Wellness with Juanita Podcast

Juanita Nagai
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Bimonthly

Welcome to the Wellness with Juanita podcast. I’m your host, Juanita Nagai, an American living in Japan for 20 years and a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. This podcast is all about change, growth, healing yourself, learning how to get back up after life kicks you down, and exploring mindfulness and self-compassion as incredible tools available to each and everyone of us to do just that.

  1. Oct 14

    Ep35: Power of the Pause

    Last month I was hit by wave after wave of physical ailments. It was uncomfortable, unpleasant, painful and long-lasting. I ended up barely able to move, on a futon on the floor, binge-watching TV and wondering what had happened.  I was able to do what I needed to do to navigate through it and also accept and allow that this was my reality. This was what was here, much as I might not have wanted it to be happening. I practiced patience, gratitude for the life I have created that allowed me to rest when I so clearly needed to, and also equanimity, realizing that it wouldn’t last forever. With as much inner “work” as I have done and as far as I’ve travelled on my path, I learned there is still an inner-striver buried deep within me that *really* doesn’t like having to be told to sit down and sit still. I’ve come away with a new understanding and appreciation that this – as Jon Kabat-Zinn called it, “the full catastrophe” – is my life. It’s up to me to truly enjoy it instead of always thinking ahead to the next thing. Visit me at: https://www.wellnesswithjuanita.com Follow me on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/wellness_with_juanita ⁠Facebook⁠⁠: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithjuanitajapan ⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-nagai YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithjuanita Music credit: ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/belonging⁠ License code: SEX8P9CEYVUGA9UJ

  2. Sep 14

    Ep34: Begin Again

    This summer vacation did not pan out the way that I was hoping it might – especially considering the overly ambitious “Creative Things To Do” list I created before it started. Not only did the list simply get buried under others, but my usual self-care practices and routine also seemed to take a hit because of various (understandable) factors. By the end of the summer, I found myself feeling stretched too thin and needing some more support. Today I get very specific and very personal about how one conversation – and the conditions and causes that went into creating it – can be a microcosm of mindfulness practice in general. Can we name what is happening without adding in old patterns, habits, beliefs or extra stories? Can we learn to allow and accept our experience – the good, the bad, and the ugly – for simply what is here, in the present moment? Can we provide ourselves with the care and kindness we need, when we need them? Can we offer ourselves the opportunity to simply “begin again” as often as necessary? Visit me at: https://www.wellnesswithjuanita.com Follow me on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/wellness_with_juanita ⁠Facebook⁠⁠: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithjuanitajapan ⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-nagai YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithjuanita Music credit: ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/belonging⁠ License code: SEX8P9CEYVUGA9UJ

  3. Aug 14

    Ep33: Community & Connection

    My “Japanniversary” is coming up at the end of this month. I will be celebrating 22 years of living in Japan – as an American, in an international marriage, and as a mother of bi-cultural children. Community and connection are hugely important to all of us, no matter who or where we are, but the “long-term foreigner living in Japan experience” really highlights just how vital a sense of belonging is to our overall wellbeing.  Today I talk about how my friendships, connections and sense of community have changed and evolved over the years – and how that has affected me personally. Zooming out, I also reflect on the grander scheme of things as well. Community, connection and caring for each other – as members of the human family and beings on this dynamic and interconnected planet we call home – is an imperative we can no longer ignore, hide, or distort. We have more than enough land, water, food, resources, and money for all. The question before us is: How do we want to share it? How do we want to care for ourselves, each other, and the only home we’ve got? Visit me at: https://www.wellnesswithjuanita.com Follow me on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/wellness_with_juanita ⁠Facebook⁠⁠: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithjuanitajapan ⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-nagai YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithjuanita Music credit: ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/belonging⁠ License code: SEX8P9CEYVUGA9UJ

  4. Jul 14

    Ep32: Compassionate Listening

    Inspired by a recent line from my Buddha Doodle daily calendar, today I dive into what “compassionate listening” looks like. We tend to think of listening as an activity requiring two participants, but I think learning to compassionately listen to ourselves needs to be our starting place before moving on to others.  Mindfulness practices like meditation, yoga, body scans, and even just enjoying your cup of coffee staring out the window help create the space and opportunity to slow down enough to really tune into our inner experience. By giving ourselves the kind attention and willingness to listen, we build the self-awareness to understand how and what we are feeling, which ultimately leads to healing. Interspersed with personal anecdotes, this episode illustrates just how important it is to move away from the external world with all of its distractions and drains on our energy and attention, and allow ourselves to spend some time in our inner world as well. Today’s take away questions: What do I want (to do)? Do I want to want (to do) that? What do the answers to the first two questions tell me about the kind of person I am (or want to become)? Visit me at: https://www.wellnesswithjuanita.com The next cohort of my Nourish Program begins at the end of July!  Follow me on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/wellness_with_juanita ⁠Facebook⁠⁠: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithjuanitajapan ⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-nagai YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithjuanita Music credit: ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/belonging⁠ License code: SEX8P9CEYVUGA9UJ

  5. Jun 14

    Ep31: Learning from Limits

    Most of us would gladly trade unlimited time, money, energy – complete freedom! – for the life we currently have. Beyond even “the grass is always greener,” as a society we tend to think more (of everything) is "good” and view the limitations and constraints in our lives as “bad” things.  Inspired by David Epstein’s recent book, “Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better,” I talk about how we can flip that script on its head and actually learn from our limits. Instead of seeing things as holding us back or preventing us from achieving our highest potential, we can view them as the hurdles required to learn how to jump over them.  Using personal examples and larger, universal truths, I talk about how our limitations and even our suffering create the conditions within which we can learn to thrive. The Being Well Podcast episode I first heard Epstein discuss his book: “Using Constraints to Improve Creativity, Focus, and Decision-Making with David Epstein.” Visit me at: https://www.wellnesswithjuanita.com Follow me on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/wellness_with_juanita ⁠Facebook⁠⁠: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithjuanitajapan ⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-nagai YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithjuanita Music credit: ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/belonging⁠ License code: SEX8P9CEYVUGA9UJ

  6. May 14

    Ep30: Start Where You Are

    With my birthday coming up this month, I’ve been reflecting on where I was just before my 40th birthday seven years ago. It was worlds apart from where I find myself today. Rather than judging or blaming that old version of me, I’ve come to understand that I needed to start right where I was, as difficult, despairing and despondent a place it was.  So many of us are waiting for inspiration to strike, motivation to “build up,” or external circumstances to change before we take steps and get the ball rolling on something new or different. But the truth is that we have to take action first – just DO the thing, whatever it is – and the good feelings and emotions follow from there.  The key is to try and “take in the good” as much as we can after we do it and truly *feel* the satisfaction, sense of accomplishment, pride, endorphins, or even recognize the self-efficacy that comes after we do. This teaches our brain to “do the thing” again next time; and that’s exactly what we need to do – over and over again. Consistency wins over intensity every time. Taking the small steps again and again is how the behavior becomes a habit, and then simply a part of who we are. Rich Roll podcast “Pay Now, Love It Later: Why I Work Out at 4 AM & The Mindset That Wins The Long Game” Dr Rick Hanson on how to “take in the good.” Visit me at: https://www.wellnesswithjuanita.com Follow me on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/wellness_with_juanita ⁠Facebook⁠⁠: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithjuanitajapan ⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-nagai YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithjuanita Music credit: ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/belonging⁠ License code: SEX8P9CEYVUGA9UJ

  7. Apr 14

    Ep29: Encounters with Ego

    Today I share some reflections and introspection around recent encounters with ego – my own and others. It looks great “on paper” and sounds wonderful to want more connection and community, but how do we do it in actual practice? with actual people? How do we accept, allow, and/or move through our differences (and see past our egos), in order to get to what really matters? Today’s take-away is a practice related to Karpman’s drama triangle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karpman_drama_triangle), adapted from the book I’m currently reading, “Radical Responsibility” by Fleet Maull, PhD (https://www.radicalresponsibilitybook.com). Visit me at: https://www.wellnesswithjuanita.com Follow me on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/wellness_with_juanita ⁠Facebook⁠⁠: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithjuanitajapan ⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-nagai YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithjuanita Music credit: ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/belonging⁠ License code: SEX8P9CEYVUGA9UJ

  8. Mar 14

    Ep28: Protect Your Peace

    It’s easy enough to remain calm, feel resourced, and even resourceful when life is sailing along smoothly, but what do we do when it’s not? How do we protect our peace when it’s most threatened? Listen as I talk about how to check in with ourselves when we are feeling vulnerable, how we can change old patterns and behaviors that no longer work for us, and remember who we are. First, as human beings born into this world, we are miraculous manifestations of the universe in finite form. You are literally made of stardust. And secondly, using myself as an example, I talk about who we are uniquely and individually. One of the most profoundly impactful ways we can protect our peace is by living according to our values.  For today’s take-away, I encourage you to find out what those values are by taking the VIA Character Strengths Profile at https://www.viacharacter.org/. Visit me at: https://www.wellnesswithjuanita.com Follow me on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/wellness_with_juanita ⁠Facebook⁠⁠: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithjuanitajapan ⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-nagai YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithjuanita Music credit: ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/belonging⁠ License code: SEX8P9CEYVUGA9UJ

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About

Welcome to the Wellness with Juanita podcast. I’m your host, Juanita Nagai, an American living in Japan for 20 years and a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. This podcast is all about change, growth, healing yourself, learning how to get back up after life kicks you down, and exploring mindfulness and self-compassion as incredible tools available to each and everyone of us to do just that.

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