2018年1月アーカイブ

I hope you're having a good day.

月一ペースで量産中のtoastmasters clubでの4回目のスピーチ原稿を大公開します。今回はビジ英を絡めた内容にしました。

タイトルは、carpe diem。

Do you want to be happy? 
I'll tell you the secret of happiness today.

Recently I traveled around Japan, and I met several impressive sayings about happiness.

Today I want to share 3 sayings with you. After my speech, you will understand what you should do to be happy.

I met the first saying at Suzumushi-dera in Kyoto in summer two years ago. 

I saw many cricket insect or 鈴虫 singing in this box.りーんりーんりーん  And I took a lecture by the monk of the temple. 

The theme of the lecture was how to be happy. The monk says there are 3 factors. 

First factor is present. We need to focus on present. But many people tend to regret the past or be worried about the future.

For example, have you ever regretted the past? Like, I could have done better at that time. Or, have you ever worried about the future? Like, how will I be successful in this company

I'm middle-aged. Sometimes I wonder. Have I achieved something in my life?  Or what will I achieve for the rest of my life?

The monk says it is nonsense to regret the past or be worried about the future. They don't live in the present. But they live in the past or the future. So, we need to focus on the present. This is the first factor to be happy.

I was very impressed with this "focus on the present." 

The monk gave us another 2 factors.

Second factor is beauty, which means when you are tired mentally, you should come into contact with beauty such as art or nature. You may go to museum to see art or go to mountains to see nature beauty. 

The monk says the sound of cricket insect is one of the beauty. That's why the temple offers the sound of cricket insect to the visitors to make them happy.

Third factor is load. People in the modern world tend to have too many things in their life. Those things stress us. So, you should sometimes get rid of unnecessary things in your life. For example, to clean your house is a good way to get rid of unnecessary load in your life.

By the way this reminds me a book about minimalism. The author says having nothing makes us happy.

Sound interesting?

In summary, the monk says there are 3 factors to be happy. Present, beauty and load. In Japanese, Kon, Bi, Ni. 

Yes コンビニ! It's convenient to remember, isn't it? 

By the way, the monk's speech, which had 3 sections, was very organized from toastmasters' point of view.

I met the second saying at Kakunodate in Akita in November last year.

I visited Aoyagi-ke, a samurai house.

I found a painting there. This painting shows soap bubbles. There are sentences under the painting. 

It says, "Enjoy life while you still can." Which means life is like soap bubbles. They are both short and easily broken.

I was impressed by this saying. As I am middle aged, I can agree that life is short. Enjoy life while I still can.


I met the last saying here in Tokyo in my English textbook.

This is December issue of textbook of NHK radio program 実践ビジネス英語.

I met this saying. "carpe diem" on page 46. This is Latin and means "enjoy the present. Don't worry about the future."

I was surprised to find this another similar saying. I knew it. Yes, I have to "carpe diem", enjoy the present. 

Today I shared 3 sayings that I met recently.

Focus on the present, 
Enjoy life while you still can,
carpe diem or enjoy the present.

These sayings mean the same. Enjoy now.

Now I have a question. Why did I meet these sayings?

It may be because I have been regretting the past and worrying about the future.

After I met these sayings, I've changed my mind a bit and now I'm trying to enjoy the present.

Like going to places where I've never been to.

And trying new things such as this Big Tree toastmasters club.

At the end of my speech today, I ask you about this question again. Do you want to be happy? If yes, I'll give you this saying. 

carpe diem.

Thank you.


Have a good rest of the day.



★fender-bender, 車の接触事故

He'd had some fender-benders and I was afraid he'd get involved in a major accident.



★demoralizing, やるき[自信]を失わせる、意気消沈させる

It was demoralizing and disorienting for him.



★balmy, うららかな、さわやかな

My folks decided to make a new start in balmy Costa Rica.



★put a crimp in, ...に支障を来す、...を妨害する

Not being able to drive anymore would put a crimp in their lifestyle.



★inconsiderable, ささいな、わずかな、取るに足らない

It means spending a not inconsiderable amount of money on wider sidewalks.

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