I want to do a "good job" and spread happiness in the world.

"Autonomic nervous system disorder...?"

In 1956, I was born as the eldest daughter of a pair of civil servant parents. I studied in my hometown of Okayama until university, where I met my current husband, Y, while working part-time as a photographer at a wedding venue. Y, who has a kindness that makes you feel embraced, was very comfortable to be with, and we quickly hit it off. After four years of dating, we got married when I was 26. Soon after, we had our first son, and I became a full-time housewife.

Three years after our marriage, one morning, I noticed that my husband was clearly not himself.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"I have a bit of a headache..."

My husband took a day off work to visit the hospital, but the cause of his discomfort was unclear. The next day and the day after, he underwent various tests and was referred to a psychiatric department. There, the doctor told him he had an unfamiliar diagnosis called "autonomic nervous system disorder." According to the doctor, it was a mental illness caused by stress.

The company my husband worked for had irregular and very demanding hours. He is the type of person who puts his all into everything, so I think he was pushing himself too hard both physically and mentally.

Eventually, it became difficult for him to return to work, and he had to quit his job. At that time, I was pregnant with our second child. For a while, we managed somehow, but it was difficult for me, as a pregnant woman, to go out to work, and our savings were running low.

Seeing my husband in a depressed state at home made me worried, but at the same time, I couldn't help but feel judgmental, thinking, "You need to work for the sake of the baby in my belly." Unable to do anything, I spent my days crying.

We endured the difficult situation, but when our second son was born, the atmosphere at home naturally brightened. Perhaps thanks to that, my husband gradually regained his energy and was able to work as a freelance photographer.

However, freelance work inevitably led to unstable income. My husband had the skills to take photos, so people around us suggested, "Why not open a photo studio?" But both of us grew up in families with no business background, so we lacked the courage. One day in 1990, while I was troubled, a friend who had been helping us as a family gave me some advice.

"S, when you're in doubt, think about giving love to people and the world."

"Giving love...?"

Using the phrase "giving love," my friend encouraged me to start a business, saying, "If it's a job that contributes to society, it will surely go well." This one phrase moved my heart. I talked to my husband about it, and we decided to open a shop together. Since we had no funds, we started with help from relatives. We named the shop "Studio View." I thought a name that evokes a sense of "future" would be good, so I chose the word "View," which means "prospect."

At first, my husband said, "I have no confidence in business," but as we began preparations, he started to come alive. Since he hadn't taken many photos outside of weddings before, he humbly asked photographer friends and seniors to teach him everything from how to take product photos to how to shoot Shichi-Go-San photos. Around the same time, that friend who supported our opening came to the shop.

"S, how's business going? I think this will be helpful, so please read it if you like."

Saying this, he revealed that he was studying at the Happy Science and handed me a copy of the book by Ryuho Okawa, "The Winning Mindset." open_in_new After work, I immediately opened the book.

"The 'Winning Mindset' is, in essence, the idea that 'no matter what storms may arise in life, one should always create positives from them.'"

(No matter what adversity, it can be turned into a positive depending on one's mindset—)

The words written in 'The Winning Mindset' encouraged me, who had just begun the new challenge of running a business.

(I want to learn at Happy Science too!)

Thinking this, I decided to become a member.

Our shop not only did photography but also handled photo development and camera sales, so I studied the mechanics of cameras from scratch to support my husband. The photos my husband took became popular, and the shop soon began to get on track.

During the day, we did photography and customer service, and at night, we worked on photo selection and album creation. It was busy, but the work was very enjoyable, and we both worked passionately.

When we had just opened, my husband was still visiting the hospital for his autonomic nervous system disorder, but after starting the shop, he quickly regained his health and eventually no longer needed medication.

Around the year 2000. One day, while I was at the shop, I suddenly felt, "Recently, it seems like there's less money." When I checked the cash register and the bankbook, there was barely enough to cover the rent.

(I'm in trouble since the payment is due soon...)

The shop was doing reasonably well, and we were operating two studios, but at the same time, we had started to hire several part-time workers.

I remembered that Ryuho Okawa had taught that it was necessary to change the methods and thinking of work according to the scale of the organization, and I realized that I had to do 'management' instead of the previous 'rough accounting.' However, if I couldn't recover from this poor performance, an even greater difficulty struck.

It was around 9 PM on a December night in 2003. While I was chatting with my husband and staff at the shop, I received a phone call from someone in the neighborhood.

"Your studio is on fire!"

They said that the annex studio we had borrowed from a business partner was burning fiercely. My husband and I were skeptical, but we rushed to the annex, which was about a 10-minute drive away.

"Excuse me, let me through! I work here!"

As I said this and pushed through the crowd, the charred remains of our shop, reduced to steel beams, spread out before me. It was said to be an arson. Both my husband and I were at a loss for words. That night, when I returned home, I was in a daze, praying to the main deity and seeking salvation from the gods.

(Please give us strength—)

The next morning, when we went to the site again, the devastation that I couldn't see in the dark the night before was now visible in the sunlight. The camera that my husband cherished like his life was burned and melted, and when I looked down at my feet, I saw a charred piece of fabric from a wedding dress.

As I walked weakly through the ashes, I spotted several cute-shaped hats. These are the hats that brides wear when they put on their dresses.

(Those didn't burn in the fire...!)

The wedding dress was a 'work partner' that had shared both joy and hardship with me. The moment I found the surviving hats, I was filled with emotion at our reunion. At the same time, I realized that I loved the work of the photo studio more than I had thought. And the desire to 'rebuild the shop once again' welled up inside me.

A few days after the fire, my husband brought information about a property that could replace the burned studio. Since it was adjacent to our main studio, if we could rent it, it would make our work much easier than before. However, we didn't have enough funds, so he said he would ask if we could rent it for half the price.

"I might get turned down, but I'll ask the landlord. Will you come with me?"

I decided to go with my husband to the property owner's place as he suggested. As soon as my husband saw the landlord, he suddenly bowed deeply.

I lost everything in the fire. Please, give me another chance to start over!

I also begged along with my husband. Then, our desperate feelings reached the landlord, and they made special adjustments for us. Even though I lost my precious camera in the fire, I did not lose hope. Watching my husband, who faced forward for a new start, solidified my feelings as well.

(In order for Mr. Y to take photos without worry, I decided to study 'management' to support the store.)

To overcome the crisis of bankruptcy, I began to learn the teachings of management as preached by President Okawa.

President Okawa speaks about the importance of those who have trained their hearts succeeding in their work, and he provides numerous guidelines for managers, such as the 'difference between expenses and investments' and 'how to nurture talent.' Based on his teachings, I reflected on the areas where I had been vague in accounting and improved my work.

Furthermore, I was struck by listening to the Dharma talk 'Introduction to President Studies.'

At first, I might have started the company with the ambition of 'doing what I like, being able to feed myself and my family, and ensuring that employees can eat their fill,' but once it grew to a certain scale, that alone was not enough. We must assert the legitimacy of 'why our company must develop and prosper.'

I learned how important a 'management philosophy' is and that it is necessary to find the purpose of the company's existence when establishing a philosophy.

(What is our work for? Please, teach me—)

One day, while participating in training at the Chinese Seishinkan, I asked the deities for guidance. Then, as I was about to leave after finishing the training, suddenly, something like a philosophy came to my mind in words.

It was a nuance of words that conveyed, 'Our work is not about "taking photos." It is about blessing our customers and connecting their current happiness to future happiness.'

(This is it, I understand…!)

I decided to convey the 'answer' I finally found to my husband and employees and make it the foundation of our management philosophy.

Once the philosophy solidified, everyone's approach to work changed, and my husband began to incorporate new shooting techniques one after another.

One day, my husband suggested using the foreign car he had as a hobby for shooting. Although I wasn't too keen on the idea, we quickly took the newlyweds, who had just finished their hair and makeup at the shop, to a local park in the car and tried shooting with the foreign car. To our surprise, it was well-received by the customers. I could feel the response from my husband's delighted expression.

(If we promote 'location shooting' as a product, it might become popular.)

I shaped a plan that combined costumes, hair and makeup, and outdoor shooting as our main product. At that time, such plans were not yet available at other stores. The 'new product' invented by my husband had a high customer satisfaction rate, and this led to a rapid increase in sales, allowing us to open a second store where we could hold not only photo shoots but also weddings and parties.

Until now, there have been many hardships, such as my husband's illness and management difficulties. However, because I met my husband, I learned the fun of photography, and because of his illness, I was able to start the shop. And because of the fire and management difficulties, I was able to reassess my work, leading to our current development.

I can think so honestly because I have been taught in Happy Science that 'there is nothing useless in the experiences we have in life.' Without this teaching, I believe I would not have been able to rise up amidst hardships.

I feel that photography has the power to fill people's hearts with happiness and enrich them. I want to do 'good work' that brings joy to everyone and spread happiness in the world. Our challenge is still just beginning. I will express my gratitude to the deities through my work.

Let's reflect on the points that allowed Mr. Y to overcome economic hardships and put his business on a successful track.