I cherish my time with my family. I dedicate my Sundays to be with them. My family and I in Hawaii enjoy video calling my sister and her family on the U.S. mainland.
Here’s a collage of photos with my niece and I on April 10, 2019.
Have fun with your family!
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#family #lovedones #moments #preciousmoments #familytime #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #mindful #oahu #hawaii #hawaiilife #hawaiilifestyle
My niece and I.
Filed under Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Life Coach, Love, Mindfulness
Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and two younger sisters! I love them so much. My mom taught me love, compassion, empathy, and gratitude, all the fundamentals of life. My sisters are amazing moms for their young children. I’m super lucky!
Every single mom, whether they’re with us physically or in spirit means so much. Often times, they bring balance to our lives and world because they truly want the best for us. They want to see us happy. Sending my love to all you moms out there!
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#mom #mother #mothersday #family #lovedones #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #happy #love #compassion #empathy
Filed under Compassion, Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Life, Love, Mindfulness, Writing
If you ever need to move furniture and appliances, the Shoulder Dolly @shoulderdolly_official is amazing!!! On May 8 and 9, 2019, my friend and I was able to move really big furniture with this product that would have been very difficult without it. I’m super grateful for the entrepreneur(s) and workers at or contracted with Shoulder Dolly who created such a value!!!
Here’s a product that solves a challenge and sparks joy!!! Mahalo Shoulder Dolly @shoulderdolly_official !!! Great job!!!
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#shoulderdolly #usefulproduct #greatproduct
#business #entrepreneurs #entrepreneur #value #goodvalue
#movingfurniture #movinghouse #mindful #mindfulness #bepresent #grateful #gratitude #thankful #useful #products #product
I used the Shoulder Dolly in Hawaii with my friend to move large furniture.
My friend Mike made some awesome cornish hen, a great meal after we did some moving of furniture for his mom the past two days. I don’t watch much TV or movies so it was great to see Aquaman and Game of Thrones over dinner. Nice to see a Hawaii boy star in a big studio film! Game of Thrones is such a moving and inspirational TV show and book series for me!
We can’t just work on our #career all the time. Every so often we need to reset our daily #hustle by helping others, and enjoying a meal and conversation with friends. It’s also good to watch a movie and read a #book that lifts our spirits. Our #experiences and #messages can transcend this physical world. When we die, they live on through those we’ve touched. The messages we leave behind through our content will share a bit of our soul for others going through their journey of life.
#cornishhen #hen #poultry #hawaiifood #hawaiieats #onolicious #hawaiigrinds #grindz #onogrindz #homemadecooking #ono #yum #yummy delicious #foodpicture #foodphoto #foodphotography #foodpic #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful
Filed under Business, Career, Friends, Gratitude, Happiness, Life, Life Coach, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Positive Living
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.
Filed under Books, Branding, Business, Career, Compassion, Consistency, Creative Writing, Empathy, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, Family, Fiction, Friends, Goals, Gratitude, Happiness, Inspiration, Law, Life, Love, Mindfulness, Motivation, Peace, Positive Living, Quotes, Writing
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.
Filed under Buddhism, Creative Writing, Goals, Gratitude, Happiness, Inspirational, Life Coach, Love, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Motivational, Positive Living, Quotes, Writing
My niece and I on 4/6/19. I’m super grateful to have these moments with my loved ones!
#niece #family #familytime #lovedones #priority #mindfulness #mindful #grateful #gratitude #thabkful #joy #happy #love
My niece and I with all the stuff animals around us as she eats!
Filed under Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Love, Mindfulness
I’m grateful to be alive to experience life. I enjoy capturing beautiful #sceneries like this with the #moon and #clouds above the evergreen #trees at Waikele Country Club @golfwaikele on March 14, 2019 as I walked around the neighborhood in Waikele, Hawaii.
Daily Practice: Gratitude and Mindfulness!
#gratitude #grateful #thankful #mindful #mindfulness #happy #happiness #joy #photo #hawaii #pic #photography #evergreentrees #golfcourse #waikelecountryclub #oahu #hawaiilife #hawaiiphotography #hawaiiscenery #sky #skypictures #clouds #cloudpictures #peaceful
Moon and clouds above the Evergreen Trees at Waikele Country Club.
Filed under Gratitude, Happiness, Hawaii, Photo, Positive Living
My niece and I making different funny faces on 4/9/19!
Practice: Spend time with my loved ones!
#niece #family #familytime #lovedones #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #happy #happiness #joy #love #memories #honolulu #hawaii
My niece and I on 4/11/2019!
Practice: Spend time with my loved ones!
#niece #family #familytime #lovedones #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #happy #joy #fun #love #oahu #hawaii
Filed under Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Life, Love, Mindfulness, Positive Living
I’m super grateful for my REI Bookpacker Plus @rei from my law school days! It’s so comfortable and sturdy for walking a few miles here and there and traveling in mass transit on land and in air. It has a lot of space and small compartments to hold things. In this day and age, we can produce content on the go with a laptop, smart phone, and a great backpack to carry everything.
Here, I finished working at Starbucks at Ala Moana Hotel @alamoanahotel on 4/11/2019.
Daily Practice: Mindfulness and Gratitude!
#rei #bookpackerplus #backpack #work #travel #mobileoffice #business #law #government #marketing #branding #writing #creativewriting #books #novels #nonfiction #hustle #grind #dailypractice #mindfulness #mindful #grateful #gratitude #thankful #alamoanahotel #oahu #honolulu #hawaii #hawaiilife
Filed under Uncategorized
I have so much #gratitude for Starbucks @starbucks , especially the @waikelestarbucks @waikelepo because the baristas are so nice and the #vibe is good. I can #work there for 10 hours straight. Pictured here are some free samples: a brownie and the Pink Drink! Grateful ! Got my constant companion, my @apple #macbookpro #laptop ! 💻
For the past few years, I feel like almost every month or two, someone I know dies. My last poem was about racing against time. It’s the 9th time since 2004 that I’ve titled a post on my website “Racing Against Time.” We have to go all-out on what we want to do before our time in this realm expires. I’m super #thankful to have lived this long and experienced many things I envisioned #accomplishing but I still have so much more on my mind that I need to execute before I die. I’m quadrupling down on my work and going harder now! 💻
My friends, keep going, keep loving, and keep smiling! 😀
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#keepgoing #hustle #grind #read #learn #write #relationships #consistency #dailyhabits #smallwins #business #career #love #mindful #mindfulness #happy #process #workanywhere #books
#novels #poems #law #fiction
Filed under Books, Business, Career, Computer, Consistency, Creative Writing, Entrepreneurship, Exercise, Family, Fiction, Friends, Goals, Gratitude, Happiness, Health, Law, Life, Life Coach, Mindfulness, Motivation, Nonfiction, Poems, Positive Living, Productivity, Quotes, Stories, Study, Writing
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
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
Just my soul and I.
We talk and laugh.
Sometimes we cry.
We travel to the heavens with visions.
Clips of action of what could be.
We don’t need much.
Only ideas on how to get there.
Because we’re relentless in getting there.
– Jon Riki Karamatsu, Poem, 3/17/19 –
#poem #poems #poetry #poet #poets #writing #writings #creativewriting #writer #writers #author #authors #fiction #nonfiction #novel #novels #book #books #quote #quotes #motivational #inspirational #emotions #selfdevelopment #selfimprove #selfhelp #mindset #positivemindset #lookwithin #mentalhealth #mindfulness #mindful #grateful #thankful #gratitude
Filed under Blog, Books, Business, Career, Creative Writing, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship, Inspirational, Journal, Life, Life Coach, Mental Health, Motivation, Motivational, Nonfiction, Novels, Poems, Quotes, Writing
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
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
I’m grateful for all those who create value for us, especially the tools we use in our self-development! I often post about my gratitude for my @apple Macbook Pro because it’s my biggest tool I use to learn and produce value for others. Here, @asics shoes, specifically the Asics Kayano running shoes plays a huge role in my health since this is my go to shoes for running, walking, and casual wear. I already wore them for the 2019 Great Aloha Run @greataloharun !They’re supportive, light, and very comfortable! I also love the design and colors, which plays a role in lifting my spirit! 🥇 👟
Get products that are not only practical but visually and spiritually uplifting! That way we’re productive and mentally lifted!!! 🥇
These are 2 of my daily practices: gratitude and maximize tools for our self-development!!! Attack your vision and dreams my friends!!! With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#asics #asicskayano #runningshoes #shoes #value #gratitude #grateful #thankful #selfdevelopment #selfimprovement #selfimprove #selfhelp #health #mentalhealth #exercise #happiness #mindset #positivemindset #toolsforsuccess #dreams #goals #vision
Filed under Uncategorized
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
Here’s 2 of my morning practices: gratitude and listen to happy music! I wake up with gratitude to be alive and have an opportunity to try all kinds of stuff! I listen to some upbeat music, usually electronic dance music! To my critics against me when I co-produced the electronic dance music (“EDM”) concerts with G-Spot or Greg Dehnert, my friend since college, I really love EDM and that’s why I did business in that subsector of entertaiment! Everyday I use my wireless Beats headsets @beatsbydre I got for my yakudoshi from my good friend, Ryan Sanada. I say all my thanks and bounce to the beats of a happy song! Setting this positive mindset helps me to attack my work for the day! If my energy goes down, I recharge myself with another gratitude prayer and session of listening to fun music! Crush it my friends!!!
#practices #habits #dailypractices #dailyhabits #morningpractices #selfdevelopment #selfimprovement #selfhelp #motivation #personallife #career #business #entrepreneurship #law #writing #gratitude #grateful #thankful #music #edm #electronicdancemusic #upbeat #happy #songs #positivemindset #positivemood #positiveenergy #mindset #oahu #hawaii
Filed under Uncategorized
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
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 attended the Opening Day of the 2019 Hawaii State Legislature on Wednesday January 16, 2019. This is a photo I took from the third floor of the Hawaii State Capitol. 🏛
My business partners and I are working to build facilities, infrastructure, and services for private jets at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (“KOA”), which will create jobs and revenue for Hawaii island and the State of Hawaii. Further, our entities are helping the State on improvements they want in their KOA master plan. 🛫
Further, my other business partner and I passed out coupon fliers for our client Minori Craft Japanese Tavern @minorihawaii , a Japanese restaurant located near the Hawaii Convention Center at 1731 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii. 🥢
It was nice to see old friends and colleagues when I served in the Hawaii State House of Representatives from 2002 to 2010. I also got to meet recently elected politicians and new friends. 😊
Even though I’ve been trying to live quietly and alone for about 3.75 years, I still have the passion and love for playing a small role in Hawaii’s future, now entirely through the private and nonprofit sectors. To all my friends I saw hustling to make Hawaii better, thank you! 🤗
#hawaiistatelegislature #hawaiistatecapitol #politics #politicians #representatives #senators #colleagues #friends #oldfriends #newfriends #business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #aviation #jets #privatejets #fixedbaseoperator #kona #airport #restaurant #japaneserestaurant #honolulu #hawaii #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #optimistic #lovehawaii
Filed under Business, Career, Entrepreneurship, Goals, Law, Restaurant
My niece and I on 10/21/2018 in the Bay Area, California.
#family #lovedones #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #memories #experiences
This is how I woke up on Christmas day 2018. I slept in my nieces’ playroom. I really enjoyed Christmas with my family! I hope you had a good time as well!
Let’s end 2018 with all we’ve got! Let’s work on our goals in the last days of December with passion! Let’s add up our daily wins at the end of 2018, which should be a at least a couple thousand. Also, let’s write our 2019 resolutions, amend our life goals, amend our vision board (physical or digital) and attack more daily goals in the new year!
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#christmas #christmasday #holidayseason #goals #vision #determined #driven #focused #newyear #resolutions #newyearresolution #tenacity #patience #mindful #mindfulness #grateful #gratitude #mindset #positivemindset #anythingispossible #believe #health #relationships #business #career #entrepreneurship #lifegoals #visionboard
Filed under Uncategorized
Merry Christmas! Seeing my nieces happy and excited on Christmas Day is such a memorable moment!
#christmas #christmasday #christmastree #christmaspresents #happyholidays #family #lovedones #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful
I had a great time with my friend Allen Yadao and his family at a Christmas Party for the Sinaitenians of Oahu at the Airport Honolulu Hotel. I gave a short message on what Christmas means to me. I told the audience, “The positive energy we are all sharing tonight in this room is what Christmas means to me. To share our love, and laugh. I hadn’t laughed this much in a while, like how I’m laughing all night with my buddy (I pointed to Allen). It feels so good!” I enjoyed greeting and taking pictures with everyone. That was special a night!
[I forgot to post this in December 2018!]
#friends #lovedones #christmas #christmasparty #party #airporthonoluluhotel #hotel #positiveenergy #love #laughter #laugh #friendship #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #happy #happiness
Filed under Events, Family, Happiness, Positive Living
I ran my 11th Honolulu Marathon on Sunday December 9, 2018.
#honolulumarathon #marathon #marathons #marathoner #running #run #runner #exercise #gratitude #grateful #thankful #mindful #mindfulness #accomplishment #goal #goals #health #mentalhealth #mindset #happy
2018 Honolulu Marathon
2018 Honolulu Marathon.
Filed under Exercise, Goals, Gratitude, Motivation
My mom, niece, and I at our Airbnb in San Diego, California on 10/16/2018. We are enveloped by the warm glow of the sunset.
Having some sunlight a day helps us produce Vitamin D, which assists us in having strong bones and prevents cancer. It also helps us better our mood, combatting depression since studies have shown a correlation with Vitamin D deficiency and depression. Just don’t overdo it, which can harm your skin.
So enjoy some time in the sun to get Vitamin D. I enjoy going to the beach to swim and watching sunsets. Take care.
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#vitamind #health #mentalhealth #sun #sunrays #sunset #strongbones #bones #preventcancer #cancer #fightdepression #depression #quote #quotes #family #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #love #joy #happy #happiness #airbnb #sandiego #california
Filed under Positive Living, Writing
My baby niece has a pleasant personality. Hopefully her happy genetics will compound over time and become super when she incorporates positive living practices as she grows older. She’s an inspiring and lovable little girl.
#baby #niece #family #happybaby #babygirl #happy #happygenes #happiness #littlegirl #joy #mindset #positivemindset #pleasant #personality #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #love #mindful #lucky #positiveliving #lifestyle #positivelifestyle #inspiring #lovable #superbaby
My baby niece who is always smiling and pleasant.
Filed under Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Inspirational, Love
Step by step and we’ll get there. My 10-month old niece crawling up the stairs with me on 10/21/2018.
#stepbystep #smallgoals #goals #consistency #dailyhabits #habits #practice #dailypractice #hustle #grind #patience #family #baby #niece #sanmateo #california #mindset #positivemindset #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #happy #happiness #joy #love
Filed under Consistency, Family, Goals, Gratitude, Inspiration, Life, Motivation
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
Happy Thanksgiving! I have so much gratitude for my family. Their love and support has a huge impact on me. I’m able to keep moving forward because of them. Here’s a picture of my family at MW on 11/16/2018 for my mom’s birthday and Legoland and California in October 2018.
I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to be alive. The odds of each of us being born is about 1 in 400 trillion. We’re super lucky to have a shot at life!
Wishing more happiness and peace in your life!
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#thanksgiving #family #lovedones #friends #thankful #thanks #gratitude #grateful #mindset #mentalhealth #positivemindset #positivethinking #positiveoutlook #mindfulness #mindful #love #joy #happy #happiness
My mom’s birthday at MW on November 16, 2018.
My sister Mia, brother-in-law Mike with their three girls. My brother-in-law Ross is also with them.
My niece in her walker at about 10 months old.
Celebrated my mom’s birthday tonight at MW with my dad, sister, and brother-in-law. The owner of MW is my mom’s high school friend’s daughter. It was a great night!
My niece and I riding the open-air bus at San Diego Zoo on 10/17/2018 in San Diego, California. My brother-in-law is behind us, my niece’s dad.
For me, I do my best to spend as much time as I can with my family. My nieces changed everything drastically because time is clearly reflected by how fast they grow up, just like my hair. 😂
Have fun with you family and friends!
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#family #love #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #happy #happiness #mentalhealth #mindset #positivemindset #quote #quotes #vacation #therapy #relaxation #joy #lucky #fun #zoo #sandiegozoo #sandiego #california
My niece and I at our @airbnb in San Diego, California on 10/16/2018. She’s a bold one in my family.
In life, we take chances. After studying, learning, planning, and strategizing, we have to take that leap if we want to find out what’s possible. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. Everytime we grow.
With Warmest Aloha,
Jon
#family #love #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #mindset #mentalhealth #positivemindset #quote #quotes #quoteoftheday #quotesofinstagram #motivationalquotes #motivation #life #career #business #plan #strategize #study #learn #grind #takechances #execute #win #lose #grow
Filed under Business, Career, Family, Motivation
My entire immediate family and most of my extended family attended the wedding rehearsal dinner for my cousin Laura at Alamo, California on 10/14/2018.
I have to make it clear, that I’m nothing if it weren’t for my parents and sisters. Now, I have my three nieces who inspire me to keep hustling on creating value for others and making our world more peaceful. On top of that, I’m lucky to have great uncles, aunties, and cousins. I love them all.
#niece #family #love #mindful #mindfulness #gratitude #grateful #thankful #inspiration #motivation #futuregeneration #children #peace #innerpeace #peaceful #liveinthepresent #countyourwins #wins
My niece and I in San Mateo, California on October 13, 2018.
#niece #family #mindfulness #mindful #gratitude #grateful #thankful #happy #happiness #joy #investinginourfuture #childrenareourfuture #love #reasontolive #futuregeneration
JON RIKI KARAMATSU 