Reflections on 2024

It has been quite a while since my last blog post, but I’ve been doing well.

In the summer of 2021, I left my position at the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons), an international organisation, and since September of that year, I’ve taken on a lecturer role at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS), while continuing my work in coaching and facilitation. It feels like I’ve been running full speed ahead, wearing these three hats.

In reality, I spent much of my time adjusting to the "new" role of a university lecturer. Until 2023, my personal projects felt more like “going with the flow” or doing things “as they came.”

I enjoy going with the flow and believe it’s important, but in 2024, I decided to create a flow of my own and ride that wave. Looking back, this has been my focus this past year.

As a personal coach, I had the privilege of working with a total of 76 clients this year, conducting 287 hours of coaching sessions. These clients came from 25 different countries and regions and represented approximately 21 nationalities.

I provide coaching in both Japanese and English, and of the 76 clients, 48 were Japanese, most of whom were based in either the Netherlands, like me, or Japan.

This year, I deepened my understanding from various trainings, such as "Mental Health First Aider," "Climate Change Coaching," and "Coaching with Nature as a Co-Facilitator." I began incorporating outdoor coaching into my practice and found myself increasingly drawn to the intuitive power of nature metaphors.

Many of my clients work in fields such as humanitarian aid, climate change and environmental protection, gender equality, human rights, education, and social business. I also supported many clients navigating career transitions and students, incorporating mentoring into my approach when appropriate.

In the summer, I achieved the required 500 hours of paid coaching and earned my PCC (Professional Certified Coach) accreditation from the International Coaching Federation. Surprisingly, this gave me a boost in confidence, and I feel I’ve become more natural and, at times, more impactful in providing feedback and helping clients gain insights.

As a university lecturer, I’ve had the opportunity to deepen my engagement with younger generations, exploring topics like climate justice and human rights.

In an elective course titled "Peace, Justice, and Human Rights," I introduced Slow Down - The Degrowth Manifesto by Kohei Saito, the English version of his book Capital in the Anthropocene, using “degrowth” as a central theme. Students responded positively, saying, “It was great to learn about perspectives I had never considered before.”

In another course I co-designed, called "Collaborative Processes for Social Change," I incorporated facilitation knowledge and skills. This was a significant step for me as I strive to promote the value of facilitation and the role of facilitators more widely.

I was particularly thrilled when, much later, a student from the facilitation class told me, “I used the tools we learned in class.”

Outside the university, I facilitated a workshop with a Dutch student on the theme of "climate refugees" and co-hosted an online event with Mariam, a speaker with an Afghan origin, to share the importance of “the power of imagination.”

Looking ahead, I plan to develop a facilitation course focused on creating "truly inclusive dialogues," incorporating concepts of intercultural communication and cultural intelligence.

In early spring, on February 9, I will host an online event with Ms Ruiko Muto after four years of having one with her in 2021. She is an anti-nuclear activist based in Fukushima Prefecture. Additionally, I’ll be launching workshops and retreats themed around "Awe" and healing starting this spring.

This year, I began publishing a newsletter. Though it’s still in its early stages, I hope to enhance it further in 2025, making it not only a space to share updates and plans but also a source of inspiration and value for readers.

You can subscribe to the newsletter (which also serves as a blog) via the form below.

I’m also currently in the process of renewing this website, which I expect to complete by February.

In addition to my primarily English-language communications on LinkedIn and Instagram, I recently started an Instagram account in Japanese as a trial. On the Japanese platform Note, I share casual reflections, including book reviews and everyday thoughts.

If you’d like, let’s connect and interact through these social media platforms.

Wishing you a wonderful and inspiring 2025!

[While the article has been translated from the original Japanese into English with the help of AI, its message, energy, and nuances have been carefully preserved.]