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Life is full of challenges and situations where one has to figure out what to do. For example, moving to Japan and finding a new house is a process which will require some careful preparations and making some decisions. Sometimes, when things get a bit complicated, a decision might be postponed -- "I need more time to think about it." But leaving things undecided, especially for too long, can be stressful and cause unease. So, it is a good thing to just make a choice and then move forward with things -- act, instead of delaying or worrying. In Japan, there is an old proverb about this, which goes: OMOI-TATSU GA KICHI-NICHI ( 思い立ったが吉日 ). Here are the meanings of the kanji characters -- OMOI-TATSU/思い立つ = to make up one's mind, and KICHI/吉 = good fortune, NICHI/日 = day. So, the meaning of the proverb is that the day you decide to do something is a good & lucky day. The wisdom of this Japanese saying is the "luck" or "good fortune" doesn't mean making money, rather it is the happy & fresh feeling which comes from making a decision, instead of overthinking or being anxious about what to do. Some similar sayings in the West are: "There is no time like the present," "Never leave until tomorrow what you can do today," and "Make hay while the sun shines." We hope your move to Japan and into a new house will go smoothly, and with the best of luck.

written by Goodfield