Exactly three years ago in Sydney, I had the privilege of interviewing Miki—an illuminating character, a talented artist and photographer. In that episode, she walked us through her extraordinary life journey of traveling and living across the world, embracing a nomadic lifestyle. She shared her aspirational pivot story—from architect to photographer—courageously carving out a second life.

Today, we come full circle with a returning episode recorded in Tokyo, at the beautiful Gajoen Hotel. Much has shifted in three years. Miki has undergone profound transformations, both personally and professionally. The most significant is her stepping into motherhood. Last year, in 2024, Miki and her family made a big move, relocating to Japan. Miki expressed: “We’re truly enjoying this chapter and all the growth, opportunities, and experiences it’s brought.”

In Part One, we delve into her motherhood journey. Becoming a mum for the first time, Miki describes it as truly magical. For her, the greatest joy is seeing the world through her daughter’s eyes—almost like reliving childhood.

Her motherhood philosophy resonates with my own vision of being a mum in the future. For Miki, motherhood doesn’t mean putting life on hold or sacrificing growth. It’s a new opportunity to enrich life across multiple dimensions. As she said: “Your kids raise you.” (we both acknowledge that becoming a mum is a deeply personal choice. All of our reflections are built on that premise)

Motherhood brings responsibility, stress, and struggle—it’s one of the hardest jobs. Miki said—through her lens of empathy and compassion: "Be kind to yourself. Yes, there are many moments when things don’t go the way I hoped. But I try to remind myself—this is my very first time experiencing these things. I’ve only been in this ‘job’ for about three years, with no prior training. Every day is on-the-job learning. So it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to not know everything. That mindset really helps relieve the pressure.” “The truth is, even if you’ve had prior experience with children, every child is different. It takes trial and error to get things right—and that’s okay.”

She shared the core traits shaping her motherhood journey:“Patience, presence, adaptability—and a whole lot of love.” Motherhood, for her, is about showing up—even when tired, uncertain, or feeling lost. It’s the willingness to keep trying, learning, and loving unconditionally.

We also explored presence. For Miki, it means intentional interaction—nurturing curiosity and creativity, two qualities I highly value. Being present means truly seeing your children, engaging their inner worlds, and being there despite exhaustion and emotional roller coasters. Through my lens, Miki embodies motherhood’s essence: boundless love and strength beyond measure.

She shared her parenting ethos—our role is to equip children with character and life skills, but ultimately it’s their life to live. I deeply resonate with this philosophy.

Balancing work and family has been challenging. Miki juggles running her business, caring for family, and carving moments for herself. Self-care is vital yet its doesn't require grand gestures —simple acts like walking in nature, honest conversations, or quiet moments also do the wonder.

Motherhood has deepened Miki’s artistic lens. As she beautifully encapsulated:“I’d say motherhood hasn’t changed what I see through the lens, but it’s definitely changed how I see it—and how I hold the stories I get to tell.”

Links

Website: https://www.mikisakai.com/

Instagram: mikisakaiphotography

lifedesignerwithjingyuchen