Category: Self-development

New Year Message from CEO Luis Kasuga

Published on by Nikken

Dear Nikken Global Wellness Community,

2023 has been a journey of triumphs and challenges. Despite everything, we stayed together. These experiences added wisdom and knowledge to strengthen our legacy. The direction is clear: the happiness of human beings and their environment is in our hands. We have the tools to reshape our communities, mend bridges, and nurture gardens of hope. Let us join hands, spark our collective imaginations, and create a future where happiness blooms for all.

Your journey becomes ours. As you chart your course, we’ll be your compass, your map, your cheering squad. We’ll offer tools, guidance, and a community of kindred spirits, all united in the pursuit of dreams that benefit yourselves and the world around you.

Here are some things you can do to make the most of the holiday season:

Spend time with loved ones. Make time for the people who are most important to you.

Give back to your community. There are many ways to volunteer your time or donate to a worthy cause.

Practice gratitude. Take some time to reflect on all the things you are grateful for.

Focus on your well-being. Make sure to take care of yourself physically and mentally.

Together, let’s make 2024 a year where dreams rise like a symphony, harmonizing individual purpose with the well-being of all. Your happiness is our mission, and your journey is our shared adventure.

Imagine waking up each morning, exhilarated by a vision so potent it fuels your every step. Ask yourself: what ignites that spark within you? What whispers possibilities for a life both fulfilling and purposeful? Then, delve deeper. Consider not just your own fulfillment but the ripples your dreams would send outward. Are they ripples of inspiration, joy and harmony with the world? If so, then dive in with conviction, knowing we’ll be there, hand in hand, as you navigate the currents.

So, dear Nikkenites, don’t wait. Ask those crucial questions, ignite your vision, and step into the new year with unwavering resolve. We’ll be here every step of the way, ready to witness your triumph and celebrate your every victory.

Best wishes for these holidays. May your faith and beliefs guide you to many moments of joy, peace, and the deepest connections with your loved ones. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

Your friend,

Luis Kasuga

President & CEO

Time is of the Essence

Published on by Nikken

Since the pandemic of 2020, so many people from around the world have opted to quit the 9-5 grind. Those who are able to work remotely have stayed on the job more than those required to work on site. Being your own boss has never been more appealing, and one of the popular options is to become an online retailer, which fits neatly into the network marketing niche. But what draws someone into trying out business ownership that involves dedication to direct selling, online sales and recruitment?

Time is the biggest commodity a business owner has and time is also what the 9-5 employee doesn’t have. No one understands the importance of freedom of time more than the person who doesn’t have it. Once time becomes available, managing it well is crucial for business success. In fact, managing time properly may well be the key to creating business profits for any business owner.

Successful business owners prioritize their tasks and have clear cut goals with deadlines. A daily, weekly and monthly checklist helps to keep you on track, but being overly driven to check off those items can be detrimental to managing time well. In other words, managing time requires flexibility as well as discipline, not just dogged determination. It’s helpful to prioritize tasks by importance and amount of time required to accomplish them. In general, if you can complete the most urgent items first, you will have a less stressful mindset. However, as situations arise when operating a business, be open to recognizing important actions that require immediate attention.

Rule of thumb? If something important comes up and only takes a few minutes to do, by all means get it out of the way rather than allowing it to sit on the checklist. Remember, the to-do list is not set in stone but be disciplined enough to get it done, even if there are a few detours along the way!

Giving and Receiving Requires Balance

Published on by Nikken

Many of us were taught from an early age to be of service—parents teach children to help with tasks around the home, to walk the dog, babysit the younger ones, and so on. There might be an allowance earned, and in those cases, the child learns to receive a token for services rendered.

Each individual reacts differently to the many forms of giving and receiving. Young children have to be taught to give as receiving comes naturally to them when they are at the stage of being dependent for just about everything. As they grow older, the tables turn and they typically are reinforced with the importance of giving in the forms of helping, serving or gifting.

Giving is upheld as positive behavior, part of altruism and generosity; however, authentic giving does not expect anything in return. It comes from a place of abundance and joy, of having more than enough to share. Receiving takes a back seat and this may result in the learned behavior of too much giving. When there is a feeling of debt, the imbalance of not receiving enough occurs. That is why it is equally important to learn to receive with grace, gratitude and true acceptance—that is, to receive without guilt and the feeling of having to repay the giver.

One way to rectify an imbalance between giving and receiving is the concept of paying it forward. You can’t always reciprocate equally with someone who is able to give you more than you have, but there is bound to be a time when you can be the giver to someone who has less. You are simply contributing to the cycle of kindness and the spirit of sharing.

There is another aspect of gracious receiving that is often overlooked. Not being able to receive robs the giver of the pleasure you yourself receive when you are the one doing the giving! And, it makes the giver feel misunderstood and unappreciated. Gracious receiving is a way of allowing others to show how much they care and to experience your own self-worth.

Just as “it takes two to tango,” it takes two to give and receive. Creating a balance between the two requires conscious intention, but it’s well worth effort. If you don’t feel joyful when giving, it’s a sign you’re depleted and imbalanced. You can consciously give yourself self-care to replenish your own tank and do some receiving, which can take the form of asking and accepting help!

Think of giving and receiving in this way: it can be as simple as words of encouragement, such as “I know you can do it.” “I believe in you.” “Let me give you a hand with that.” The recipient graciously accepts with “thank you!” We can make balanced giving and receiving a part of our total wellness lifestyle!

‘Tis the season of gifting, and if you want to present the ones you care about with gifts inspired by nature, Nikken invites you to take a look at the 2023 Gift Guide. The special offers extend through the end of the year.

How Do You Show Gratitude?

Published on by Nikken

Cultural differences account for the many ways in how people show gratitude. Professor Jonathan Tudge of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is considered an expert on the subject. He and his colleagues have published a series of studies showing how children develop a sense of gratitude in seven culturally diverse countries.

The children were aged seven to 14 and answered in three categories of gratitude: verbal  which is spoken, concrete which offers a token gift, and connective which is relational. Children in China and South Korean tended to favor connective gratitude. Those in the U.S. leaned toward concrete gratitude, and Guatemalan kids were partial to verbal gratitude.1 According to Professor Tudge, connective gratitude which cultivates the development of a relationship, goes beyond words or gifts of thanks. He calls it the most authentic form of gratitude.

Cultural values, parenting practices and education may each play a role. Autonomous (individualist) cultures such as that of North America, teach children to be more independent and self-directed. Heteronomous (collectivist) cultures such as that of Asia teach duty and obedience to elders as well as honoring others. This could account for why Americans tend toward verbal and concrete gratitude while Asians focus on connectivity and developing relationships rather than valuing individuality and separateness. Giving and receiving help is an expected part of daily life for members of collectivist cultures rather than an uplifting surprise for those from individualist cultures.2

Who you choose to show gratitude to also may depend on cultural influences. For example, Southeast Indians were more likely to show appreciation to people outside of their families—the type of people they might feel obligated to repay. This sense of indebtedness is found much less in autonomous cultures. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Inuit do not require an expression of gratitude after receiving meat from a hunt.

According to Professor Tudge, gratitude is ultimately a skill that strengthens relationships and arises when we pay more attention to the gifts our connections bring us. He says that means thinking about gratitude less like a good feeling to boost happiness and more like paying it forward with kindness, making it a way of life and being a good human being.3

During this season of Thanksgiving, consider who you want to connect with more deeply. And if you want to show concrete gratitude, Nikken invites you to take a look at the 2023 Gift Guide with special offers that extend through the end of the year.

1,2, 3 https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_cultural_differences_shape_your_gratitude

Do You Know Who You Are?

Published on by Nikken

Who you are or your sense of identity, refers to your perception of the collection of characteristics that define you.1 Your abilities, beliefs, morals, likes and dislikes and everything that motivates or demotivates you, all contribute to your sense of who you are.

People who are clear about these many aspects of themselves generally have a strong sense of who they are, while those struggling to identify these characteristics may have a less defined sense of self.

Your identity affects your relationships, your work and your overall emotional health. When there isn’t a clear sense of self, you may find it difficult to make decisions, interact in group settings and in a nutshell, know what you want.

Sometimes groups help answer the question, “Who am I?” Membership in groups provides a sense of belonging, a social role which helps in identity. The “me” in who you are transforms into the “we” of belonging to a group. Not everyone enjoys group activities, but as the saying goes, “No man is an island.” At some point in time, you have to interact, develop relationships and bonds.

According to psychologists, groups usually outperform individuals; however, the other side of the coin is that groups tend to be underachievers. For example, a single person working on a paper will get less done in an hour than four students tackling the paper as a joint project. On the other hand, people exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone.2 Psychologists also found that people trying to generate creative new ideas in group brainstorming sessions usually put in less effort and are less productive than those creating new ideas individually.3

Whether you are a loner or more of the gregarious type, impacts your sense of who you are. Even people who choose to live separate and apart from others, may join groups to meet their psychological and social needs.4

As your sense of self evolves, ask what brings you happiness, what is your purpose in life and how do you live accordingly? Do your choices and decisions reflect your own true interests or someone else’s?

No matter how gregarious you are, alone time helps you get to know yourself better. So, be a team player, but also be independent. And if you’re interested in finding out more about who you are together with like-minded individuals, check out Humans Being More training online with Jeff Isom!

1 https://www.healthline.com/health/sense-of-self

2, 3, 4 https://nobaproject.com/modules/the-psychology-of-groups