“The idea that people without worries are shallow is a lie born from jealousy.”
I used to wear myself out attending meetings after night shifts, constantly reading others' faces and thinking that if I just endured and didn't make waves, everything would be fine.
What saved me—someone who was too serious and on the verge of suffocating—was the incredibly bold way of living of Kanna Hashimoto, a national actress who continues to shine under immense pressure.
She doesn't get through just on natural brightness.
When you break down her thinking scientifically, you find a highly rational defense system hidden there that protects her heart in unreasonable environments.
I will explain this invincible survival strategy that even overworked employees can adopt right now.
① Don't give yourself time to worry: Overwhelming power of forgetting.
In an interview, when asked how she relieves stress, she immediately replied, “I don't have a method because I don't accumulate stress.”
She has a rule: if something bad happens, sleep and forget it.
In psychology, this is:
- Stopping rumination
- Forced emotional reset through sleep
The biggest reason people suffer mentally is repeating past failures in their heads over and over.
By physically sleeping when she has time to worry, she calms the excitement of the brain's amygdala and builds a powerful defense system that automatically performs emotional detox.
Sleeping is truly important for mental health.
When I had depression, my psychiatrist also told me to make sure I got enough sleep.
② Show your unadorned self: Abandoning perfectionism.
Despite being a top actress, she doesn't hide her true self at all, laughing heartily with her mouth wide open and publicly stating her love for beer and mahjong.
This is:
- Self-disclosure
- Abandoning defense mechanisms
Serious people wear masks to try to look good, which consumes intense brain energy through cognitive dissonance.
By exposing her true self, including the “bad” parts, from the start, she neutralizes uncontrollable stressors like what others think of her.
A beautiful actress announcing she likes mahjong and beer actually makes her more likable.
③ You won't die if you fail: Avoiding catastrophic thinking.
Even on huge stages with extraordinary pressure, like hosting the Kohaku Uta Gassen, she doesn't get nervous.
She says, “It's not like I'll die if I fail,” and “It will be what it will be.”
This is “avoiding catastrophic thinking,” which is also used in treating anxiety disorders.
Serious people imagine the worst-case scenario—that it's the end if they fail—and destroy themselves.
“It'll work out.”
“It's okay to fail.”
By letting go of the obsession with results, you clear the noise of anxiety from the brain's working memory. This is a scientifically correct mental control method that allows 100% focus on the task at hand.
[Summary]
True strength isn't about enduring worries; it's about having the boldness to abandon worrying itself.
- Force a reset of bad things by sleeping.
- Throw away perfectionism and trying to look good.
- Let go of results; you won't die if you fail.
The next time you're at work feeling like your heart is breaking, wondering why you're the only one who has to do this job: stop trying to play the “good person.”
Summon the heartily laughing Kanna Hashimoto in your mind and mutter:
“Oh well! It's not like I'll die if I fail!”
The moment you stop trying to meet others' expectations and have your own rules, the heavy chains binding you will slip away.
Save this article as a mental recovery charm for when you're too serious and tired.
I post daily from the perspective of those who “set the stage,” where just knowing can change how you see the world. Let's become lighter together—don't forget to follow.
@kaigoyametai1
