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Every Instance is Unique
Every instance in your life is unique, and you get to decide to take advantage of that or not.
The Japanese and the Germans tend to have words and super-short phrases that cover a wide swath of unique situations. These can be translated into English, albeit imperfectly, to convey their message. For example, schadenfreude from the German — pleasure/satisfaction/joy in learning of another’s failure or humiliation.
One particular Japanese phrase brought to my attention in an audiobook of the same name is Ichigo Ichie. This phrase translates, more or less, to mean “only this one time” or “once in a lifetime.” It is very much rooted in the notion that a given encounter is a matter of the moment, and that it will never occur in the same way again.
Ichigo Ichie is all about recognition of the moment. You will never encounter precisely the same circumstance ever again. It occurs but one time and one time only. Similar and like situations may occur, but they will still be different from this one specific moment.
This is the recognition that every instance in your life is totally unique. Moments come and go. Acknowledging this is a major source of positivity.
Why? Because when you are having a bad day you will know that it’s just a moment in time…
