April Adventures: A New Office (…and a dash of XX, XX, and XX)

(Hint: think friends' book launches, inspiring dinners, new podcast drops, and my Unpausable playlist on Spotify.)

Welcome to my April 2025 blog! April has always felt like a month of renewal. It’s the start of the new financial year in Japan, cherry blossoms bloom, and fresh possibilities fill the air. Back in April 2018, I launched my own boutique law firm, and now, seven years later, I’ve stepped into my eighth year of business with a big move: a new office space in Tokyo.

Yes, it’s a bit philosophical, but here’s the truth:

I’m living the life I once only dreamed of.

Ten years ago, I barely imagined a future where I could run my own practice, serve amazing clients, and design a work life on my own terms. But now I realise, that day is today.

It’s easy to get caught in the loop of striving. But every now and then, I stop and realise: I’m actually standing in a version of the dream I once worked so hard to reach. There’s value in recognising the milestones already achieved, not just the ones we’re still chasing.

One of those milestones? I always wanted an office with my name on the door. On April 1st, 2025, that dream came true. Opening the door to my own space, seeing the signboard, having a place to welcome clients and collaborate with my small team. Actually it’s all still sinking in. After eight years of working from home (a real gift during the pandemic years), I’ve started commuting again, for just a 12-minute train ride over 4 stations, and loving the shift in energy and structure.

With all the elements of my portfolio career … travel, podcasting, events, board roles … it’s a juggle, but one I’m incredibly grateful for.

Here's a look at everything April brought with it... ⬇️

📚 Book Launch Spark: What's Your Type?

Are you an INFP or an ENTP? (Or maybe an elusive INFJ?) This April, I had the absolute joy of celebrating the book launch of my friend Harumi Gondo, a kindred spirit I’ve known for just two years, though it feels like much longer. Perhaps that's because we're the same personality type, which explains the immediate click!

Harumi has made it her mission to demystify the Myers-Briggs 16 personality types through her coaching and now, her book. I was honoured to be interviewed for the book, and even more thrilled to attend her book launch. It’s a compact yet thoughtful read, filled with deep insights and utterly charming illustrations that make the theory approachable and fun.

Yes, Myers-Briggs isn’t always viewed as hard science, but there’s something undeniably resonant about the patterns it reveals. For many, it articulates what we’ve intuitively felt but never quite been able to put a finger on.

I discovered I’m an ENFJ - this is a type that ranks as the second rarest of the 16! Maybe that explains why I’ve often felt a little… sparkly but different.

What I admire about Harumi’s approach is how she blends personality typing with purpose-driven coaching. Her lens isn’t about labeling. It is about understanding. By helping people grasp their own and others’ preferences, she unlocks clearer communication, stronger collaboration, and more self-compassion.

Curious about your type? You might just uncover something you've always felt but couldn't quite explain. 👉 Take the test here

**🎧 UNPAUSABLE: The Soundtrack to a Life in Motion**

In March, I marked four years of podcasting as the host of Lawyer on Air, a show dedicated to the stories of women in law, from the boardroom to the courtroom and every creative pivot in between.

To celebrate, I launched something a little different but very close to my heart: a Spotify playlist called UNPAUSABLE.

Why Unpausable? It’s a word that found me. After a couple of major board appointments, some of which had a few men flapping about my momentum. Let’s just say, not exactly thrilled and they (literally) grumbled,

“Could you please pause so the rest of us can catch up?”

When I told my favourite guy, Alexander D, about this reaction, he didn’t miss a beat. With a grin, he gave me a nickname: UNPAUSABLE.

And just like the name stuck. It became a catchphrase, then a mantra, and now, a playlist. It stuck.

UNPAUSABLE is full of my go-to tracks. These are songs that lift me up, get me moving, and remind me that momentum doesn’t mean burnout; it means joy, direction, and rhythm.

Whether you're in the car, on the train (AirPods in, please!), or striding into your next big moment, I hope these tunes give you a boost.

🎶 Click here to listen on Spotify. Let me know which track becomes your anthem!

🎙 Podcast episodes - keep on coming

April brought a podcast milestone moment! On Lawyer on Air, we released just one episode this month, but what an episode it was (if I might say so myself!)

🎧 Season 9, Episode 10 marked the finale of Season 9 and celebrated four years of podcasting. Titled “Unpausable: The Impact of 100 Episodes”, this special solo episode features reflections from guests, messages from listeners, and my own take on how far we’ve come. It’s one of my favourite recordings to date, both emotional and energising. If you’ve been part of the journey, this one’s for you.

Over on Jandals in Japan, another quiet milestone: we’ve entered our fourth year since hitting “record” for the very first time.

🎧 In Episode 64, we welcomed cross-cultural communicator Sean O’Connell… no, not a cousin or long-lost son, though he does call me “Aunty”! In this delightful episode, Sean revealed the real story behind the nickname, along with practical tips on navigating Japan’s unique communication style. Even seasoned Japan hands like co-host Jayne Nakata and I picked up some new strategies. Listen in here: Jandals in Japan Ep 64

Two podcasts. Two proud milestones. And the stories just keep on coming

📦 New Office, New Energy

As I shared at the top of this post, April’s biggest milestone was moving into my new office space! It’s been quite the journey for me, scouting locations, dreaming up possibilities, and recalibrating plans that were first in motion back in 2020… before COVID pressed pause. But as with many things in life, the timing now feels just right.

There’s something unmistakably energising about a fresh start in a new environment. A new commute. New routines. New perspectives. After working from home for eight years, this change has brought a renewed sense of focus and flow. I’m excited for the conversations, collaborations, and creative sparks that this new space will hold.

Fittingly, I opened my boutique law practice on April 1st, 2018, and now as I mentioned at the start of this blog, exactly seven years later, I’ve turned the page to a new chapter by stepping into this dedicated professional home.

If you’re in the Hibiya Central Building area (Uchisaiwaicho Station), give me a shout and swing by for a coffee - flat whites included!

☕️ 🎁 Mug Shot Moment: Naoko Tahara

Another joyful “mug moment” in April was held - his time with the brilliant Naoko Tahara, who stopped by my new office for a visit!

Naoko was a recent guest on Lawyer on Air, and having her swing by in person made the episode all the more special. We shared laughs, stories, and iced tea (for a change).

Visitors have described my new space as feeling a bit like a hotel foyer, which I take as a high compliment. The theme? Music. From violins to little nods to melody and rhythm, the décor sings with the energy that inspires me most. It’s a space that feels completely me, and I loved welcoming Naoko into it.

🎧 Catch her thoughtful and inspiring episode here: Season 9, Ep 9 – Naoko Tahara

🌸 Spring Soirées: Women Who Gather

This April brought two joyful gatherings, each one a reminder of the power of shared stories, good wine, and even better company. And where better to host these than the ever-stylish Hotel Indigo Shibuya? It’s fast becoming the place for many of my favourite celebrations and moments of connection.

First up: the Spring Women’s Dinner: a beautiful evening with some of the smartest, warmest women I know. There’s something about spring that feels like a call to gather, reflect, and reset. The cherry blossoms might have been outside, but the real bloom was around the table. It was a night of encouragement, laughter, and honest conversation, the kind that lingers long after the last course is cleared.

Next: the Kiwi Aussie Women’s Mixer, where trans-Tasman camaraderie took centre stage. With candid shots, cheeky banter, and heartfelt chats, this group brought the best of both worlds. Whether it was sharing career moves, family updates, or just raising a glass to making it through another Tokyo week, the spirit was real, relaxed, and unmistakably homegrown.

Seeing both groups come together in their own way reminded me how these nights matter so much. They fill the cup (and the camera roll).

🇦🇺 Spring Down Under: Australia Day at the Embassy

One more highlight from April, Australia Day in Spring, held at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo. The timing couldn’t have been better, grey skies turned into blue, the temperatures warmed up, and the Embassy gardens in full blooming sakura blossoms made it a perfect afternoon for mingling and reconnecting with the Aussie community in Japan.

And if you know me, you’ll know I have a soft spot for mascots (anyone with me?). Japan, of course, does mascots like no other country, but I was just as thrilled to spot Ruby the Kangaroo, proudly representing Team Australia. A quick photo later, and my Aussie mascot collection is now complete. Ruby joins Koko the Koala, who I met a few years back. Mission accomplished!

🩷 This “Barbie” Runs on Coffee (and Champagne)

Riding the wave of the trending “This Barbie is…” posts, I couldn’t resist creating a version of myself. Admittedly, the avatar didn’t quite look like me, but some of the props? Yes, spot on. Champagne, coffee, and two bags (pink and black) full of playful purpose? Yes, please.

It was a fun reminder that while digital dolls may never capture the full story, the accessories we carry, in work, in life,and also may I say, in spirit - say a lot about who we are.

So yes, this Barbie is a podcasting, law-firm-running, boardroom-walking, playlist-making, mascot-loving, coffee-and-champagne-fueled kind of figure.
And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

🌸 Closing Thoughts: Full Circle, Fresh Start

As April winds down, I’m struck by how much this month has mirrored the very essence of spring: new shoots, full circles, and the quiet thrill of possibility.

From stepping into a new office to marking four years of Lawyer on Air, celebrating friends’ milestones, sharing playlists, and gathering with incredible women, it has all reminded me that reinvention doesn’t always mean reinvention from scratch. Sometimes, it’s simply about stepping more fully into who you already are, with a little more clarity, courage, and coffee or Champagne.

As we head into May, I’m excited to keep building, keep sharing, and, yes, stay Unpausable in all the right ways.

See you next month!

Catherine