12 beautiful Japanese concepts to inspire better living
Kaizen: The term kaizen translates to "continuous improvement" and is used both personally.
Kaizen: But it's not about doing anything drastic. Rather, it implies that taking small.
Kaizen: You can also apply it in the fitness sense, by committing to exercise for 15 minutes a day.
Oubaitori: This is one of the most poetic ancient Japanese concepts, which comes from the kanji.
Oubaitori: The meaning within the concept is that we all grow and bloom at our own pace.
Oubaitori: Comparison is the thief of joy, as Theodore Roosevelt accurately noted.
Mottainai: The Japanese term mottainai can be an exclamation that translates to "What a waste.
Mottainai: It's a philosophy that focuses on the importance of not wasting any kind of resource.
Mottainai: There's a sadness about excessive consumption baked into the term.
Wabi-sabi: Wabi-sabi is a concept that encourages us to find beauty in what is imperfect and impermanent.
Wabi-sabi: It's a Zen Buddhist philosophy, which acknowledges three basic tenets: nothing lasts, nothing is finished.
Wabi-sabi: In a personal sense, the concept can be applied in our relationships, as we refrain from judging people.