Meet Sunada Takagi of Mindful Purpose

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sunada Takagi.

Sunada, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
You know what sports coaches do, right? They train your body so you can be better at your chosen sport. I’m a mindfulness coach. My mission is to train your mind so you can be better and happier living your life.

I offer two services. The first is group classes in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), offered in Arlington (http://www.mindfulpurpose.com/mbsr). The second is one-on-one coaching in mindfulness and meditation to help clients shape their lives for the better, and flourish as individuals. (http://www.mindfulpurpose.com/life-coaching).

First of all, I should explain what mindfulness is. Basically, it’s our innate ability to pay attention, especially to what’s going on in this present moment. Sounds pretty simple, right? But you’d be amazed how much we DON’T do it. We often worry about something coming up in the future, or regret how we handled something that’s gone by. Or we skate along on the autopilot of our habits, routines, and to-do lists, without giving things much thought.

A recent Harvard study (https://www.fastcompany.com/1702117/track-your-happiness-iphone-study-finds-your-mind-wandering-too-much) found that people spend about half their waking hours NOT paying attention to the present. Instead, they get swept up in anxiety, overwhelm, self-doubt, or pessimism, just to name a few unhelpful possibilities.

But we can do better. What if we could stay grounded through all our troubles? What if we could consciously choose what to do, because we know – I mean REALLY know — what’s in our best interest? Where would your life take you?

In my MBSR classes, people learn how to make these skills a natural part of their lives.

But I didn’t start out doing this. My first career was in business. I worked at Lotus Development Corporation (the former Cambridge-based company) and several other start-ups for 16 years. I WASN’T living mindfully back then. I was riding high on the thrill of working in the booming software industry. I worked super hard and long hours. Everything I did was swept up in my classic “Type A” drivenness.

But then it all came crashing down when I got a serious repetitive strain injury in both wrists. It was so bad I couldn’t use my hands for two years. Conventional doctors couldn’t do much, other than tell me to stay off my hands. Needless to say, I didn’t find that very helpful.

To make a long story short, this is when my personal mindfulness journey began. I was a mess, both physically and emotionally. But I had no choice but to find my own way through the injury, as well as depression, chronic fatigue, insomnia, and all sorts of related health issues. I began to question everything. What am I doing with my life? How do I get off this path of self-destruction?

It was mindfulness that saved me. On a practical level, it helped me understand my symptoms more clearly so I could work better with my health practitioners. I also learned how not to fall into despair. It kept me pointed toward making healthy choices for myself, slowly and surely over the dozen or so years it took to recover. It also helped me to reconsider deeply how I wanted to live, and what would be meaningful to me.

So I speak from personal experience when I say mindfulness can transform our lives. It turned my life around. And I’ve seen it do the same for countless others.

Has it been a smooth road?
No, making this shift has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I wasn’t just changing my job, I was rethinking what would give my life meaning. I wasn’t just trying to heal from an injury, I was shaking off the bad habits that led to getting injured in the first place. I wasn’t just recovering from depression, I was rethinking how I could feel more connected with everyone around me. In other words, I was reinventing myself from my core.

Of course, there were zillions of times I wanted to give up. It was too hard, I thought. But something kept telling me to keep going. Do I want to go back to the devil I know? Or keep looking ahead toward the possibility of something different? Mindfulness taught me to focus only on my next step ahead. Don’t get caught up in the anxiety and overwhelm. Just focus on this one thing.

Over a dozen or so years, the changes that took place were nothing short of amazing.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Mindful Purpose story. Tell us more about the business.
What people say they appreciate about me is that I walk my talk. What I offer isn’t just a training course or a coaching program. This is my life. Everything I do is informed by my 20-plus years of Buddhist practice. I am an ordained Buddhist minister, with a commitment to live a life of service to others.

I also know that each of my clients has the inner strength and wisdom to find her own answers. I offer tons of support to help you find your own way. And I can’t think of anything I love more than seeing people’s faces light up when they “get it.” That’s why I do what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.mindfulpurpose.com
• Phone: (617) 539-6409
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MindfulPurposeLifeCoaching
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunadatakagi/

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