On this episode of The Ikigai Podcast, I talk with Chie Sawa, founder of Thrive Life Design, about why all leaders need a sanctuary to pause and reconnect with themselves.

We also explore reverse culture shock, the power of co-reflection, and how structured tools like Tarot readings for reflection can create clarity without crossing into therapy.

We explore:

• Chie’s journey from Japan to the US and back
• Reverse culture shock and feeling out of place at home
• Why sociology and women’s rights shaped her path
• Building Thrive Life Design beyond psychotherapy
• What “thrive” means as steady life expansion
• Sanctuary as a space to pause, breathe, and renew
• Reflection vs naisei and why being heard matters
• Reflection as a tool with clear limits
• Rumination, resentment, and when therapy is the better path
• The Reflection Room as a flexible one-on-one space
• Soul Story Tarot as a reflective structure not fortune telling
• Utori as the felt sense of inner room
Book a session with Chia.

Caitlin Kight returns again to host the Ikigai Podcast to interview Nick on his new book, A Year of Ikigai.

In this episode, Nick shares how Japanese voices, careful cultural research and daily prompts, helped him write a book that the reader can actually use.

This epsidoe covers:

• A 365-day reflective journey built around roles, relationships, rituals, contribution, and belonging
• How this book differs from Western ikigai takes and why Japanese perspective matters
• What living in Japan and speaking Japanese changes about interpreting Japanese philosophy
• The messy reality of writing 365 short entries, scrapping drafts, and finding themes
• Fact-checking Japanese terms, tea ceremony concepts, and misquoted haiku
• Why prompts matter and how action turns reflection into felt ikigai
• Favorite entries including “What Matters Today” and the surprising “Ikigai Is Found In Revenge” reframed toward forgiveness
• The “four A’s” thread: awareness, affirmation, agency, and action
• Translation news and why one-word concepts reshape how we think
• Ikigai at work, workplace belonging, and healthier coping versus quick fixes