The Ikigai of Redefining Success and Work Life Balance with Cynthia Usui

In this engaging episode of 'Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai,' host Jennifer Shinkai speaks with the inspiring Cynthia Usui about career breaks, life after 60, redefining her concept of Ikigai, and finding new purpose. Cynthia shares her journey from being a stay-at-home mum to re-entering the workforce, taking on different career roles, and ultimately redefining conventional wisdom around work-life balance and career trajectories. Cynthia is now doing amazing work opening doors for children from struggling families and we hear how mattering to someone is key to her ikigai.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• What happened when Cynthia’s joyful life of actively raising her daughter came to its natural end
• Cynthia’s frustrating experience with the coaching question: What do you love to do?
• Cynthia’s three question “Life Check Up”
• Why your career is like the Tokyo Metro and how you can get back on the train after a career break
• Cynthia’s real talk that many corporations don’t want their workers to hear

About Cynthia

Born in Manila in 1959, Cynthia arrived in Tokyo in 1980 as a Monbusho Scholar. After graduating from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, she worked for a trading company and married a Japanese diplomat. She became a mother at 30 and decided to become a stay-at-home mom. As wife of a diplomat, she has lived in five different countries, and when her daughter left for college, she went back to work as cafeteria manager at the International School Bangkok. She returned to Tokyo at age 52 and accepted the only role she could find - junior banquet assistant at the Tokyo American Club. In 2013, she joined the hospitality industry and quickly rose from corporate sales manager at ANA InterContinental Hotel Tokyo to senior manager of Coca-Cola's Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games hospitality team. Cynthia is a passionate advocate for women returning to the workforce, has written several books on the subject, and is a media personality called on to discuss social and political issues. She turned 65 last year and has tasked herself with raising support for children from single-parent households.

Connect with Cynthia

薄井シンシア Cynthia Usui | LinkedIn

薄井シンシア / 専業主婦・駐妻→子育て後に就職、転職を重ね、10年で社長→65歳に起業検討 (@UsuiCynthia) / X

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薄井シンシア – Cynthia Usui

Connect with Jennifer

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoach

Website: https://jennifershinkai.com/

Instagram Coaching and Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/

Instagram Artist: https://www.instagram.com/jennifershinkai/

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