is definitely my favorite motto, aside from the Japanese proverb ‘nana korobi ya oki’, written as「七転び八起き」, which means “seven falls, eight get-ups.” When these two sentences are combined, it implies my principle of never giving up in a process I choose to undertake.
The discovery of this life motto was indeed ‘accidental’. It was more like self-realization based on different experiences I had been through since my mid-twenties. I’d love to call that era ‘a journey to myself’ because I was really ‘exploring’ inside to find something intangible, rather than making decisions in which ‘results’ are palpable to everyone else. At this very moment, I am honestly amazed at the strength and stubbornness I maintained toward reaching what I believed would be best for myself, rather than listening to what other people suggested might be best for my life.
I discovered「七転び八起き」when I was studying in graduate school in Japan, and I felt a ‘click’ the moment I understood its meaning. It all made sense to me, considering how I could be in Japan with certain privileges that I had earned with great effort; I got up more times than I fell. As for “One step at a time,” it became a realization after a series of depressing nights and days, filled with repressed sadness and anger about this and that, here and there, before and after my return to Indonesia. “One step at a time” is the mantra that helped me show up for myself; to do one simple action at a time, even during the darkest hours of my life.
And again, it helped me get through almost two years of thriving in my home country, a place where I often feel out of place. But I’m not going to dwell on the feeling of being ‘out of place’; I want to highlight how powerful such ‘one step’ can be in bringing me closer to the place I had longed to go, and the people I had dreamed of being with.
For example, that one unforgettable ‘step’ I took 6.5 years ago, after getting some strange self-assurance, or let’s call it a ‘gut feeling,’ to visit the Embassy of Japan and inquire about their scholarship program. This step was then followed by a thousand more that led me to many significant experiences in Japan, and the rest is history.. :)
Also, one courageous step to contact a stranger on LinkedIn led me to a group of talented colleagues in Germany who opened doors to my professional growth, including my current professional endeavor.
In the realm of romance, that ‘one step’ also helped me to be with the most heartwarming “surprise” I encountered during my time in Indonesia. This step involved following my gut once again, by proposing a second date with someone whom, at first (long before we finally met offline), I had never considered as a potential partner due to initial differences I thought would matter. I am forever grateful for his presence in my life, hence, “Thank you for showing up B, I cherish you.”
And recently, a seemingly random step I took a few months ago brought me closer to my long-held dream of working in Japan: I was accepted into an internship program by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Unfortunately, initially, it caused some complications regarding my role at my current office, which somewhat prevented me from fully enjoying this achievement. However, the issue has been resolved, at least from my side.
At this point, I could feel a great sense of relief and gratitude toward the universe, God, my past self, my inner circle, and even a few upper-hand colleagues at the office who supported me when things were unclear. It is finally less than two months until my departure to spend two months in the country I can call home; I just can’t wait.
Yet, at the same time, I am fully aware that things won’t always be rosy, as new challenges await me. But if such challenges do arise, I know what I need to do:
take that ‘one step’ at a time,
and be patient with the process.
Because I believe things will work out, as long as we don’t give up.
Do you believe so?
—
Jakarta, September 16th 2023
T
