Taking Ownership of My Life

Time has passed quickly, and 2025 is already drawing to a close.

It has been a year and a half since I opened my salon.

I have shifted from a life that revolved around an organization to one that revolves around myself.

A Copernican shift in my life has begun—slowly, yet undeniably—gradually transforming the way I see the world.

When I belonged to an organization, I was constantly thinking about how to make things work within its rules.

Since becoming independent and opening my own salon, I have become the rule-maker. Each day has been a continuous series of decisions, and at one point, I found myself experiencing what is known as decision fatigue—a cognitive phenomenon in which repeated decision-making depletes the brain’s energy, resulting in diminished judgment, increased impulsivity, and an inability to make sound choices.

In a state of both physical and mental burnout, I realized that deciding what not to do was just as important as deciding what to do.

By making those choices, my personal boundaries became clearer, and I learned how to say no.

Because saying no allows me to say yes to what truly matters.

Through this process, I learned how to focus my energy—physical strength, mental clarity, time, and money—on what I genuinely value.

Next summer, I plan to study contemporary art at Central Saint Martins in London. Toward the end of the program, there will be an exhibition where participants present their work. Though the program lasts only three weeks, I hope to put down roots in London, even briefly, and fully immerse myself in the experience.

Rather than arriving at answers through logic alone, I want to be guided by intuition—to listen to my body and let its sensations lead my decisions.

2025 was a vital first year in my journey toward taking ownership of my life.

Chinatsu Sakamoto