By Riyad A. Shahjahan You have set aside time to write. You know what you plan to work on for the next 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or hour. You sit down to begin — or perhaps you are already writing — when suddenly an urge arises to do something else. Maybe you feel compelled to check the laundry, browse the news, scroll through social media, make a quick phone call, or do a bit more…
By Kimine Mayuzumi A client once asked me: “Is there a particular format you use to help people set an intention? I’ve been experimenting with different ones to use with students, but I haven’t found an explanation I love yet — especially one that helps them understand the difference between an intention and a goal.” This is a wonderful question. And I actually hear two questions within it: How do I differentiate an intention from…
By Kimine Mayuzumi Ten years ago, I wrote a short post called “5 Ways to Slow Down NOW.” At the time, I didn’t know whether anyone would read it. I simply felt pulled to explore gentler ways of living and working — especially in environments organized around speed, output, and performance. I kept writing, not because I had a grand vision for what Being Lazy and Slowing Down (BLSD) would become, but because each piece…
By Kimine Mayuzumi “Qi is soft like water — it can only be led, not pushed.” (Yang, 2018, p.481) This quote reminds me that true power lies in softness. In both Tai Chi and writing, I’ve discovered that the gentlest energy often leads to the most powerful results. In this reflection, I explore how Tai Chi principles – particularly yurumi, or softness – might offer a different way of approaching (academic) writing. Perhaps by…
By Riyad A. Shahjahan My recently published conceptual paper “Am I a Scholar” began with a keynote invitation. I’d been asked to deliver a keynote at an international forum I hadn’t attended in some time. The theme was “I Am a Scholar.” But as I sat with that phrase, it didn’t settle in very well. The certainty of it felt out of step for me. My experiences have been shaped more by ambiguity, deferral, and…
