#UnBlockYourself

The Kaizen Approach

One of my favorite mentors, Brian Tracy, usually will pose this question: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
 
Kaizen is typically a Japanese term that means “continuous improvement”, and it is said that there are four types of Zaizen:
1st approach is kaizen teian. 
 
Kaizen Teian: Bottom-Up Improvement
Kaizen Teian describes a form of improvement where people participate to improve their own processes. This bottom-up type of Kaizen drives a cultural transformation because it requires everyone to think about improvement every day, everywhere. At its core, Kaizen Teian is about actively involving all people in improvement. If you want to set out in creating a continuous improvement culture in your organization, you should start with Kaizen Teian.
 
Kaizen Teian encourages every member of the workforce, from leadership to frontline workers, to propose changes that can improve workflow. The idea is that those workers who are in the gemba, or real place, are those more likely to identify real opportunities for improving the flow of their processes.
 
To be successful in Kaizen Teian, one must always be looking to eliminate the eight forms of waste:
Defects: Scrap or products that require rework.
Excess processing: Products that must be repaired to satisfy customers needs.
Overproduction: When there are more parts in production than customers are purchasing. This type of waste spells big trouble for an organization.
Waiting: A person or process inaction on the manufacturing line.
Inventory: A valuable product or material that is waiting for processing or to be sold.
Transportation: Moving a product or material and the costs generated by this process.
Moving: Excessive movement of people or machines. It is more common to talk about people movement, as this leads to wasted effort and time.
Non-utilized talent: When the management team fails to ensure that all the potential and experience of its people are being used. This is the worst of the eight wastes.
*From reverscore.com*
 
A psychiatrist said that we fail at so many things because of the questions we ask ourselves. He says that the brain cannot turn down a question directly given to it. It will continue to search and provide answers until it has satisfied the task. Small precise questions can improve your mental health and performance because like a slow computer, you are not slowed down by all the tasks running in the background. 
 
“We can do no great things, only small things with great love. It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into the doing, and it is not how much we give, but how much love we put into the giving. To God, there’s nothing small. “ - Mother Teresa

First Thoughts = First Drafts

Take your thoughts seriously. They are the first drafts to your next steps in life (if you choose to take action on them). 
 
Every action affects the rest of your life, but every action starts as a thought. We have to think how important it is to keep feeding your mind the thought producing information that will be in favor of the outcome that you seek. 
 
If you want to lose weight, you cannot load up on information going to the five senses of junk food and unhealthy lifestyles. The senses pretty much frame your reality. So input going to them will start to shape your thoughts and behaviors to create, obtain, and scheme until it satisfies its desires. 
 
You get what you want. If you want something, and say don’t, that will come true. You think it won’t and you hear yourself saying it, so you are starting the process of building the reality of feeding yourself information that you can’t, until it is undeniably true. 
 
Your INput determines your OUTcome. 
I’ll post the Ebook link in the comments. 

Your Connected Mind Garden

Yesterday we walked through the elements and meaning of a Japanese Garden. Today I wanted to create a similar miniature garden to be a place to connect and reflect. 
 
Mizu = Water
First we will lay our sand. White sand is often used to represent water, and  that water represents peace, stillness, and also emptiness, meant for less distractions for clarity.   “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:2-3
 
Its also cleansing, and able to make holy.
 
Ishi = Rocks
Stones will be our strong points in the garden,  the larger ones will speak of strength, power, and words of faith, peace and healing. The smaller ones will be used to form paths. “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:40
 
Shokobutsu = Plants
The Plants selected represent life and flexibility, growth, and tranquility. 
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.”
Luke 12:27
 
Tenkeibutsu = Ornaments
The lights being used are to shine light on a path, which represents His word as a light unto my feet. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 
 
Shakkei = Borrowed Scenery
Shakkei is the design of the garden to show the connection between all things not only just in it, but surrounding it too. Setting this in a tray makes it a portable bridge to a secret place in my heart and head.
 
Jesus had a spot in a real garden to pray, that was a place he could think and have His alone time with God. When we sit and need things to start us off, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Phillippians 4:8 seems to be my go to scripture.
 
Hashi = Bridges
Speaking of bridges, I’m going to have to build a little bridge myself, but this whole thing is a bridge. When I am able to sit in my thinking chair and look into this garden, I can instantly cross over from the cares of this world, into my own little garden that has faith, serenity, balance, peace, harmony, and hope!

Elements of a Japanese Garden

Ishi = Rocks
Large stone at the entrance welcome you in. 
The stones represent mountains, and are symbols of strength and power. They are also used to form paths. 
 
Mizu = Water
Water found in the garden is a vital element to life, present there in ponds, streams, and waterfalls, water will usually be found in two states, flowing, and still. Water usually represents purification and cleansing, and the flowing will be like the thoughts emotions and energy flowing around us. The stillness in standing water shows peace, and a place of reflection of self and events. 
 
Shokobutsu = Plants
Plants are selected to be planted in the garden in variety of ways, some choose evergreens because the stay green all year round. Some choose plants that will bloom in certain seasons, and will plant so all seasons will be represented. Also the idea behind trees would be how the trees would show strength in flexibility. 
 
Tenkeibutsu = Ornaments
Ornaments in the garden have their on representations, like Lanterns, being used to shine light on a path, which could also be symbols of enlightenment. Others might include frogs, basins and gates, all having their meaning to the person planting the garden. 
 
Shakkei = Borrowed Scenery
Shakkei is the design of the garden to show the connection between all things not only just in it, but surrounding it too. The gardens a little place, taking up a little bit of space, but in the grand scheme of things, it is still a part of the land, landscape, yard, block, subdivision, city, county, nation, this world. We all may be a tiny piece of the population, but we are here and will make an impact on more than just ourselves.
 
Hashi = Bridges
Its been said that bridges symbolize a person's journey between planes of existence, spiritual and physical realms, and just walking across a bridge can help move you from the worries of the world of humans and work, and stress into a wider world you have created for yourself to allow a moment of harmony and appreciation for what is truly important, your peaceful mental stability.

Directing the Flood

I’ve noticed that whenever I’m in a great state of being in the moment, connected with the things around me, listening to God, that there was, is, and will be a flood of emotions that swirl around me.
 
A tidal wave of thoughts usually will come crashing through the party like, “I know I’m forgetting something”, or, “why did my friend say that to me 5 years ago”, or, why couldn’t I have waited for just a little longer, things would be so different now.”.
 
Just know Everything you need for the moment is available to you at that point. The floods come to take us off task. There is a small portion of them that we need because a lot of times they come up because they were not addressed properly. The floods of emotions and thoughts usually will take us out of the moment, and into the past or the future. With this distraction in play, we find that our connections to things become broken, and it is hard to get right back into it.
 
When we direct the flood, we can accept those thoughts and emotions not as a distractions, but opportunities to address certain things the right way, and connect them to the experience we are experiencing in the moment. When you are in control, you can accept certain thoughts, and guide them into a wealth of knowledge, and also view a thought and direct it to the “not right now” reservoir.
 
Ultimately we add the thoughts coming in as an opportunity to grow. When you are growing, you are gaining, and also living; but when you are not growing, idle or regressing, it is a slow form of deterioration, or not living.

Sakura Moments

In Japan cheery blossom festivals and viewing parties all over. Many people take time to sit outside and bask in the beauty of it all. But it does not last long. 
 
There is such a fixation to enjoy the scenery because it only lasts about 2 weeks, from the blessing to the falling of the petals, and then it’s gone. So for two weeks every meeting with friends underneath the trees is an understood Ichigo Ichie, once in a lifetime gathering. 
 
The scenery may change by the next day, the rain could keep you away, or a strong wing can blow away the petals from the trees, each moment seems to be giving an opportunity to sit down and enjoy, because tomorrow it may be gone, at least for a year. 
 
“A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?”
Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 NIV

Turning your passion into fuel for your purpose

Focus on linking your passions and your first project that will impact you the most. More than likely you’ll see some of your ikigai at work here. 
 
Start to gather what you need. Do research, you probably aren’t the first to come up with the idea, but God is leading you so it will have both your finger prints on it. 
 
Don’t be shy to ask for help. But before you do, be clear on what you actually want to do, for yourself overall and for the other person. 
It’s hard to get someone motivated over something that you have no idea of what it looks like. 
 
Have intentional Implementations. It can come out in steps, in little pieces, but let it be on purpose with purpose. Let people see what God is doing to grow you and project, and let them join in if they are a part of the vision. 
 
Have fun enjoying life every step. 
If you are stressing, you may want to evaluate what is happening. It will not be easy, but you should be excited and enjoy the journey. Stress is a sign you may be putting too much focus on something beyond control, or you are depending on you when someone else should be handling things to make it go smoother. 
 
Just keep an eye out for yourself doing what you’ve been called to do.
 
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:3 NIV
 
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Proverbs 16:9 NIV

What got you here won't get you there

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:3 NIV
 
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Proverbs 16:9 NIV
 
You are where you are because of the decisions you’ve made, and the reaction and responses to life’s lessons. You have planned to be where you are, but most of us haven’t. 
 
The next step is to complete the project and function on a new level. One project at a time, new level after new level, letting your ikigai become your way of life.  
 
Remember for the most of us, we are where we are by accident, not living intentionally. What got you here, won’t get you there. We hardly setup projects and complete them by mistake. It takes planning, commitment, and help from above. Put your plans in God’s hands and He will establish your steps. 
 
Many people spend their lives searching for their purpose in life. 
Ikigai is enjoying the life God has given you as your purpose. Instead of searching for purpose, all the wonderful things that make you you is used to purposefully to be a light to this world. 
 
So, what’s our project for now?