On April 22 each year, people all over the world unite in observances and activities to celebrate our planet and the incredible things we can do to protect it. It’s a day to take a moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made in protecting our environment, and the things we still have left to accomplish. It’s also a day for us to recommit to doing our part to protect our planet for future generations. Each year, we learn more about the ways we can reduce our impact on the environment, and we get a chance to take a step back and consider how we can do even more to power our planet with love and compassion.
Earth Day was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson. A United States senator from Wisconsin, he was working on legislation that would help stop the clearcutting of forests.
In 1969, Nelson saw the terrible environmental destruction caused by the oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Because of that, he wanted to raise public consciousness about the need for greater environmental protection.
On April 22, 1970, millions of people around the world came together to participate in the first Earth Day. This global event was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of protecting our planet and its resources for future generations. Through a variety of rallies, meetings, demonstrations, and other activities, participants sent a clear message that we must all work together to safeguard the Earth’s health and vitality.
Earth Day has now become a global phenomenon and it’s necessary to deliver the voice and knowledge that contributes to sustainable earth for our future.
We have to keep up with the speed of change and deliver the knowledge that contributes to sustainability for our future ahead.
On this earth day amongst many thoughts, I would like to share a subject regarding “learning from the past.”
Yuuko Matsuyama offering diverse groups of people with Life education shares her thoughts on perspectives we can learn from.
“There are certain things that the older generation has done in a precise way that the younger generation hasn’t done.
There are those who think that the common sense that has been established up to now is not worth its weight in gold, but I think that we need to reconsider this because common sense is what people have come to cherish. I think it is easy for younger generations are getting into the foreign groove and may be tempted to ignore looking at the ethos of their own country with care.”
We often tell ourselves stories in order to make sense of our experiences and the world around us.
Sometimes these stories can become so woven into our identity that we forget there ever was another way of looking at things. This is particularly true when it comes to how we view the past and its impact on the future. We may cling to a certain narrative because it offers comfort or a sense of control, but this can blind us to other possibilities and prevent us from moving forward in life. It’s important to be aware of the power that these stories have over us and to question whether they are really serving us well. Only then can we start creating new, more empowering narratives for ourselves.
It is easy in our society to get swept up in the stories others have told us and to forget the power of our own voices.
But those who choose to simply forget the past miss out on its fullest potential.
The same goes for many aspects of culture in different countries. While westernization has somewhat been the norm, remembering one’s cultural roots may certainly provide us with fruitful perspectives.
Yuuko Matsuyama:
It is important that we value the original spirit of spirituality instead of it becoming a fashionable business.
Through that, I think we can remember the importance of the spirit of grace and gratitude.
While consulting and coaching are used to educate people in terms of teaching them theories of success, I believe my profession which is also my life work is more focused on comprehensive life education that assists people.
While learning the business and connecting with people throughout my career in various fields including nail artistry as well as my “life work”, I see a future where I am offering people knowledge that enriches their daily lives and also doing this beyond Japan where I currently reside.
With my life-work-education, where I offer people knowledge and perspective I enjoy and appreciate when some people frankly call me the “Mother of the Universe.”
I run an open cha called Motherhouse Communications as well as Motherhouse salon at my home now where I consult with everyone. And I am currently preparing to build branch facilities of Motherhouse in Minami (Namba), Osaka. With a cafe & lounge and our facilities, we will be offering face-to-face education for people.
I believe that if each of us can cultivate perspective allowing us to see things not only from our own eyes but from different eyes as well, that could encourage self-awareness and courage to be kind to each other. That could also provide people to make their own decision rather than being controlled by the narrative that is presented to them.
Looking inside for better earth of tomorrow
Looking for a better earth tomorrow, we give our lives to others and seek to live out our purpose. We are too often controlled by substances, possessions, or entertainment that influence us negatively. To improve ourselves and evolve as leaders, it is crucial that we learn how to identify these controlling factors and remove them from our lives. It is also important to understand how we learn best so that we can grow in knowledge and wisdom constantly. By doing this, we not only emphasize the importance of SDGs but also show that change can happen from within each one of us.
It is important that we constantly strive for self-improvement so that we can evolve in our leadership development and continue to develop new skills. This will help us build a stronger culture and society.
From identifying the recurring controlling substances in our lives to recognizing and understanding what style of learning suits us best – it is crucial to know that change can also happen from inside of us. Whether that’s forming a connection with a higher power, nature, music, art, or humanity as a whole – it’s the ideals and beliefs you form throughout your life that form your own unique spirituality.
