Don’t get me wrong. Moving to Japan will not solve anyone’s life problems. For every advantage Japan can offer, it follows up with at least twice as many major challenges. And I’ll admit I had a serious span of what they call the “honeymoon phase” that lasted so long, I was convinced it wasn’t a phase at all.
Post-honeymoon, it hasn’t been smooth-sailing – assimilating to a foreign country. This is to be expected, but it’s worth mentioning because there are a lot of glossed-over bits online re: moving to Japan.
I’ve experienced my own fashion of Japan blues, and I’ve also been keeping in touch with US-based pals. Honestly speaking, it’s been incredibly grounding to hear from western people who are in a variety of psychographic states. Their reflections sound like this:
- I’m at my top earnings and I can barely get by.
- I’m burned out on corporate lifestyle and I feel [spiritually] lost.
- I give, they take.
These conversations remind me of why I left, why I stay, and why I keep going.
This is purely my personal experience. But I am motivated to share because I know there are so many people who feel like how I felt. I just want you to know that there are other options that you don’t know exist yet. It might require a jump. It might require uncertainty. But the options are there.
Here is how the jump worked out for me.
Three Reasons Why Moving to Japan Helped Me Recover From Burnout and Pivot My Career
1. Time to Recover
I quit being a corporate interior designer and pursued career sabotage by taking a job teaching English in Japan. That’s the Hollywood cut – it actually took a few years of deliberating, applying, waiting, etc. BUT
Once I got to my low-salary/low-demand job in rural Japan, I was so grateful to discover an abundance of TIME for the first time in a long time. I had time at my desk to think about whatever I wanted to think about. My decision-making power once again belonged to me.
I had time to pursue a long-time dream – I took drum lessons and it was absolutely JOYFUL. I could take in the scenery. My evenings and weekends were completely mine again. When I wasn’t at work, I wasn’t thinking about work. I had time to figure out what the heck I was doing, what I wanted, and how to do it. And maybe most importantly, I had time to relax. Wow. It had been a long time.
2. Time to Re-Skill
Moving from career to job gave me more time, which meant I could still afford life’s basic necessities while exploring skill-based curiosities. I got into publishing content just for the heck of it. As it turned out, this help me build a marketable portfolio of offerings that I could sustain and enjoy.
I took online courses on SEO, digital and content marketing, copywriting, Japanese language and more. I was able to do project-based experimentation and improve my photo, video, storytelling and writing skills. This has proved some impressive metrics. I got 2 million views on youtube and this 1.5 year-old blog has now reached ~4k+ readers per month, organically and mostly via google search. I’ve learned how to connect content with audience intent. I had time to figure it out.
3. Time to Take Off
Sometimes people think Japan is expensive… those people haven’t visited anywhere other than central Tokyo. I don’t pay rent or a mortgage, and I can do this because I live in a rural area. Japan has millions and millions of vacant houses, and it’s really not that hard to find a way to save on shelter by living in one.
Here’s the thing though – it’s not about money. It’s about freedom. After I quit my English teaching job, I was able to have about a year with *ahem* very low earnings. During this time, I was able to test what worked, and where I could find work that was sustainable and rewarding. There was room for trial and error. I could build assets for my business without major threat of financial failure. Because during my entire life in Japan, my monthly shelter rent/mortgage expenses have been between 0 and ~$50/mo. I currently don’t pay mortgage or rent. Only utilities and upkeep.
Usually when starting a business, it will take two or three years of working without making a profit. I can’t imagine paying US rent while trying to launch. Sometimes you will hear of people moving into their parent’s basement while they launch a business. I personally prefer the akiya route. 🙂
Making The Next Step Intentional
Just three years after leaving America and my corporate interior design career (and about one year after leaving my English-teaching “working sabbatical”), I’ve opened a small bilingual marketing agency with two other partners and additional contractors on board. Metrics aside, I’m ecstatic to say that our clients have found value and ROI by working with me and the team. Amazingly, we are fully booked even before our website has launched.
I can’t claim to have figured everything out (I think of the wise lessons from Pema Chodron – that everything will continue to come together and fall apart, and that’s just how life is). Working for myself, I can see myself dealing with a new kind of burnout risk. But I find much comfort that it’s my own choice, and I can choose to take a leisurely coffee break, sleep in, or take time off with more flexibility. I’m not hustling for “the man.” I’m hustling for me.
It’s not about money. It’s about freedom. Freedom of time and choice. Freedom to use your capacity to think critically about whatever you want. Freedom to live in alignment with your values. Freedom to take a break when you need it. #FinancialFreedom (for me, at least) isn’t about raking in money, it’s about living despite money.
No sales pitches. Not trying to convince anyone to move. Just looking for my people. 🙂 I’d love to hear your story – shoot me a DM if you would like. Best wishes from Shikoku, Japan.
