I have so much #gratitude for this free sample and the nice #baristas at Starbucks @starbucks @waikelestarbucks !!! My companion is in the backdrop, my @apple #macbookpro #laptop .
#grateful #thankful #starbucks #waikelestarbucks #apple #macbook #hustle #grind #work #workanywhere #mobileoffice #business #law #writing #creativewriting #fiction #novel #book #writersofinstagram #mindfulness #mindful #dailywork #stepbystep #dailypractices #dailyhabits
Filed under Books, Business, Career, Computer, Consistency, Creative Writing, Entrepreneurship, Fiction, Goals, Gratitude, Happiness, Law, Life Coach, Mindfulness, Motivation, Nonfiction, Novels, Productivity, Study, Writing
Thank you so much to Hawaiian Electric @hawaiianelectric and Drive Electric Hawaii @driveelectrichi for the power bank, which I’ve been wanting for about 5 months!!! I’m super grateful!!! I’m making really good use of them in my daily grind on my #work !!! I got them at First Hawaiian Bank’s @fhbhawaii 2019 First Hawaiian International Auto Show at the Hawaii Convention Center @hawaiiconvention on Sunday March 31, 2019. Now, more than ever, since I don’t drive, and instead, catch the bus to all my meetings and events, I’ve been needing one of these to recharge my @samsungmobile Galaxy S7 Edge, which I use for business and personal use. A couple of times my smartphone ran out of power while in transit. My friend Brandon Mitsuda @brandon_mitsuda gave me his since he already has his own.
#thankful #gratitude #powerbank #hawaiianelectric #driveelectrichawaii #firsthawaiianautoshow #bepresent #livenow #mindfulness #mindful #dailywork #stepbystep #dailypractices #dailyhabits #smallwins #career #personallife #mentalhealth #positivemindset
Thank you so much to Hawaiian Electric for these power banks! I needed them badly as I do business while moving about in Honolulu’s awesome bus system!
Filed under Gratitude, Happiness, Mindfulness, Motivational, Positive Living, Products
A yellow matte Aventador Lamborghini at the 2019 First Hawaiian Auto Show @hawaiiautoshow @hawaiiconventioncenter on Sunday March 31, 2019. I attended the show with my friend Brandon Mitsuda @brandon_mitsuda
.
#firsthawaiianautoshow #event #autoshow #carshow #lamborghini #aventador #supercar #auto #car #sportscar #friend
Filed under Events, Friends, Mindfulness, Vehicles
I only catch the #bus for #meetings. Yesterday was different. As usual, I do #work on my @samsungmobile #smartphone and @apple #macbook pro while riding the bus, but I was super excited because I was meeting with my friends Jerry L. Chang @mastif8 and Dick Kim for a get-together @shirokiyajvw !!! Jerry and I served in the Hawaii State House of Representatives together. He is also a real estate developer and former administrator for the University of Hawaii at Hilo. We have so much fun memories, especially our adventurous travels to other states and countries. He’s a great statesman and has so much positive energy. Jerry has been a huge mentor in my life!!! 😊
Dick is an import/export businessman doing trade between the United States and many countries. He is a very kind person, and I enjoy listening about how he sees opportunities in business. He has also influenced my life as such a positive and kind person!!! 😊
I’m so lucky to have wonderful experiences with great people like Jerry and Dick!!!
#friends #mentor #influencer #goodtimes #funtimes #memories #experiences #business #entrepreneurs #politics #politicians #happy #joy #love #lucky #happiness #mindfulness #mindful #gratitude #grateful #thankful #shirokiya #shirokiyavillagewalk
Filed under Food, Friends, Gratitude, Happiness, Inspirational, Life, Life Coach, Mindfulness, Motivational, Positive Living, Quotes
My friend Mike Noguchi picked me up at Ala Moana Hotel where I was working at after a meeting with a client at Ala Moana Center. He treated me to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays @rubytuesdayhawaii in Moanalua, Hawaii.
On a sad note, a close friend of my family died, my dad’s really good friend. He was my cub scout master, soccer coach, metal shop teacher, political supporter, and a mentor on how to live a positive life. He was always smiling and laughing. He always took my family and I to the airport and picked us up when we traveled. I’m deeply saddened.
#friends #lovedones #gratitude #sad #sadness #life
Thank you to my #friends Brandon @brandonraimitsuda and Ellen Mitsuda for picking me up in Waikiki yesterday evening after I finalized some #legal documents for a client and taking me to #dinner at Outback Steakhouse @outback in Kapolei, Hawaii! Brandon has been my good friend since 2000. We studied the bar together, planned and executed our entry into Hawaii #politics, and practice a lifestyle to try and maintain inner peace so we can spread some good #energy to others. In #life, we will have wonderful #experiences, but we will always face #challenges. It’s the adversity that really tests how positive our soul is. Brandon is one of those awesome people who can lift my #soul even when I’m in the depths of #darkness.
Deep content for a #food post.
Daily Practices: Be present ( #mindfulness ) with your loved ones, #rejuvenate with positive people, and be #grateful to have them in your lives.
#thankful #gratitude #lovedones #outbacksteakhouse #kapolei #hawaii #hawaiifood #hawaiieats #foodpic #restaurant #dailypractice #dailyhabit #mindset #mentalhealth #positivemindset #mindful
Filed under Food, Friends, Gratitude, Happiness, Life, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Positive Living
When I eat, I do my best to be #present and enjoy the #flavors of my #meal. I’m #grateful for being able to #experience it and #thankful for the #efforts of the #chefs and #staff in preparing the meal.
Here’s a close-up on the #hamachi #sashimi I had a week ago or so @magurobrothershawaii in Chinatown, #honolulu #hawaii .
My daily practices: #mindfulness & #gratitude .
#mindful #hawaiieats #hawaiifood #hawaiirestaurant #japanesefood #japanesecuisine #hawaiilife #oahueats #honolulueats #selfdevelopment #selfimprovement #selfhelp #peace #innerpeace
Filed under Food, Gratitude, Happiness, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Peace, Positive Living, Quotes
When I was younger, I often skipped breakfast and went straight to work. Now, I do my best to eat breakfast. Here are some of the benefits:
I’m pictured here on the morning of Tuesday March 19, 2019. I had just awakened with puffed up and uncombed hair. I’m holding my bowl with oatmeal and sliced banana. These foods are very beneficial for us, which I’ll go over in future posts.
My daily practices: breakfast, mindfulness, and gratitude!
Have yourself a wonderful breakfast so you can attack your day with a healthy mind and body!
With Warmest Aloha, Jon
#breakfast #meal #firstmeal #food #energy #morning #routine #habits #practices #practice #health #metabolism #weight #mentalhealth #mind #body #productivity #concentration #memory #body #oatmeal #banana #mindful #mindfulness #grateful #thankful #gratitude
Filed under Food, Gratitude, Health, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Positive Living, Productivity, Writing
The public access room at the Hawaii State Capitol is my office when I’m there. Grateful for those who created this service for the public for as long as I can remember, dating back to when I was volunteering for my friend when he was a State Representative, the late U.S. Congressman K. Mark Takai while I was Vice President of the #studentgovernment at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
My daily #practices : #mindfulness and #gratitude
#hawaiistatecapitol #publicaccess #mindfulness #mindful #grateful #thankful #gratitude #workhardanywhere #mobileoffice #office #pc #computer @apple #macbookpro #workonthego #hustle #grind #law #lawmaking #business #entrepreneurship #governmentaffairs #government #privatepublicpartnership #honolulu #hawaii #oahu #dailypractice
Filed under Business, Career, Computer, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, Gratitude, Laptop, Law, Mindfulness, Motivation, Productivity
I’m a strong believer in having a positive mindset in order to be happier and more fulfilled in life. In this post, I would like to point out the importance of us having a growth mindset, which is believing that our abilities and intelligence can be developed. We can develop our knowledge and skills by reading and practicing everyday. The more we work on our knowledge and skills, the better we get. If we keep up this daily practice, over time, we may attain the knowledge and become very good at the skills we envisioned ourselves achieving.
I like to schedule in my Google calendar blocks of time to learning and building skills and I color code them according to the subject matter. I count each 30-minute period of learning or practicing as a “win” in my Count My Wins program I created for myself. This program gives me a natural high from the happy chemicals released when I finish each 30-minute self-development session. I’m a very curious person so I push myself even in areas I’m unfamiliar with. I really want to become a better person mentally, spiritually, and physically.
Have fun in your self-development! Crush it!
3 of my daily practices: growth mindset, mindfulness, and gratitude.
(I took a picture of these plants and trees in Waikele, Hawaii on March 12, 2019. They represent growth in our growth mindset practice. I’m always mindful of the beauty around me. I’m grateful to experience such simple pleasures.)
#growthmindset #learn #read #skills #skillset #skillsets #practice #practices #dailypractice #habits #selfdevelop #mind #body #soul #positivemindset #mindset #mindfulness #mindful #gratitude #grateful #thankful #trees #plants #sky #simplepleasures
Filed under Books, Buddhism, Business, Career, Compassion, Consistency, Creative Writing, Empathy, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship, Events, Exercise, Fiction, Goals, Gratitude, Haiku, Health, Law, Life Coach, Love, Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivation, Music, Novels, Peace, Politics, Positive Living, Productivity, Promoter, Psychiatry, Psychology, Quotes, Romance, Sports, Stories, Study, Success, Technology, Writing
Technology has made it easier for us to produce and consume. When I started an Internet retail store selling Hawaiian themed products back in 2002, customers were increasingly becoming more comfortable on buying products online. Now, it’s a part of our lifestyle. It’s such an exciting time where we don’t need offices and brick and mortar stores. We can bypass the gatekeepers and provide value straight to the consumers. We can research and learn online. We can produce content and services on our computers. We can communicate with one another in many ways. It’s also a great time for artists and entrepreneurs to disrupt markets and be found. I just love this time period and it will keep getting better!
In this picture, I was working on my @apple Macbook Pro in the lounge of a hotel on March 6, 2019 before my lunch meeting with a law client in regards to business contracts and business documents. Isn’t this lounge and all the plants beautiful!
I’m so grateful for technology and all of my technology toys for work! They make the hustle fun!
My daily practice: mindfulness and gratitude!
#technology #internet #online #apple #macbookpro #laptop #computer #workanywhere #law #businesslaw #transactionallaw #contractlaw #agreements #contracts #attorney #lawyer #business #entrepreneur #waikiki #oahu #honolulu #hawaii #hustle #grind #work #fun #mindfulness #mindful #gratitude #grateful
Filed under Business, Career, Computer, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, Gratitude, Laptop, Law, Life Coach, Mindfulness, Motivation, Productivity, Quotes, Writing
In the past year, I’ve stopped using my briefcase that I got from the University of Hawaii at Manoa bookstore when I was a college student and turned to my awesome REI Bookpacker Plus backpack that I used while a law student at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. It’s so comfortable and sturdy, great for walking and moving about in the bus transportation system in Honolulu, Hawaii. Briefcases aren’t comfortable to carry. Backpacks like the REI Bookpacker Plus has cushion and support for long walks.
My REI Bookpacker Plus also has a lot of space and compartments to put all my useful things. My backpack carries the following: good luck charms; Apple MacBook Pro; plastic folders of different colors from Office Depot and Fisher, which holds my business material; black gunmetal Bose Quietcomfort 25 noise-cancelling headphones; black Bose Soudsport wireless headphones; space gray Apple iPod; plugs and cables for my devices; batteries; black Imation flash drive; black with silver designs samurai umbrella by Waterfront in Japan; UNIQLO black foldable windbreaker hoodie; black Fossil sunglasses; black with gold accent Perry Ellis prescription glasses; several pairs of Dailies AquacomfortPlus contact lenses; Victorinox Swiss Army knife with my first and middle name on the transparent frame that my mom and dad got for me when they went to Switzerland; blue-purple with gold accents Parker dress pen; blue Eagle Scout pen with a rubber end to touch the screen of my phone, great for designing ads; pens; mechanical pencil; eraser; gray Totoro foldable reusable bag; black blue gunmetal Tiger Sahara stainless steel water bottle; hand sanitizer; napkins; and food and snacks.
The one thing I need is a portable charger to recharge my smartphone. I’ll reward myself this once I achieve a major goal.
All in all, I’m pretty functional as a mobile office with the gear I have in my backpack. The only times, I need my office is to work on my finances with my Dell PC desktop; scan, copy, and print in color and black and white documents on my Brother Inkjet All-in-One, or print large amounts of documents quickly in black and white with my Dell laser printer. I’m extremely grateful for my backpack and all my useful things in it that help me to maximize my productivity. It makes work fun!
My daily practice: gratitude!
#mobileoffice #portableoffice #smartphone #laptop #backpack #goodluck charms #folders #headphones #ipod #mp3player #umbrella #plugs #cables #batteries #flashdrive #umbrella #windbreaker #hoodie #sunglasses #glasses #contactlenses #pocketknife #dresspen #pens #mechanicalpencil #eraser #reuseablebag #waterbottle #handsanitizer #napkins #food #snacks #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #useful #products #fun
Filed under Business, Career, Clothing, Computer, Exercise, Fashion, Gratitude, Laptop, Mindfulness, Motivation, Music, Productivity, Study, Success, Writing
From the middle, suffering expands our gratitude practice by making us more present and aware of the light in a mass of darkness, which is all the good things we have in our lives. Here are my 10 examples of how suffering can expand our gratitude practice:
1. When a loved one dies, we’re grateful for the time we had with that person.
2. When our romantic relationship falls apart, we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to experience romance.
3. When we fail at a goal, we’re grateful for the lessons we learned from the failure.
4. When we face financial hardship, we’re grateful for every little thing we have that helps us get by.
5. When we provide value for others and get attacked by opposition or critics, we’re grateful for our ability to create value for others and evolve.
6. When facts in litigation aren’t believed where we face fines, jail, or unfavorable rulings for business, divorce or our personal life, we’re grateful that we had the opportunity to tell what happened.
7. When we can no longer drive a vehicle, we’re grateful for public transportation.
8. When our health declines, we’re grateful for still being alive and having what abilities we still have.
9. When we are wronged by people, we’re grateful for all the positive people in our lives.
10. When our life appears to be in turmoil, we’re grateful that we were born to even have a shot at life.
3 of my daily practices are shown here: the middle way, gratitude, and listening to music (Im wearing Bose Soundsport)!
#middleway #gratitude #buddhism #music #practices #dailypractices #bose #bosesoundsport #grateful #thankful #mentalhealth #health #mindset #positivemindset #mindfulness #mindful #peace #innerpeace
Filed under Buddhism, Business, Community, Compassion, Consistency, Creative Writing, Empathy, Entrepreneurship, Failure, Family, Friends, Goals, Gratitude, Happiness, Health, Life, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivation, Positive Living, Quotes, Writing
With the passing of my aunty JoAnn Matsumoto on February 1, 2019 due to pneumonia, I’ve fallen deeper into sadness. I feel an emptiness in my soul. Everyday I practice gratitude, mindfulness, meditation, creative writing, and my many other positive practices to keep moving forward. Nothing seems to matter to me except for those I love and my fiction and nonfiction writing for my far-reaching entertainment company. Everything in the stories I create embodies what my aunty JoAnn was: loving, caring, compassionate, emphatic, and positive. All my worse problems are small in comparison to losing my aunty. I would go to prison for my driving under the influence charge and lose more money with start-ups to have her back.
Yesterday, March 7, 2019, I attended the funeral services for my aunty JoAnn. She’s my mom’s cousin. She was like a sister for my mom Laraine and her sisters aunty Jamie and aunty Maydeen and brother Wilson because she stayed with them and their parents when she moved to Oahu for college from Hawaii island and spent so much time with them up to her recent passing.
My friends, cherish every moment with your loved ones. Them being with us makes our problems small. We can always make our comeback but we can’t get our loved ones back in physical form once they’re gone. We can always find ways to make money but that stuff doesn’t impact us the way good people do. I love you all. May peace be with you.
#aunty #aunt #joannmatsumoto #loving #caring #compassionate #emphatic #positive #family #lovedones #sadness #emptiness #suffering #life #career #business #entrepreneurship #prioritize #whatisimportant #timeisprecious #writing #fiction #nonfiction #creativewriting #healsmysoul #mindset #positivemindset #loveyou
o
Filed under Business, Career, Compassion, Creative Writing, Death, Empathy, Entertainment, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, Family, Gratitude, Journal, Life, Life Coach, Live Events, Love, Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Quotes, Writing
Live the middle way. From the middle, dark and light is one. From the middle, we can see everything, dark, light, and everything in between. If you can see the light in darkness, then you can be grateful in your darkest moments.
Humans are prone to judging others and experiences. From the middle, you don’t jump to conclusion that someone is either dark or light, good or bad. From the middle, you don’t jump to conclusion that an experience is dark or light, good or bad.
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.
When you experience suffering, you may feel tempted to label it as darkness, which will drag you further down into sadness, frustration, and/or anger, all negative emotions that pushes away 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.
From the middle, suffering expands our gratitude practice by making us more present and aware of all the good things we have in our lives. Here are my 10 examples of how suffering can expand our gratitude practice:
1. When a loved one dies, we’re grateful for the time we had with that person.
2. When our romantic relationship falls apart, we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to experience romance.
3. When we fail at a goal, we’re grateful for the lessons we learned from the failure.
4. When we face financial hardship, we’re grateful for every little thing we have that helps us get by.
5. When we provide value for others and get attacked by opposition or critics, we’re grateful for our ability to create value for others and evolve.
6. When facts in litigation aren’t believed where we face fines, jail, or unfavorable rulings for business, divorce or our personal life, we’re grateful that we had the opportunity to tell what happened.
7. When we can no longer drive a vehicle, we’re grateful for public transportation.
8. When our health declines, we’re grateful for still being alive and having what abilities we still have.
9. When we are wronged by people, we’re grateful for all the positive people in our lives.
10. When our life appears to be in turmoil, we’re grateful that we were born to even have a shot at life.
2 of my daily practices: the middle way and gratitude.
Waikele on the early morning of February 22, 2019.
#middleway #middle #practice #buddhism #light #dark #good #bad #empathy #compassion #love #grateful #gratitude #thankful #mindset #positivemindset #mentalhealth #health #staypositive #positivity #positiveliving #peace #innerpeace
Filed under Buddhism, Business, Career, Compassion, Empathy, Gratitude, Health, Life, Life Coach, Love, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivation, Peace, Positive Living, Writing
Fade out or keep going? What are we chasing after in this competitive and sometimes cruel world? Money? Power? Fame? When you reach it, you get attacked by others and punished more severely. Is it worth it? I think most of us want to be happy and at peace. There’s something beautiful in fading out from the craziness of society to be with your own soul in a peaceful and quiet life. Maybe live a simple life near the ocean or up in the mountains. It sounds so nice to meditate, read, research, write, create art, produce content that helps others, build a service for others using technology, and only hang out with those who lift your spirit. I’m not saying to completely cut ourselves off from the world. We could still continue our hustle to create value for others from afar, only coming back to society for our loved ones and for our most passionate projects. Do you feel this sometimes? If this was possible would you try it?
This is a picture of the sunset in Waikele, Hawaii on 2/19/19.
#fadeout #keepgoing #money #power #fame #peace #innerpeace #alonetime #meditate #happiness #simplelife #ocean #mountains #sunsets #clouds #family #lovedones #lifestylebusiness #write #read #research #fiction #nonfiction #poetry #art #music #content #contentcreation #technology #services
Filed under Books, Buddhism, Business, Career, Community, Creative Writing, Creativity, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship, Family, Friends, Goals, Happiness, Inspiration, Life, Life Coach, Love, Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivation, Nature, Nonattachment, Novels, Peace, Poems, Positive Living, Productivity, Stories, Success, Writing
I was so lucky to spend time with my younger sister and my baby niece in February 2019 when they came to Oahu, Hawaii for my baby sister’s baby shower, which I helped to prepare! Here, my niece’s laughter and smile is so cute!!!
The speed in which a baby develops is a great example on how valuable time is. I dedicate every Sunday for my family in person and by video calling my family in the San Francisco Bay area. My parents, baby sister, brother-in-law, and I fly out about twice a year to be with my sister, brother-in-law, and nieces on the U.S. Mainland. We hang out in California or travel to different places. They also visit us in Hawaii. Further, I do my best to attend all of my extended family’s gatherings and events. I also spend some time with my friends.
We don’t know how much time we have to live. Neither can we predict how much time our loved ones will live. When I’m with my loved ones, I do my best to be present and absorb all I can, every moment. I love my family and friends. May you have joy with your loved ones as well. Take care!
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#baby #niece #family #lovedones #friends #mindfulnes #mindful #grateful #gratitude #thankful #love #hawaii
Filed under Family, Friends, Gratitude, Happiness, Inspiration, Life, Life Coach, Love, Mindfulness, Positive Living
I took a picture of the half moon in downtown Honolulu after an event while waiting for the bus to go to my next event on the early evening of February 12, 2019. The view looked even more beautiful in person! Being present has made me more appreciative of the beauty around me.
Second, I’m super grateful for the terrific bus system in Honolulu, Hawaii. I told Mayor Kirk Caldwell at the event that The Bus is awesome!
He replied, “Jon, it was always awesome!”
“I didn’t get to experience how awesome it is until now!” I said. Not driving a vehicle for a year has made me super grateful of public transportation. I can’t wait to use the rail, which I voted in support of when I was a politician in the Hawaii State Legislature.
Two of my daily practices: mindfulness and gratitude!!! Crush it my friends!!!
#mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #mindful #moon #halfmoon #architecture #towers #beautiful #bus #publictransportation #business #politics #events #businessevents #work #honolulu #hawaii #oahu #lessismore #appreciative #lovelife
Filed under Business, Career, Entrepreneurship, Events, Gratitude, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Positive Living, Writing
Since I was young, I would dream or have visions of what I wanted to achieve or experience. I observed people who were at a level I aspired to be. Then I would relentlessly work on my skills & knowledge everyday for hours. Over many years, usually at least 7 years, I would attain my dreams or at least a portion or variation of them. I would like to note that I had many failures too.
When I was about 9 years old, I was determined to become a better soccer player. I admired a skilled & speedy soccer player, Shane Uemoto who played as a wing forward on the Pearl City High School soccer team & had number 12 on his jersey. I loved the exciting way he played the game & how he was well-liked by his teammates. Shane was also a very good student, eventually becoming an accountant as an adult.
I would often practice soccer by myself for many hours in addition to the practices with my team. I would train by myself at parks or in my yard until dark & run up & down the hill of my street or at parks to build up my speed. I played with the ball in the house & watched soccer videos over & over on ball handling & strategy. I ran several miles from my house to Pearl City High School to get a peek at Shane & his teammates practicing. I remember riding a school bus on a field trip & I had a vision of Shane running alongside of the bus. Funny right! 😅 Anyways, after a number of years, I ended playing as a right forward on the Pearl City High School soccer team. I scored a whole bunch of goals & assisted others in scoring goals. I proudly wore the number 7 on my jersey & was so elated to live my dream!!!
As an adult, I continue to work hard daily on my dreams & observe amazing people in public service, business & the arts, areas I have a passion for. I’m just as relentless & obsessive as I was when I was a kid in love with soccer. I may not be wearing number 7 on a soccer jersey but it’s in my soul everyday.
#dreams #vision #goals #mentors #virtualmentors #soccer #sports #publicservice #politics #politician #attorney #business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #art #writing #fiction #nonfiction #passion #habits #dailyhabits #practice #dailypractice #consistency #determination #tenacity
Filed under Business, Career, Consistency, Creative Writing, Events, Exercise, Goals, Inspiration, Law, Life, Life Coach, Mindfulness, Motivation, Politics, Productivity, Writing
I enjoy the beauty of clouds! Since I’m always walking to places, I often look up at the sky. Here’s one I took a picture of as I walked to Waikele Premium Outlets @waikelepo , heading to Starbucks @waikelestarbucks to work on 2/5/19. I like the contrast of light and shadows off of the white clouds before a backdrop of blue skies! It’s so soothing for our soul.
#clouds #sunrays #blueskies #light #shadows #photography #photo #picture #nature #art #beautiful #peaceful #waikelepremiumoutlets #waikele #oahu #hawaii #hawaiilife #mindfulness #mindful #grateful #gratitude
Filed under Mindfulness, Nature, Positive Living
Dim the light of my laptop.
Darkness moves all over me.
I play a song.
The melodic sound pulls my soul.
I float to a place where only emotions flow.
The feelings of love overwhelms me.
Tingling sensations move throughout me.
I cry.
– Poem, Jon Riki Karamatsu, 2/22/19 –
I wrote this poem in about a minute in the early morning of 2/22/19. Poems are a way for us to write at a higher emotional realm. It’s therapeutic for me. When I was younger, I would go to events & gatherings that often involved alcohol. I would work super hard, nonstop & saw charity events, business mixers, & social gatherings as a break to look forward to, a reward for the hard work I’ve done. Socializing with positive people is good but the alcohol part led me to my DUI incidents, one I called the police on myself, the other I was placed in jail & charged with refusal when I asked questions that only a prosecuting attorney would ask, which I was at the time. There’s other ways to relieve stress, anxiety, & sadness. I spend a great majority of my time with my laptop, my partner. Together, we produce things for myself & others. I catch the bus & only go to events if it’s something I have to do for my business or client, or if it’s for someone I care about. Sometimes I get rides with my mom or my business partner.
To heal my suffering, I have to go within me. By working on creative writing, especially fiction, I can live other lives, experience different places, & fall in love. The words we put on paper evoke our five senses & feelings. Every journey, like our own lives, has its conflicts. Every protagonist has his or her flaws & vulnerability. Without conflicts & character flaws, there is no story. If we did write it, it would be boring. So if you have problems & flaws in your life, you have a story! You’re our protagonist, our hero who we are rooting for!!! Keep going my friends!!!
#poem #poems #creativewriting #poetry #micropoem #poet #quote #quotes #motivationalquotes #motivational #hero #journey #story #storytelling #fiction #nonfiction #experiences #lifeexperience #challenges #conflict #flaws #vulnerability #keepgoing #staypositive #sendinglove #positivemindset
Filed under Books, Business, Career, Consistency, Creative Writing, Entrepreneurship, Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Health, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivational, Writing
Happy Birthday to my friend Itoko!!! She had the Polar Bear Shave Ice @minorihawaii Minori Craft Japanese Tavern, which she wanted to try for awhile since the restaurant was Tsukada Nojo.
#minoricraftjapanesetavern #birthday #happybirthday #celebration #restaurant #japaneserestaurant #hawaiirestaurant #shaveice #dessert #happy #happyday #friends #friendship #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful
Filed under Food, Friends, Gratitude, Happiness, Live Events, Mindfulness
Since I was little, my mom and dad encouraged me to try different things, learn, & work hard. You never know, anything is possible. You may live your dreams. Some of mine came true, like becoming a politician, practicing law, building businesses, & helping nonprofits with a mission of peace within ourselves & the world.
However, when you take a chance on a dream, a vision, a value you want to share with others, you put yourself at risk of failure, criticism, & even hate. I get most of my anxiety worrying about whether I will fail or if someone will attack me or my organization. Most of these anxieties are about things I can’t control. To lessen this darkness that slows down my progress & deflates my happiness, I practice what I can control: (1) Always keep learning & building new skills; (2) Hustle like I’m a fiercely determined soccer striker with #7 on the back of my jersey, practicing my craft everyday so I can play for that championship title; (3) Have patience in the process, as I understand many big goals take years to achieve; & (4) Be grateful from the moment I wake up until I sleep. I appreciate the chance to be alive, all the good things in my life, the lessons of my failures, the ability to learn new things, Hawaii, travel, & my loved ones.
It’s not always easy. We all have our down days. Yet, tomorrow is always another day to crush it! And yes, with a positive mindset, we can achieve great heights & fill our lives with happiness a vast majority of our time. So attack your dreams! Learn, hustle & live with patience. Most importantly, be grateful for your shot at life & all the wonderful things around you!
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#thoughts #practices #learn #hustle #patience #grateful #gratitude #quotes #quote #motivationalquotes #dreams #goals #vision #personallife #career #business #entrepreneurship #books #novels #writing #law #politics #events #peace #innerpeace #worldpeace #hawaii #lovedones #family
Filed under Books, Business, Career, Community, Concerts, Creative Writing, Entrepreneurship, Family, Friends, Goals, Gratitude, Happiness, Inspirational, Law, Life, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivational, Nonattachment, Peace, Philosophy, Politics, Positive Living, Productivity, Quotes, Writing
This afternoon, January 26, 2019, I attended the funeral of my friend and long-time member of Jodo Mission of Hawaii, Mrs. Yoshiko Kitagawa that was held at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Mrs. Kitagawa was a friend of my late grandparents Maurice (passed away in 1992) and Bessie (passed away in 1996) Karamatsu. As President of Jodo Mission of Hawaii, I represented the organization in placing incense at the front of the service.
Mrs. Kitagawa passed away on December 15, 2018 at the age of 99. She was born in Wailuku, Hawaii. She is the founder of L&L restaurant, which was sold to Eddie Flores. Mrs. Kitagawa is survived by her sons, Hiram, Eric; daughters, Mary Lim, Dianne Douglas (Ashley), Audrey Kitagawa (Dr. Gary Umeda); grandsons, Ian Douglas, Kai Melton-Kitagawa.
For the last 3 decades, I would see Mrs. Kitagawa at Jodo Mission of Hawaii’s services and events. For awhile in the last 8 years, she would playfully ask me when I was going to find a girl and settle down. I enjoyed my chats with her. I will miss her.
#funeral #friend #jodomissionofhawaii #jodomissionofhawaii #jodoshuhawaii #jodoshu #buddhism #honolulu #hawaii #mindfulness #mindful #grateful #gratitude #thankful
Filed under Buddhism, Friends, Gratitude, Mindfulness
I ran just under 3 miles in the crisp air. Exercise is one of the key practices to boost our physical, mental, and spiritual health. It’s a super habit, along with sleep and gratitude that makes us feel unstoppable with what we set ourselves out to do!
#exercise #exercising #run #running #runner #runners #jog #jogging #jogger #joggers #practice #practices #habit #habits #dailypractice #dailyhabits #goal #goals #vision #unstoppable #health #mentalhealth #spiritualhealth #mind #body #soul
Filed under Exercise, Health, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivation, Positive Living
I’m so thankful for my mom who has been waking up about 3 a.m. every year to drive me from the Westside of Oahu to the Honolulu Marathon’s starting line by Ala Moana Beach Park. Then she picks me up at about 10 a.m. at Kapiolani Park after I complete the run and receive my medal, shell lei, finisher shirt, malasada (Portuguese fried donut), banana, and Gatorade or water.
After finishing the Honolulu Marathon on Sunday December 9, 2018, my mom and I went to St. Louis Drive Inn for lunch. My mom had an apple turnover and coffee. I chose the fresh seafood plate, which includes sashimi, mahi mahi, shrimp tempura. Ono! (Delicious in Hawaiian language). If you haven’t tried St. Louis Drive Inn yet, or are a visitor wanting to eat what the locals in Hawaii eat, check the drive inn out at 3145 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii.
#honolulumarathon #marathon #marathons #marathoner #run #running #runner #exercise #health #mom #lunch #driveinn #restaurant #restaurants #hawaiirestaurants #hawaiifood #travelfood #platelunch #seafood #ahi #sashimi #shrimptempura #tempura #mahimahi #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #happy
Filed under Exercise, Family, Goals, Health, Live Events, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Positive Living, Restaurant
Personally, I believe in spending fun time with our loved ones. When I was a politician, my calendar was extremely packed with events. As a result, I missed out on some gatherings with my family. Now, I put way more effort to spend time with those who will always be there for me in good times and bad. In our career, people are often around us because they want something for their cause, career, business, or personal lives, which is natural. I’m just saying when you’re down in the gutter, sad, financially broke, sick, or dying, who will be there to comfort you, even help to pick you up? Those few people will be your loved ones. Go and enjoy things with them!
Here, my 3-year-old niece is petting a goat at the San Diego Zoo on October 17, 2018. Cute stuff!
Inbetween your hustle for your dreams, have fun with your loved ones my friends!
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#family #lovedones #niece #priority #fun #mindset #positivemindset #happy #happiness #mentalhealth #health #work #business #entrepreneurship #vacation #play #relax #goat #pettingzoo #sandiego #sandiegozoo #california #gratitude #grateful #thankful #mindful #mindfulness
My niece petting a goat at San Diego Zoo.
Filed under Family, Happiness, Life Coach, Love, Mindfulness
Something’s happening.
A feeling, a buzz-like high.
The light will push through.
– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Haiku Poem #138, 6/27/2018 –
No matter how hard life gets, whether it be financial hardship, a death of a loved one, or a broken heart, we have to do our best to see all the good we have in our life. Day by day as we work at our projects, we get better and a bit closer to our dreams. In person and through social media, we can support one another. We’re in this together.
I took this picture in Waikele, Hawaii on 10/30/2018.
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#haiku #haikus #dailyhaiku #poem #poems #poetry #poet #quote #quotes #writing #creativewriting #writer #novels #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #business #career #motivational #motivationalquote #mentalhealth #thinkpositive #positivemindset #inittogether #youcandoit #goforit #goforbroke #gratitude #thankful #mindful #mindfulness
Filed under Business, Career, Creative Writing, Empathy, Gratitude, Haiku, Happiness, Life, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivational, Poems, Writing
My dad and I replanted a citrus tree and picked sweet potatoes from the same pot of the tree from my dad’s garden. This is the big one rinsed off.
#sweetpotatoes #garden #vegetables #pearlcity #hawaii
Filed under Food, Garden, Gratitude, Mindfulness
You are so precious.
Don’t ever think otherwise.
Flowers bloom from dirt.
– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Haiku Poem #157, 9/18/2018 –
I dedicate this poem to all of you. Keep your heads up!!! The flowers are from the farmers market in Hilo, Hawaii on 9/22/2018.
#haiku #haikupoem #haikupoetry #poem #poetry #quote #quotes #art #creativewriting #writing #books #novels #nonfiction #love #life #positivemindset #mentalhealth #positivelife #positiveliving #joy #happiness #mindfulness #gratitude #flowers #orchids #hilo #hawaii
Filed under Books, Creative Writing, Gratitude, Haiku, Happiness, Life, Life Coach, Love, Mindfulness, Poems, Positive Living, Quotes, Writing
Music plays a huge role in my life. I listen to songs with happy hooks and beats, especially electronic dance music to keep my myself happy and positive and when exercising. Classical and relaxing instrumental music is what I listen to when writing legal documents and researching laws. I like fun music when researching and writing business documents and nonfiction projects. When I write my novels and poems, I enjoy romantic and sad songs so I can bring out the emotions in the characters and dramatic scenes, then I switch to uplifting songs for the happy scenes. Here, I’m wearing my wireless Beats headset from my friend Ryan Sanada in my office with the plumeria flowers in the background. There’s also coconut trees behind the plumeria tree, all very relaxing to look at while I work!
#music #songs #edm #electronicdancemusic #beats #beatsheadphones #headset #headphones #work #law #business #writing #research #fiction #novels #poems #nonfiction #entrepreneurship #office #plumeria #flowers #coconuttrees #oahu #hawaii #mindfulness
Filed under Business, Creative Writing, Electronic Dance Music, Mindfulness, Music, Poems, Pop Music, Writing
The children of a neverending summer jumping off a stepladder into the ocean. As adults, life can come at us hard. Children remind us to live in the present moment. They clearly define mindfulness by the way they live. Beautiful Haleiwa, Hawaii with my friend Mike who added comments on the moment. We reminisced when we were children. We could relate on how these children felt, not wanting the moment to end, playing until the last drop of sunlight.
#children #beach #ocean #sunset #clouds #mindfulness #gratitude #haleiwa #hawaii
Filed under Happiness, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivation, Positive Living
I’ve always been racing against time. Sometimes, I just need to pause and taste it. Death will keep coming for us. Every now and then, we need to laugh at it.
#time #life #death #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #goforbroke
Filed under Gratitude, Life, Mindfulness
Just got cake pops from my Starbucks sister who was just adopted by my Starbucks mother. Lol!
#cakepops #starbucks #afterhours
#friends #mindfulness #gratitude
Filed under Friends, Gratitude, Mindfulness
Didn’t sleep much. Replaced the lights and cleaned my 55-gallon tank in the early morning. Got several Neon Tetras in it.
#fishtank #aquarium #freshwateraquarium #55gallontank #tropicalfish #fish #neontetras #pets #therapy #peace #innerpeace #mindfulness #gratitude
Filed under Gratitude, Mindfulness, Pets
Filed under Business, Career, Creative Writing, Entrepreneurship, Gratitude, Hawaii, Mindfulness, Motivation, Writing
Death is always here.
Keep working on the future.
Leaving gifts for you.
– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Haiku Poem #148, 8/18/2018 –
#haiku #haikupoem #haikupoetry #poem #poetry #art #creativewriting #writing
Filed under Creative Writing, Haiku, Mindfulness, Motivation, Poems, Writing
Jodo Mission of Hawaii’s bon dance is today Friday August 17 and tomorrow Saturday August 18, 2018 from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Food booths starts at 4:30 PM, Jizo bon prayer is at 5:45 PM, Taiko performance by Dragon Beat is at 6:00 PM, and bon dancing begins at 6:30 PM. Jodo Mission of Hawaii is located at 1429 Makiki Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814.
Here, I’m with Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith M. Kaneshiro at Jodo Mission of Hawaii’s bon dance in 2012.
Filed under Buddhism, Events, Gratitude, Mindfulness, Nonprofit
No pill can pack all the health benefits of exercise. It’s good for our mind and body. My favorite is running outdoors. I’ve enjoyed running since my days playing soccer.
#exercise #running #run #outdoors #health #mind #body #waikele #hawaii #mindfulness
Filed under Exercise, Health, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivation, Positive Living
I learned gratitude from my mom. She has also encouraged me to try new things since I was a child. Anything is possible is what my mom instilled in me. I share with her and my dad every plan I have.
Here’s my mom and my baby niece at Pearl Ridge Center, Aiea, Hawaii on 8/2/2018.
#mom #niece #baby #family #influencer #pearlridge #pearlridgemall #aiea #hawaii #mindfulness #gratitude #anythingispossible
Filed under Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Influencer, Mindfulness, Motivational
What’s up! One of my favorite pictures of my niece sitting on grandpa’s lap.
#niece #family #hawaii
Filed under Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Love, Mindfulness, Motivational
I stood on the top of the ridge and admired the beautiful green trees swaying far below with the wind. The last of the blue skies were painted over with shades of gray. Ahead, dark clouds were sweeping in like an angry predator. They swallowed peak after peak and kept coming for me.
I calmly inserted my headphones in my ears and played my favorite song. The happy tune brought me a smile. My time here would be over soon, but I was content. All that came to my mind was my mom, dad, sisters, nieces, family, and my closest friends. It’s funny how we spend much of our lives building so much, pushing through all the problems and terrible people that seemed so important to do back then. Yet, in the last moments of our lives, all we think about are the ones who really mattered. Memories of joy with them came blasting in like a movie in fast forward. You see their faces and then you’re gone.
– Jon Riki Karamatsu, 7/25/2018 –
#creativewriting #writing #peace
Filed under Books, Creative Writing, Family, Friends, Gratitude, Life, Love, Mindfulness, Peace, Writing
We all face stressful events and people. For me, practicing a positive mindset, reframing the stressful events as challenges, exercise, sleep, happy music, reading and listening about positive practices performed by others, creative writing, meditation, and positive relationships help me in maintaining my mental and physical resilience against stress. Here’s a great article on how we can better manage our stress.
Filed under Health, Life Coach, Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Sleep
Dinner with my friend Brandon Mitsuda on Saturday July 22, 2018 at Coco Ichibanya Curry House. We talked about our times in politics, current political elections, my business projects, positive living, friends who have passed away, and our dreams.
#dinner #friend #curry
#cocoichibanya #aiea
#hawaii #mindfulness #gratitude
Filed under Friends, Gratitude, Mindfulness
Working after a breakfast meeting at Waikele Country Club. Such a relaxing location!
#work #business #law #macbookpro #macbook #laptop #waikelecountryclub #waikele #hawaii #mindfulness #gratitude
Filed under Business, Career, Gratitude, Mindfulness
Signs of peace. Rays of light coming down as I flash my peace sign.
#signsofpeace #raysoflight #rays #peace #innerpeace #mindfulness #gratitude
Filed under Love, Mindfulness
This evening I walked 1.5 mile to Office Depot in Waikele to buy printer cartridges, then ran 2.5 miles. Love my Bose Soundsport. Grateful for my Nike shirt from my sister Lara. My shoes, Asics Kayano. Visor, Nike. Exercise plays a big role in maintaining my physical and mental health.
#exercise #walking #running #nike #shirt #visor #asics #kayano #shoes #bose #bosesoundsport #health #physicalhealth #mentalhealth #positivemindset #mindfulness #gratitude #waikele #hawaii
Filed under Exercise, Gratitude, Mindfulness
JON RIKI KARAMATSU 