Bridge Beyond English

Being perfect is impossible. Instead, we should aim for creative progress. This episode shares how. Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your: * CREATIVE THINKING * GLOBAL AWARENESS * CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION (Advanced and intermediate only)

We can learn a lot from bad teachers. Yes, BAD teachers! They can teach us what NOT to do. I'll explain more in this episode. Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your: * CREATIVE THINKING * GLOBAL AWARENESS * CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION (Advanced and intermediate only)

Do you know how to speak the language of love? Well, it turns out there are several love languages. Listen to discover your own love language and how to identify the love language of people you care about. Read the text version of this episode at the blog here . (Includes English tips) Resource: To read more about the five love languages and to take the online quiz to discover your love language,...

If you ever wonder, "Does my work matter?" here are some words of encouragement for you. Yes, your work does matter. Your work is important for you, for the people you love, and for the world. No matter how small or repetitive, your work matters. This episode draws from some excerpts from the book The Artist's Rule . Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English cla...

In this episode I interview my wife Chami Nagai about her experience becoming a new mother here in Japan. She shares about her ups and downs along the way, shares advice for all of us who are listening, and also gives some especially warm encouragement to all the new mothers who are listening. Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomach...

It's easy to quickly judge someone from a different culture because they do things differently. But if we can have an open mind and try to understand their perspective, then we can appreciate their differences – we can learn and appreciate instead of judge and feel frustration. Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your...

In this episode we explore a helpful framework that helps us understand what customers actually value. It's usually a much more complex than it seems. View the text version of this episode with a helpful pyramid image here . For sources and more information, visit this Harvard Business Review article . Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in...

If you work on any type of global team, you’ve probably seen some bad communication happen. But, the good news is that if we increase our awareness we can improve communication between people from different cultures, languages, and backgrounds. Here are some strategies for you to improve global team communication. Read the text version of this episode here . Want to connect with the changing world...

This episode is about EMPIRE. Specifically, the current and future state of EMPIRE. Throughout history we’ve seen many empires rise and fall. Now we have the American superpower, or empire, and people are wondering if China might be the next superpower, or empire. This episode is the second of a three-part series about empire. In particular, we focus on the history of empire in this second part. I...

What's the best way to facilitate a discussion? There's not only one perfect method, but there are some core concepts that make up the foundation of good facilitating. In this episode I share six of these core ideas. Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your: * CREATIVE THINKING * GLOBAL AWARENESS * CROSS-CULTURAL COMM...

Throughout history we’ve seen many empires rise and fall. Now we have the American superpower, or empire, and people are wondering if China might be the next superpower, or empire. This episode is the second of a three-part series about empire. In particular, we focus on the history of empire in this second part. In all three episodes I interview Missy Hart. Missy is an American living in Yokohama...

Throughout history we’ve seen many empires rise and fall. Now we have the American superpower, or empire, and people are wondering if China might be the next superpower, or empire. This episode is the first of a three-part series about empire. In all three episodes I interview Missy Hart. Missy is an American living in Yokohama, Japan. Her current work has been acting as a peace and reconciliation...

In this episode I interview my student Sayako Yamamoto. She shares about how she shifted careers multiple times to find better health and fulfillment. She's worked with Japan's Defense Ministry, an environmental research institute, and currently is a freelance English translator. Through our conversation, we touch on the topics of empathy, conflict resolution, and how to be yourself and create a m...

The world is in a difficult situation, but in this episode I want to refresh your imagination by walking with you through the amazing Negishi Forest Park. Let's see what the park can inspire in us! Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your: * CREATIVE THINKING * GLOBAL AWARENESS * CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION (Advanced...

This is the story of how a failure high jumper ended up transforming the sport. The story can teach us some key strategies for creative innovation and adapting to change. Read the text version of this episode here . (Includes vocabulary explanations) Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your: * CREATIVE THINKING * GLOB...

Ershad Rana is from Bangladesh and moved to Japan to study over 28 years ago and has been here ever since. During this interview, Ershad shares about adjusting to Japan, language learning, cultural identity, accepting new ideas, and being flexible. He even sings a Bengali song and a Japanese song! Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Moto...

Social linguistics is the study of how language is used in society. In this episode, Chami Nagai talks specifically about how gender influences how people communicate in society. It exists everywhere and depends on the culture and context. If we are aware of it then we can see it more clearly and also help promote more gender equality and dignity for everyone. Want to connect with the changing wor...

Why do we often so quickly judge people as likable or unlikable – as amazing or horrible? In this episode we look at two very common biases. If we understand them, hopefully we can view other people more realistically and with more empathy. - Click here for the text version of this episode and references . - Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online...

It's possible to improve your speaking by yourself from home. Through shadowing practice, you can maximize your speaking skills and also overall English fluency. Here are some tips to get started. - Click here for the text version of this episode. - Click here to access the slower TED Talk and here for the faster TED Talk to start shadowing practice. - Want to connect with the changing world in En...

The Ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism teaches us to live in harmony with all things. But what does this mean in a world where we have to fight to survive, push against injustice, and create a better world? Join me as I share reflections on this topic from our class discussions about a TED Talk by Raymond Tang . * Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English clas...

Listen to Chami share about her experience shifting between many cultures. She shares what she learned from various cultures and how she grew her courage to be her authentic self no matter where she is in the world. * Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your: - creative thinking - global awareness - cross-cultural com...

In this interview with Yokohama Chinatown restaurant owner Yao, we get an inside perspective into how the pandemic has impacted Chinatown's restaurant businesses and the people who work there. * Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your: - creative thinking - global awareness - cross-cultural communication (Advanced an...

In this episode I share advice about how to create good questions to connect with people – even if they are very different from you. You can read the text version of this episode here . * Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your: - creative thinking - global awareness - cross-cultural communication (Advanced and inter...

In this interview, Meghan Norean shares how to live according to the natural cycle of our bodies and nature so that we can experience better balance, health, and energy. She is a cyclical living guide and focuses a lot of her work on helping people understand how to embrace their menstrual cycles with more awareness. Learn more about Meghan's online courses, blog, and podcast by visiting www.megha...

In this episode I share about how asking questions can help you connect more deeply with people. Read the text version of this episode here . / Want to connect with the changing world in English? Join a free trial English class online or in Motomachi to expand your: - creative thinking - global awareness - cross-cultural communication (Advanced and intermediate only)