like work because you enjoy doing it. You ever notice how time passes by smoothly & quickly when you’re working on something you’re passionate about? Notice how your focus on your passionate project pushes away any of your worries &/or sadness. You’re in the flow! This is the greatest state to be in to create value for yourself & others. For me, writing this article for you gives me great joy! 😊❤

Fun Homework: Write down 10 things you enjoy that could provide value for yourself & others. Then write down 10 ways or variations on how to execute on your creation of each of those 10 things you enjoy. There may be a company or non-profit organization that you could join to create those passions of yours. If not, you could create a new company or non-profit organization to provide this value. Have fun on this! ✍ 💻 📑 ✌

[This is an article I wrote for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at http://www.positivemasters.com , which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, & fashion to boost your happiness & counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!] ❤

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Welcome Monkey Mind to the Positive Masters Universe!


Positive Masters' Monkey Mind Unisex T-Shirt encourages us to overcome our Monkey Mind. Stop worrying on what you can't control. Focus on what you can control.

Monkey Mind has been a part of our DNA for survival since the primitive days of the human race. We had to worry about the downside in order to survive against the threats of nature, other creatures, and our own kind. However, we now live in a time where our daily threats are often our fear of failure in our careers and relationships. A saber tooth tiger is not after us every day. If you worry about failing in your career or personal life, and things you have no control over, you will paralyze yourself from progress. Get your monkey mind out of your head by focusing on what you can control!

Welcome Monkey Mind to the Positive Masters Universe! I don’t know about you, but Monkey Mind has been my nemesis every time I have a vision of what I want to do & where I want to be in my life. On some days, I’m on a roll, gaining little wins left & right. I’m moving forward! I’m feeling good! 😁🐒

Then there are those days when my Monkey Mind takes over. “You’re not good enough,” he taunts. “You’ve never done this before. Heck, no one has done this before. The haters are going to attack you. Play it safe. Do what you know. Do what you’re already good at.” 🐵

I counter him, “Get out of my head Monkey Mind! I can learn. I can reinvent myself. If I fail, I’ll still gain skills, knowledge, & relationships. What I’m creating isn’t for the haters, it’s for my tribe, those who want to be happy & have a purposeful life. I’m being me, the best I can be!” 😫

My friends, if you’re going through these battles internally, I dedicate this Monkey Mind Unisex T-Shirt to you. Win or lose, you’ll be fine. The Positive Masters are with you. Focus on what you can control. Keep learning & growing. Embrace the journey. Don’t be attached to the outcome. Sending positive energy to you! ❤

Our Monkey Mind Unisex Short Sleeve T-Shirts are soft & lightweight, with the right amount of stretch. They are comfortable for both men & women. The following are further description of our shirts: 100% combed & ring-spun cotton (heather colors contain polyester); Fabric weight: 4.2 oz (142 g/m2); Shoulder-to-shoulder taping; & Side-seamed. 👕 😊

[I wrote this post for Positive Masters, an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com that provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, & fashion to boost your happiness & counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!] ❤

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I still love you even though you’re far away.


These days, all I do is work, living in the fray.-5

These days, all I do is work, living in the fray. 📖

I check off my calendar every day. 📅

Sometimes I pause and wonder if you’re okay. ❤

Keep shining from the other side. 🌅

I still love you even though you’re far away. ❤❤

– Positive Masters, Poem, 8/10/2019 – ✒

[I wrote this post for Positive Masters is an e-commerce store at www.positivemasters.com , which provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing. We offer free shipping for purchases of $50 or more!]

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On your bad days, just focus on 1 to 3 of the most important things that you need to get done that day and execute on them!


Here’s an article I wrote for Positive Masters at www.positive masters.com, an e-commerce store that provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, and sadness you may be facing.

When times are difficult, focus on one to three of the things that if you complete, you will fill much better.

On your bad days, just work on 1 to 3 of the most important things that you need to do, and more importantly, by completing them, you know you will feel better. That alone is huge!

On some days, you wake up with less motivation to attack your day. Maybe you’re stressed about the overwhelming amount of work you have to do. Maybe you’re down because things aren’t going as you planned? You’re wondering if something will or will not happen, causing you angst. Are you worrying about a relationship, the break-up of one, or being lonely? The death of a loved may have hit you hard. Maybe it’s because someone yelled at you at work or the critics are attacking you. Heck, it could be all of the above.

You turn off your alarm, wishing you could fade away into a wonderful dream where you’re smiling and sipping a favorite beverage as you overlook the glistening blue ocean with puffy white clouds floating through the teal blue skies. Aaaaaahhh, that would be wonderful!

No, you can’t do that. Not now. So you drag yourself out of bed and freshen up. Then you return to your bedroom and make your bed to get your first win of the day. You tell yourself, “No matter what happens today, I can make my bed, and when I return, it’ll be welcoming me!”

You execute on your favorite practice, gratitude. “I’m so lucky to be alive to have a shot in this universe,” you say to yourself. You’re mindful of all the useful and memorable things in your home and express your gratitude. As you make your breakfast, you use your late grandma’s plate and quietly express your thanks as you think of your grandma. You see items from your other late grandparents and your parents, causing positive energy to pour into your soul.

With your breakfast, you drink green tea for its benefits such as L-Theanine to calm your anxiety and mellow its caffeine, which gives you the calm type of clarity that you need.

In addition to your mindful and gratitude practices, you do a quick self-reflection on all the good qualities you have and how you’re going to apply them to get closer to your dreams of your future. On your worse days, you meditate to clear yourself of all your negative thoughts.

Okay, Now you’re ready to take on the day. However, you power up your computer and stare at it. Damn, you feel nothing.

You ever feel like this? I do. We all have these challenging days because we’re human. We can’t expect to always have those awesome days when ideas flow smoothly and problems get resolved rather simply. Those terrific days when you put in 10 hours of fulfilling work that didn’t feel like work because you were enjoying the process.

On your bad days, just focus on 1 to 3 of the most important things that you need to get done that day and execute on them. That’s all you have to do. When coming up with the 1 to 3 things you need to work on, don’t add up many tiny tasks, instead, lump them into broad categories to fit into those 1 to 3 things you need to complete for the day. It’s psychologically beneficial to simplify what you need to do. We’re telling ourselves, “I got this. I can do this.” Don’t allow the gloomy side of your mind to sabotage your plan by overcomplicating and even exaggerating the work you have before you. For that day, you don’t have to achieve a million things, only on those few key goals you set for yourself. Accomplishing these goals, even if they’re little are huge because every single accomplishment will add up over time. Getting those few things done will also boost your happy chemicals. Praise yourself for this accomplishment!

This is a part of the process of what I do to keep myself moving forward on my not so good days. It works for me. If it can help you in some way to feel better on your terrible days, it would make me happy!

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We understand the generations before us when we become them.


[I wrote this article for +positive masters+ at www.positivemasters.com, an e-commerce store that provides life practices, creative writing, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, or sadness you may be facing.]

We understand the generations before us when we become them.

I appreciate my late grandparents and parents even more now that I’m older.

During our time from children to adults, we observe our parents and grandparents. The world is new to us. We keep learning and exploring.

As we grow older, our grandparents and their friends fade away and our parents become the seniors. We’ve got careers and responsibilities. Some of us have kids, some of us don’t. It’s at this point that we begin to understand the sacrifices our parents and grandparents went through because we’ve become them. Once, our parents are gone, we have to take on their role. It’s surreal when you think about it, to say goodbye to our parents and their generation. As time marches on, our generation will also fade out, so we have to make the world the best it can be for the younger ones coming up. Time is the most precious resource. Let’s make the most of it. Do the things you want to do with your love your loved ones and love them with all you’ve got!

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Play It Safe or Go For Your Vision?


[I wrote this article at www.positivemasters.com, an e-commerce website that provides lifestyle practices, writing, apparel, and accessories to boost your happiness and counter any stress, anxiety, and sadness you may be facing.]

Play it safe or go for your vision? With planning, research, and strategy, you can lessen your risks in pursuit of your dreams!

Choosing a career that’s relatively safe, although no job is truly safe, may bring peace for you. However, you may have that itch to do the things you’ve always wanted to do, but there’s a higher risk of failure and attacks from haters and critics. The question is, “Will you regret not giving a shot at your dreams?”

You’ve got one shot in your life, make the most of it! The fact that you’re born into this world and still alive reading this article, demonstrates how lucky you are. Scientists estimate that the chance of you existing are about 1 in 4 hundred trillion. That’s crazy odds! Not only are you lucky, you’re a one of a kind with your own personality and way of thinking. This makes you lucky and special!

When I was young, my parents made my two younger sisters and I try many sports and activities. From there, my sisters and I gravitated towards certain sports and community organizations that we enjoyed and had an interest in. My sisters and I continue to do this as adults, trying new things for our careers, community, and personal lives. We push ourselves into uncomfortable territory, but find pleasure in learning, developing skills, and building relationships. However, by exposing ourselves to risk, the greater potential of failure and criticism can be stressful. I’ve had my share of failures. I see failure as part of the process to learn, grow, and evolve. Everyone has a different stress tolerance so its good to assess your goals and strategize on how to execute them. By writing your thoughts and research down, you get a better feel of the system you’ll create for yourself, the daily work placed into your calendar that you’ll need to accomplish in order to get to your various stages of your vision. By doing this, you mitigate some of your risk.

Further, the risks you take to fulfill a dream you have is not going to kill you, unless, you’re planning to do something that risks your life. Yet, your animalistic fears still get triggered when you get anxious of the future such as whether your project will fail or whether you’ll be attacked and ridiculed by critics. You feel like a saber tooth tiger is pursuing you. Your mind can blow your fears out of proportion. Focus on what you can control and don’t let the uncontrollable things take you down. When you succeed, all the worries will be for nothing. If you do fail, you’ll learn, and then pivot to make your next moves, evolving as you proceed on. Either way, you still gain a lot a value: skills, knowledge, and relationships that will propel you forward!

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Even if the world is unkind, the greatest war is in your mind.


[I wrote the following article for +positive masters+ at www.positivemasters.com, an e-commerce store that provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, books, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and crush your anxiety and depression.]

With a positive mindset, we can be more happier and face difficult situations with more grit.

Much of our happiness and suffering is determined by our mindset.

History has shown how resilient humans can be, even under very difficult situations. Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Daniel K. Inouye are a few examples of individuals who accomplished so much to make our world better despite mental and physical challenges weighing against them. 👊

With a strong will and an understanding of what you can and can’t control, you will accomplish great things by working on your small wins day by day! 😃

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Sleep is Important for Your Mind & Body.


[I wrote the following article at www.positivemasters.com, an e-commerce store that provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, books, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and crush your anxiety and depression.]

Sleep has many benefits for our mind, body, and soul.

Get at least 7 hours of sleep to have a positive mindset and healthy body.

Sleep is very important to having a positive mindset and healthy body. Health professionals recommend adults to sleep 7 to 9 hours, although some people may need as few as 6 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day. If you’re a teenager (ages 14-17), you need about 8-10 hours of sleep each day. Children need more hours of rest, and much more is needed for babies.

I aim to have at least 7 hours of sleep every night, however, I have to admit that I’m not consistent on this. I’ve succeeded 85 times and today, July 10, 2019 is the 170th day of the year. After working during the day, I often return home and continue working late at night and into the early morning, even until the light of dawn when I’m in the zone. As of last night, July 9, 2019, I’ve made a greater commitment to achieving more restful nights of sleep.

Here’s 5 benefits a good night’s sleep has on your mind and body:

1. Reduces Your Stress and Anxiety. With a lack of rest, your mind and body goes into a state of stress, which causes high blood pressure and a higher production of stress hormones. High blood pressure increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. Increased stress hormones raises the level of inflammation in your body, causing a greater risk for heart-related conditions, as well as cancer and diabetes. Having a good sleep will prevent you from going into this state of stress. Also, ever notice how much more stressed out and anxious you are when you don’t sleep enough? With a full rest, you’re better at attacking your challenges!
2. Makes Your Mind Alert. A good night’s sleep makes you more energetic and alert. When you’re tired, it’s hard to focus on your tasks, especially where a lot of thinking is involved.
3. Improves Your Memory. Sleep plays an important role in a process called memory consolidation. During sleep, your brain is processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings, and memories.
4. Reduces Your Depression. Sleep affects many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with serotonin deficiencies are more likely to suffer from depression. Keep your serotonin and other happy chemicals up by going to bed early enough to get those restful hours.
5. Repairs Your Body. Sleep is a time when your body is working hard to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays, and other harmful exposure. Your cells produce more protein while you’re sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair the damage.

So do your best to get some deep sleep and the next morning you’ll be ready to crush your day!

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Creative Writing, a Remedy for Stress, Anxiety, & Sadness.


Counter stress, anxiety, and depression by writing in you diary, journal, or blog. Write a novel or nonfiction.

[The following content is from a blog post I wrote at www.positivemasters.com, an e-commerce store that provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, books, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and counter your anxiety and depression.]

Creative Writing, a Remedy for Stress, Anxiety, & Sadness.

You’re grieving the latest round of loved ones who passed away, a close family member and a dear family friend, both with caring and happy personalities, and both Positive Masters. You’re putting out fires fueled by personality clashes in a non-profit organization you’re leading that’s suppose to promote inner peace. Phone calls and emails get thrown at you from your business partners and vendors, telling you everything that’s going wrong. Payments aren’t coming in from your clients while your attorney defending you for your driving under the influence case is needing his payment. Oh, and for that driving under the influence case, the court threw the book at you for not being a good role model as a politician so you’re facing five days in jail. Business events, charities, and parties with alcohol was your escape from your stress back then. In your inner circle, a close friend is in the lowest point of his life and another is going through a painful divorce. On top of this, you’ve got so many things to do on a couple of other start-up business projects that gives you anxiety. When you stop working, your dark monkey mind haunts you at night and as soon as you wake up, telling you everything that could go wrong.

Your muscles tense up, your heart beats harder, and your breaths become shorter. A part of you wants to fade out. You picture Luke Skywalker meditating on the large, flat rock on a cliff on a remote island on the planet Ahch-To. His spirit is being astral projected to the planet Crait to face-off the entire First Order to defend his loved ones, until his energy is depleted, and ultimately, he fades away with the sun setting in Ahch-To to be one with the force, leaving the rest of us to live on, facing the dark side without him.

So you go into your office, close your door and meditate. After a few minutes, you feel a cozy sensation, like you’re being hugged. It’s from the presence of your grandparents on both sides of your family.  Both of your grandmothers radiate loving warmth to you. Your mother’s father who was very close to you, gives you extreme comfort, like he did when he was alive. His positive energy is so strong, no words are needed, just his presence. Then you hear the words from your father’s father. You don’t hear it, you feel it. “Jon, it’s just money. You can make more. It’s just five days in jail. I’m investing in you. Keep going.”

“I miss you so much. I love you,” I tell them as tears stream down both of my cheeks. I feel their warmth slipping away to the chill of the air from my air conditioner. My breaths are now deeper and longer, relaxing my body, and most importantly, relaxing my soul.

I pack my loyal robots, slipping my smartphone into the pocket of my cargo shorts and placing my laptop into my favorite backpack that I’ve been using since my days in law school, and headed off on my usual path to my neighborhood coffee shop to get back to work on my vision.

#creativewriting #writing #quote #quotes #motivationalquotes #positivequotes #story #writer #fiction #novel #nonfiction #stress #anxiety #sadness #death #starwars #stressremedy #anxietyremedy #sadnessremedy #keepgoing #mindset #positivemindset #psychology #therapy #counseling #psychologists #psychiatrists #apparel #fashion #shirts #tshirts #streetwear

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Work at your happy place. Focus on what you can control. Attack your small goals every day. Execute my positive life practices consistently.


Focus on what you can control. Work on your small goals daily and count your wins for a dopamine rush.

I enjoy working on my 2013 MacBook Pro and Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone. These two machines are my pals. I’m super grateful for them. They’re an extension of me.

Here’s my work set-up at Starbucks @starbucks @waikelestarbucks on the 4th of July, 2019. To control my anxiety, I keep attacking my writing, logistics, designing, and reading to execute on my many small goals every day. 💻 By the way, I love my @apple Macbook Pro and my Samsung @samsungmobile Galaxy S7 Edge, my pals.

When I stop working, that’s when my dark thoughts take over so I counter them with all my lifestyle practices until I can get myself to sleep: mindfulness, gratitude, exercise, good food & beverages, time with positive people, work at my happy place, breath techniques, write from my heart, read books to improve myself, listen to music, update my daily goals and wins in my calendar, meditate, get some sunlight, look at the sky, drink green tea, smell an uplifting or relaxing scent, pray to my loved ones who passed away, talk to my mom, talk to my friend, and much more. My friends, do your daily practices every day to keep your soul bright.

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Have a Growth Mindset!


Have a growth mindset! You can self-develop yourself by engaging, learning, experiencing, and evolving.

Master 7, leader of the Positive Masters and master of positive mindset wants you to have a growth mindset so you can be the best you can be! Engage, learn, fail, evolve, and always keep growing!

[I wrote the following article for the blog of +positive masters+, an e-commerce store that provides lifestyle practices, creative writing, books, apparel, accessories, and fashion to boost your happiness and crush your anxiety and depression at: www.positivemasters.com]

Have a Positive Mindset!

Specifically, let’s go over growth mindset versus fixed mindset, made famous by psychologist and author Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., who wrote “Mindset The New Psychology of Success,” which you can find at bookstores and Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322. Dr. Dweck is one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of motivation and is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. She has held professorships at Columbia and Harvard Universities, has lectured all over the world, and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

So what is the difference between the two mindsets? People with a growth mindset, achieve expertise by purposeful engagement. Everyone can change and grow through application and experience. Scientists are learning that people have more capacity for lifelong learning and brain development than they ever thought. A person with a growth mindset will stretch himself or herself into areas beyond his or her current reach and consistently work at it, learn, evolve, and grow, even when things aren’t going well. A person’s true potential is unknown. It’s impossible to see what is possible with years of relentless work, experience, and practice. Many things that may have appeared extremely difficult to accomplish become possible. Failure is a part of the learning and evolving process. Since change and growth are possible, there are still many paths to success.

In contrast, people with a fixed mindset believe that every person has a fixed ability. There is only so much one can do with the abilities he or she is born with. They believe that success is about being more gifted than others. Some in this category feel failure does measure you, and that effort is for those who can’t make it on talent.

Whether we have a growth mindset or fixed mindset is critical. With a growth mindset, you’re determined to go as far as you can. By attacking your goals and vision with continuous effort over time, you may do things that seemed impossible years before. Even if you fail, you learn, adjust, and keep moving forward, maybe not on the same path, but on some new or hybrid path. You don’t want to chain your potential down with a fixed mindset. No, you will push yourself into uncomfortable territory. You will keep going for it with all you’ve got! By the end of your life, you will have the satisfaction that you truly maximized who you could be!

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Here is our Positive Masters Logo Women’s Fit T-Shirt, which is available at our e-commerce store at: www.positivemasters.com. In the design is Master 7, our mascot and master of positive mindset who wants you to have a growth mindset. Engage, learn, and evolve to be the best you can be!!!

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Even if the world is unkind, the greatest war is in your mind.


Even if the world is unkind,

the greatest war is in your mind.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, 6/22/19 –

#writing #creativewriting #quote #quotes #mindset #monkeymind #mentalhealth #fear #anxiety #stress #enemies #opposition #sadness #challenges #selfdevelopment #selfimprovement #selfhelp #lookwithin #personalgrowth #read #meditate #write #selfreflection #books #fiction #novels #nonfiction #spilledthoughts

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Counting Down My Time.


Counting down my time.

My drive keeps me alive.

So I hustle and I grind.

As soon as I stop, that’s when darkness thrives.

It lurks, patiently waiting for my last mentor to die.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, poem, 6/15/19 –

I took this photo in Pearl City, Hawaii on June 22, 2019.

#poem #poems #poetry #poets #creativewriting #poemsporn #poemoftheday #writing #bookreader #bookish #booklover #bookfan #bookclub #spilledink #spilledwords #writingcommunity #books #fiction #nonfiction

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Practices: (1) Focus on what I can control; (2) Work on one thing at a time to maximize my productivity; and (3) Be present and put aside my fear of what may or may not happen tomorrow.


My anxiety level is up today so seeing this post by @riskhappy is motivating me to snap out of my terrible feeling. I’m going to focus and work on what I can control. First, my appointments and work I have to finish dealing with my immediate deadline, followed by another deadline, and then another, and then paying a big bill. The first is extremely important because if I succeed in executing it, I can complete what I need to do for the other three areas in the short-run and long-run.

Practices: (1) Focus on what I can control; (2) Work on one thing at a time to maximize my productivity; and (3) Be present and put aside my fear of what may or may not happen tomorrow.

What are your strategies to alleviate anxiety and stress? I hope you’re doing well! ❤

#anxietyremedies #stressrelief #anxietyrelief #anxiety #stress #worry #fear #business #law #governmentaffairs #entrepreneurship #ecommerce #socialmediamarketing #writing #prioritize #productivity #bepresent #mindfulness #keepgoing #stepbystep #personalgrowth #selfhelp #selfimprovement #motivation #quote #motivationalquote #spilledthoughts #practices
Repost @riskhappy (@get_repost)
・・・
“10 years from now, make sure you can say that you chose your life, you didn’t settle for it.” – Mandy Hale #riskhappy

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How far would you go for the one you love?


How far would you go for the one you love?

We can do a lot when we’re single because we can push ourselves to the limits until our body and mind needs to sleep. Being on our own, we have a great amount of control of our direction and momentum. However, being alone can be lonely at times.

A relationship with a significant other can either boost us or slow us down. It can make us happier or more miserable. 😊😪

When you fall in love, how far are you willing to go? How much are you willing to sacrifice? When things aren’t going right, do you follow your gut feelings, and if so, to what extent? ❤💔

By the way, I love Game of Thrones!!! ❄🐺🐲🔥

#single #onmyown #ambition #relationships #romance #dating #romanticcouples #romanticquotes #lovestory #writing #creativewriting #books #tvshows #novels #marriage #significantother #love #desire #sacrifice #personalgrowth #selfdevelopment #selfimprovement #lookwithin #livelife #vision #dreams #goals #bookreaders #bookstagram #writingcommunity

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Get ready for the new kids!


Who are we to know what’s right?

Even as adults we’re still trying to figure out our own life.

Get ready for the new kids.

They’ll rise, they’ll fall.

No matter what, they’ll find their way through it all.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Poem, 5/31/19 –

Every older generation seems to criticize the younger ones. We can guide the younger generations in a positive way, but in the end, the children will choose their own destiny by trying, failing, and succeeding on their interests and passions.

We control our own destiny, and influence those coming up. The children are our future. They learn by observing us adults. If we yell and scream all the time, they’ll become adults yelling and screaming at their family and at people at work, maybe even at strangers in the public. Peace starts with us, and it continues with the legacy we leave behind by those who were influenced by us. Let’s choose kindness, love, empathy, and compassion to make our world more peaceful!

With Warmest Aloha,
Jon

#poem #poems #poetry #poet #poemsporn #writing #writer #creativewriting #author #books #novels #fiction #nonfiction #quote #quotes #motivationalquotes #inspiringquotes #peace #innerpeace #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #mindset #positivemindset #mentalhealth #psychology #health

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The darker I go, the more I grow.


The darker I go, the more I grow.

I talk to parts of me I didn’t know.

Sparks light up everywhere, causing a glow.

I’ll come back stronger a thousand-fold.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Poem, 5/26/2019 –

I dedicate this poem to all of you going through your challenges. It came to me in my meditation. I greatly appreciate my darkness because it always generates sparks of inspiration, ideas, and plans that I’ve executed on since I was a kid. Go deep into the depths of darkness and use the dark energy to create light!!!

With Warmest Aloha,
Jon

#poem #poems #poetry #poet #quotes #quote #motivationalquotes #motivational #challenges #entrepreneurship #failure #health #brokenheart #death #books #writers #bookreaders #bookstagram #selfdevelopment #selfimprovement #selfimprove #selfhelp #mindset #positivemindset #mentalhealth #psychology #positiveoutlook #personalgrowth #reinventyourself #youcandoit

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Come with me. Let’s get away. We can go where we’re normal.


We can be strange.

A little deranged.

All caused by our magic.

Come with me.

Let’s get away.

We can go where we’re normal.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, 5/26/2019 –

#poem #poems #poetry #poet #creativewriting #writing #books #novellover #novels #fiction #romancenovel #romancestory #bookreader #booklover #bookreaders #booknerd #bookstagram #romancequotes #romantic #lovestory #lovenote #lovemessage #relationships #readerscommunity #writingcommunity #iloveyou

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Death has been a strange friend of mine. I love death as much as I love life because death has taught me how to live.


I think about death every day. It has been on my mind since I was brand new to this world. A time when I could count my age with one hand. I remember thinking about it when my uncle Dwight had died. I asked my dad, “What happens after you die?”

He answered, “When you die, you die, that’s it.”

I went to my bedroom and cried on my bed. With the urging of my mom, my dad came to my room and told me that there’s a nice place where people go to after they die.

Understanding my impermanence has been my greatest motivator ever since. I go all-out on every passionate vision that crosses my mind. I’ve tried so many things because of it. I had some nice experiences and some not so nice experiences, but one thing’s for sure, I have no regrets. I would rather try and fail than to not try and wonder what if I had given it a shot? And for the times I did win, man it’s an indescribable feeling of euphoria where you’re so happy you cry in a higher realm because of all the suffering you went through in order to achieve your goal.

No matter how bad life can be, as long as we’re alive, we can still do a lot of damage. You’ll never know what your limits are unless you push yourself to break them. When you befriend death, you love life more. You don’t waste time on petty things many people complain about. Nor do you hate and judge others. These negative types of people may only realize the most important things in life when they face their own imminent mortality if they are lucky enough to have some time to think before they die.

With this state of mind, death has been a strange friend of mine. I love death as much as I love life because death has taught me how to live.

#death #life #gohard #allout #goforbroke #mindfulness #mindful #grateful #gratitude #thankful #lovelife #onelove #innerpeace #peace #passion #joy #happiness #love #mindset #noregrets #makethemostofit #dream #goforit #quote #quotes #thoughts #spilledthoughts #spilledink #creativewriting #deepthoughts

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Go Within and Build


Go within and build.

People and things won’t fill us up.

Explore and create.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Haiku Poem #177, 10/8/2018 –

 

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You live in a fable. They laugh at you and call you unstable.


You live in a fable.

They laugh at you and call you unstable.

You’re not playing your role.

Nothing about it is fun.

That’s why you threw away the script and wrote another one.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Poem, 5/22/2019 –

#poem #poems #poetry #poet #quotes #quote #creativewriting #writing #writer #author #novels #fiction #books #writers #authors #entrepreneurs #business #artists #actors #booklover #bookfan #bookclub #ilovebooks #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booknerd #bookish #bookcommunity #motivationalquotes #personalgrowth

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What are your strategies for your goals? Do you include small to medium projects with your large projects?


Often times we’re so focused, even obsessed on #winning the big business projects, the marathons, that we bypass the smaller ones that could play a huge role in building us up. For me, the big business projects take a long time and until then, I don’t make any income from them. Recently, I’ve had to adjust and include small to medium projects in order to get quicker turnarounds for income to help sustain myself financially. It can be stressful at times not knowing the future.

What are your strategies for your goals? Do you include small to medium projects with your large projects?

#business #businessgoals #projects #goals #vision #entrepreneurship #aviation #novels #fiction #nonfiction #books #creativewriting #law #marketing #branding #socialmediamarketing #ecommerce #art #work #career #smallwins #dailypractice #dailyhustle #keepgoing #learn #read #write #design

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I find comfort in the dark.


I find comfort in the dark.

When it’s still, that’s when she comes.

We don’t speak, yet we talk.

I play a song for her.

In the middle of my room, we dance.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Poem, 5/24/2019 –

#poem #poems #poetry #poet #creativewriting #writing #writer #poetrycommunity #writercommunity #writersofinstagram #poemsporn #bookreader #bookstagram #bookish #booklover #bookfan #fiction #lovestory #lovestories #novels #books #romance #paranormal #imissyou #lovenote #spilledink

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Work with someone who will motivate you!


Our mindset is key to our daily hustle. When we have a setback, it’s challenging to maintain our optimism. Our workflow gets interrupted by our disappointment and anxiety. 💻

Having someone positive to work with can be a huge factor. Lately, I’ve been working with my friend Claire at Starbucks @starbucks who I became friends with while at Pearl City High School. She’s building an E-commerce business. We keep motivating each other to keep pushing forward every day. We place tough deadlines on ourselves in order to accelerate our progress. I’m so happy to have reconnected with Claire! I don’t feel as alone as before, working on projects that face a high level of risk .

Keep moving forward on your vision every day! If you can find a positive work friend who motivates you, even better! 😃

With Warmest Aloha,
Jon

#business #law #governmentaffairs #ecommerce #marketing #branding #creativewriting #fiction #novels #books #socialmediamarketing #entrepreneurship #friend #quote #motivationalquotes #inspiringquotes #inspiring

I enjoy Star wars. Pictured is Luke Skywalker.

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Everything I do. It’s for the future you.


Everything I do.

It’s for the future you.

They say, “It won’t count.”

Well, it’s not for them with all of their doubts.

I’ll make sure it’ll be there for you, high in the clouds.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Poem, 5/21/19 –

#poem #poems #poetry #creativewriting #writing #writer #author #poet #poetrycommunity #books #bookstagram #bookreader #bookreaders #lovenote #lovemessage #lovegram #fiction #novels #lovestory #romance #spilledink #spilledwords #spilledthoughts

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Hi everyone! Jade Dynasty Seafood Restaurant will make Jung from May 20 to June 10, 2019!


Hi everyone!

Jade Dynasty Seafood Restaurant will make Jung from May 20 to June 10, 2019 (This year, the official day of the holiday is June 7, 2019). You can call now at (808) 947-8818 to place advance orders for pick-up or dining in. The Jung weighs 1 lb. Its ingredients include Abalone, Pork Belly, Salted Duck Egg, Green Beans, & Mochi Rice. Each Jung costs $8.95.

THE STORY
Qu Yuan (340-278 BC) was the top advisor of the Kingdom of Chu & dedicated his whole life to assisting the King to build the State stronger. He advised the King to ally w/ the State of Qi, 1 of the 7 warring states, to fight against the most powerful State of Qin. However, he was slandered by jealous officials & accused of treason, so the King dismissed & exiled him.

During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote enduring poems showing his love for his country, some of which are still very famous in China.

In 278 BC, the Qin State conquered the capital of Chu. On hearing of the defeat, Qu Yuan, in great despair, committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.

The rest is legend… When the local community heard of Qu Yuan’s death, they were very sad & rowed out on boats in the river to search for his body but were unable to find him. To preserve his body, the locals paddled their boats up & down the river, hitting the water w/ their paddles & beating drums to scare evil spirits away. They threw lumps of rice into the river to feed the fish, so that they wouldn’t eat Qu Yuan’s body.

Since then, people in the Miluo River area have followed similar practices to commemorate Qu Yuan on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Over time, rowing boats developed into dragon boat racing & the lumps of rice became sticky rice dumplings called Jung traditionally eaten during the festival in honor of the great Qu Yuan!

#dragonboatfestival #jung #chinesefood #hawaiirestaurant #hawaiirestaurants #hawaiifood #hawaiifoodfinds #hawaiieats #eatinghawaii #hawaiifoodie #foodie #hawaiifoodporn #oahueats #honolulueats #honolulufood #oahufood #onolicious #808plate #bestofhawaii808 #madeinhawaii #onogrindz #localkinegrindz #808eats #808grinds #alamoanacenter #oahu #honolulu #hawaii

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You said, “Friends are forever.”


You said, “Friends are forever.”

“Lovers never last.”

Now where are we?

We’ve faded into a blurry past.

– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Poem, 5/14/2019 –

#poem #poems #poetry #poet #poets #poemoftheday #poetrycommunity #poemsporn #romance #brokenheart #heartbroken #lovestory #love #fiction #novels #books #stories #creativewriting #writing #writer #reader #bookreader #bookreaders #lovenotes #story #storytelling #socialmedia #socialmediamarketing #marketing #branding #emotionalbranding

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I’m growing to love vulnerability – you know that high you get when you do uncomfortable things because it could lead you to something amazing.


I had a nice time at Starbucks working on a marketing project for my client while my friend Claire since high school worked on her business educational project. We had a great talk about accounting, marketing, law, and vulnerability, some of the fundamentals for business. I’m growing to love vulnerability – you know that high you get when you do uncomfortable things because it could lead you to something amazing. That euphoric yet uncomfortable feeling you get when you can feel and taste your vision but you get attacked and judged by others along the way. You put on your bulletproof vest and keep going, taking the hits.

For all of you falling into darkness, I feel you. We can support one another by sharing our vulnerability as we move forward in our journey. Then when you get those big wins, share them with all of us! Now you can fire back in the air – your heroic fireworks!!! 😃

#career #love #life #hustle #grind #friendship #quote #quotes #motivation #motivationalquote #writing #reader #keepitreal #authenticity #keepgoing #keepmoving #writingcommunity #readingcommunity

Growing to love my vulnerability!

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Peace is my purpose.


Peace is my purpose.

I became a lawyer and politician with this goal in mind through the laws and programs I created or supported.

I enjoy business because #commerce can connect people when a great value is provided.

I love writing fiction because you can touch the souls of people by evoking their emotions through the struggles your characters go through. If you can make a reader have compassion and empathy for a character they would have disliked or even hated but for the story, then you’ve played a small role in bridging the division created by human judgment. Such stories can be adapted into audio and visual form such as audio books and movies to reach a greater audience.

Nonfiction writing can play a role in our self-development in not just our career but our personal development to attain inner peace. If all of us are at peace, the world will be at peace.

So what do you think about attaining world peace? If we break it down into bite size pieces and work on ourselves and help others every single day, it’s possible right!

May peace be with you! Sending you positive energy!

With Warmest Aloha,
Jon

#selfdevelopment #personaldevelopment #selfhelp #innerpeace #motivated #determined #hustle #mindfulness #mindful #grateful #gratitude

I’m pictured here working with a former business partner for branding and marketing on 2/13/2019.

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What is your mantra? Is there a word or phrase that inspires and motivates you?


What is your mantra? Is there a #word or #phrase that #inspires and #motivates you? Many Buddhists chant #mantras or have them sounded internally in one’s thoughts. They are either repeated continuously for some time or just sounded once. Mantras can keep our mind awakened with a crystal clear #vision of our lives and world filled with #love and #positivity . A #mantra can #motivate us to keep working on a practice that helps us maintain our positive #lifestyle .

Of the many #practices I do to keep myself #happy and motivated, it’s amazing how this simple #practice of speaking your mantra daily can boost your entire your day. For example, my mantra is “gratitude.” Gratitude is a practice in itself. I learned how to be #grateful from my mom since I was a little kid. She would always be telling me about how good and useful certain products are. While driving, she would compliment on how smooth a road was. From the moment I wake up, I tell myself, “I’m grateful to be alive.” I’m super grateful to be able to strive for all kinds of ideas. I’m extremely grateful for all my loved ones. On my bad days, by focusing on all the things I’m grateful for, I’m able to get some wins. In fact, my suffering has played a role in expanding my gratitude, which I wrote about in previous posts.

Pictured on my wrist is a bracelet with “Gratitude” engraved on it by My Intent @myintent . Also pictured on my wrist is my Jodo Shu Buddhist prayer beads from its headquarters in Kyoto, Japan, given to me by one of the head Bishops when he was in Hawaii in 2018.

Everyday speak out your mantra and attack your day with the light of positivity!

With Warmest Aloha,
Jon

#words #phrases #myintent #gratitude #quote #quotes #motivationalquotes #motivationalquoteoftheday #motivationalmonday #writing #reader  #writingcommunity #hawaii #book #books #author #writer

My bracelet with “Gratitude” engraved on it by My Intent and my Jodo Shu prayer beads from its headquarters in Kyoto, Japan.

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The children in our lives can inspire us to continue being curious and have that excited desire to learn.


Howzit! What’s up! I love this moment with my #niece on February 16, 2019 at Salt Our Kaka’ako @saltourkakaako in Honolulu, Hawaii. Everyday, #children #learn exponentially with their desire to find out what they don’t understand. They have an immense amount of #curiosity . The children in our lives can inspire us to continue being #curious and have that excited #desire to learn.

Stay curious my friends! Sending positive energy to you!

With Warmest Aloha,
Jon

#family #familytime #lovedones #curiousmind #business #career #law #entrepreneurship #writing #fiction #nonfiction #goals #vision #dreams #inspirational #motivational #quote #mindset #positivemindset #mentalhealth #health #kakaako #honolulu #hawaii

My niece and I at Salt Our Kaka’ako in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 16, 2019.

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Working while riding the bus!


Focused and typing on my @apple #macbookpro while listening to music with my @bose #bosesoundsport as I’m in transit on Honolulu’s awesome bus system on 4/30/2019! Maximizing my productivity! I’m looking forward to Honolulu’s rail system to be completed! Keep crushing everything you’re striving for my friends!

#masstransit #bus #oahu #honolulu #hawaii #workanywhere #workanyplace #onthego #laptop #business #startups #law #socialmediamarketing #marketing #branding #writing #fiction #nonfiction #entrepreneurship #hustle #grind #motivated #grateful #typing #oahu #hawaii #hawaiilife

Working on the bus in Oahu, Hawaii on April 30, 2019!

Working on the bus in Oahu, Hawaii on April 30, 2019!

Working on the bus in Oahu, Hawaii on April 30, 2019!

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Embrace the powerful energy from our suffering to boost our motivation on our goals!


There are 4 powerful energy sources to boost our motivation on our goals: Vision, Passion, Positive People, and Suffering. I use these energy sources to fuel my 4 rocket boosters that launches me towards the stars, my dreams.

Today, I want to focus on suffering. It’s a topic that isn’t placed on a pedestal but its superpower can be used for good if we learn to control its power. Many of us let our suffering bring us down. We also try to escape it. Negative people take it out on others. Instead, we should embrace our pain and make the most of this powerful source of energy.

In a previous post, I mentioned how suffering can expand our gratitude. In this article, I want to point out how suffering can boost our motivation on our goals. For me, suffering has been a tremendous motivator in my life. When I trained in the martial arts, specifically Aikido, we learned to take the energy from the on-coming attacker and use it to our advantage to win. Likewise, when suffering comes at us, we take that dark energy and convert it into positive energy by using it in our efforts to develop our mind, body, and soul. For example, my suffering gets me more pumped up to write, read, learn, exercise, meditate/self-reflect, and such. It has worked for me since I was a kid. When someone rejects me or attacks me, I get motivated to work harder. When people I love die, I’m motivated to hustle even more, and I dedicate my craft and success to them.

I wish you all the best in your efforts to turn your suffering into positive actions in your life. Keep crushing it my friends!

With Warmest Aloha,
Jon

#suffering #pain #energy #motivate #motivational #selfdevelop #selfimprove #drive #hustle #grind #tenacity #perseverance #goals #vision #dreams #quote #quotes #motivationalquotes #writing #creativewriting #writer #nonfiction #mentalhealth #health #psychology #mindset #positivemindset #vision #passion #positivepeople #keepgoing #nevergiveup

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I’m hopeful that love, compassion, and empathy will overcome anger, hate, and discrimination. Together, we’ll make this world better!


Being a 5th generation American on my mom’s side of the family and 4th generation on my dad’s and born and raised in Hawaii where there is a mixture of ethnicities with no majority, I was surprised to experience discrimination in Eastern Washington when I lived there and Idaho where I frequented with my law school friends for snowboarding and events. In Idaho, on a snowboarding trip, my law school friends Paul from Hawaii (hapa: Caucasian and Japanese), Joe from Southern California (Filipino), Marx from New Orleans, Louisiana (Jewish), and I went to a venue where we weren’t served. Not quite sure if my friend Karlin (Inupiak Eskimo and Caucasian) was there since he snowboarded with us. Also, in Cour d’alene, Idaho, on 4th of July, white supremacists drove by in their 4×4 trucks and jeeps yelling bad stuff with their Confederate and Nazi flags. Our country, the United States is not doing too well on these issues with a number of very public incidents.

My late great uncle Roy Okubo, my late grandma Bessie Karamatsu’s baby brother enlisted in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 522nd Artillery during World War II to prove the loyalty of Americans of Japanese Ancestry despite the racism and mass imprisonment done by our country.

When I became a politician in Hawaii, I pushed for equal rights for all, including legislation for gay marriage for the LBGT community and support of programs for single mothers and survivors of abuse. My political career has been overshadowed by my legal bouts with driving under the influence. Thus, now, I’m directing a good portion of my energy towards writing fiction, nonfiction, poems, and creative writing, on top of my business projects and legal career. Through stories, we can touch people’s souls by reaching into their emotions. Laws can’t do this in the way storytelling can. I’m hopeful that love, compassion, and empathy will overcome anger, hate, and discrimination. Together, we’ll make this world better!

#peace #innerpeace #racism #discrimination #equalrights #womensrights #blacklivesmatter #hispanic #asian #jewish #lgbt #caucasian #minorities #love #compassion #empathy #onelove

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