Ikigai

Ikigai (pronounced Ick-ee-guy) is a concept originating from the Japanese island of Okinawa, home to the largest population of centenarians in the world. So, could finding our ikigai – our reason for being – lead to happiness and longevity in life? Arlo Laibowitz explores this interesting idea... The Japanese concept of Ikigai answers these questions, by finding our reason for being. So, what exactly is Ikigai, and how can we use its lessons to find meaning and happiness in our lives? Ikigai, according to • Finding flow in everything we do, and remaining active. • Taking it slow, and not worrying. • Cultivating good habits, including good nutrition. • Nurturing good friendships. • Living an unhurried life, and exercising daily. • Being optimistic and smiling a lot. • Reconnecting with nature. • Giving thanks, and having resilience. • Cherishing "wabi-sabi", or the imperfection of life. • And, living by "ichi-go, ichi-e": the knowledge that this moment exists only now, and won’t come again. Ikigai is an attitude towards life, a way of finding our optimal activities in life, and a set of characteristics that can create meaning and happiness in life. By finding our professional ikigai, and living according to its characteristics in our day-to-day, we can lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. On the Japanese island of Okinawa, people ● happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practice, share Are you a Sign up for free now to: ■ enjoy our ■ share and support others in our ...

We’ve established that the purpose of life is to be the best version of yourself. We’ve also established that prioritizing that purpose in the long term is an essential part of our success. But what exactly is that purpose? And how do we find it? After all, most of us don’t roll out of bed every day knowing exactly what we’re meant to do. It is my intent to change that paradigm. I’d like to introduce you to a Japanese concept known as ikigai. The ikigai is essentially what were trying to talk about here: our reason for getting up in the morning. In this article, you will learn: • What an ikigai is • Why it is important • A complete breakdown of its four component parts • How to find your own ikigai • Examples of ikigai • How to live in fulfillment with your ikigai What is Ikigai? Ikigai is a Japanese word that roughly translates to “a reason for being”. It is a concept of purpose, the thing that gives us a reason for living. The Literal Meaning This concept is a compound of two Japanese words: “iki”, meaning life, and “kai”, meaning something to the effect of fruit or result. Most have taken this to mean a reason for living or a meaning for life. The phrase ikigai has come to have its own unique associations in modern times, and the Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living”. How It Is Used Ikigai can mean several things. It can mean having a sense of purpose in life, as w...

Ikigai ( ee-key-guy) is a small word with a profound meaning. Translated from Japanese, ikigai means “ reason to live.” It is often associated with the prefecture of Okinawa, which boasts the longest-living people on Earth. We will look more closely at this fascinating concept, with particular emphasis on inspiring ikigai quotes related to acceptance and living in the moment, nature and beauty, health and longevity, movement, happiness, purpose, and passion. Tools aimed at helping you find your ikigai are also included. So, let’s get started–your ikigai is just waiting to be discovered. Before you continue, we thought you might like to This Article Contains: • • • • • • • • • • • What Is Ikigai and How Does It Work? Somehow, many decades later, the location of this bloodbath has become known for something far better. Namely, as of the time of writing, there were more It turns out that the inhabitants of Okinawa are doing all the right things to support a long and Plus, they live healthy lifestyles, with light eating and plenty of exercise and rest (García & Miralles, 2017). Of course, living on a beautiful island with a subtropical climate doesn’t hurt. Nonetheless, even without the climate, the rest of us may emulate the Okinawans’ zest for life. The following quotes and summaries will set us on the right path for Acceptance & Living in the Moment Quotes There is no future, no past. There is only the present. García & Miralles, 2017, p. 55 The moment. Stop regretting the ...

What was your reason for getting up this morning? Often, we pass through life unclear of the meaning, motivation, or values behind what we do and how we live. And yet, it doesn’t have to be this way. The Japanese practice of ikigai helps you find your reason for living, shaping how you live now and in the future. Unique to each of us, it represents our attention to the present and the point at which our mission, vocation, and professional lives meet (Mitsuhashi, 2018; García & Miralles, 2018). The worksheets and templates in this article help you reflect on what is essential and how you can find better ways to meet your personal ikigai. Before you continue, you might like to This Article Contains: • • • • • • 6 Best Worksheets & Templates to Find Your Ikigai Ikigai is both an idea and a way of life. This Japanese approach to And there is no one-size-fits-all. Instead, we must each search for our individual path to joy, curiosity, and passion (Mitsuhashi, 2018). Identifying your Finding Your Ikigai Ikigai corresponds with your sense of purpose and your reason for being. One standard Western approach for searching for and representing such deeply held self-knowledge involves completing a diagram with four headings (García & Miralles, 2018): • What you love • What you are good at • What the world needs • What you can be paid for The Finding Your Ikigai tool is an easy-to-use exercise to help clients find purpose and meaning in their lives by engaging in the Japanese practic...

Ultimately, we are all want to find meaningful and fulfilling work in our lives. The question is what does that look like for us. And the Japanese concept of Ikigai provides a fantastic framework to helping you discover your own best fit work. Throughout this post, I’m going to introduce the concept of Ikigai, discuss what it means, and then dive into how it can be used to help you find your ideal work. Let’s get started. What is Ikigai? Ikigai is a Japanese concept that roughly translates to “reason for being.” It represents the intersection of four key area: • What you’re good at • What you love to do • What can generate income • What the world needs The core idea is that your Ikigai, or reason for being, is at the intersection of those four points. If you can find work checks all four of the boxes for you, then it’s quite likely that you’ve discovered your best fit work, and will enjoy a feeling of meaning and flow in what you’re doing. To find your Ikigai, you’ll ultimately need to generate a list of items that apply to you in each of the four areas, and then try to discover the points of intersection. Let’s quickly go through all four of those areas, what they represent, and some recommendations for exercises you can complete in each of them. What You’re Good At You can start at any point in the Ikigai diagram, but I think the best place to start is with “what you’re good at.” The reason is I think your skills, or what your good at, is the foundation of work. In my vi...

The book IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret To a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles, is more of a case study on the lives of the long-living residents from Ogimi, a small village in Okinawa, than an explanation or guide to understanding Ikigai. The book concludes with 10 ten rules of ikigai that the author’s distilled from the wisdom of these long-living residents. You could interpret the rules as the lifestyle habits that enable the senior residents of Ogami to live long and enjoy their ikigai Your lifestyle will be very different to the centenarians of Ogami. You probably work, live in a city, have many responsibilities, financial stress, relationship problems and many things on your mind and so on. It may be hard for you to adopt all 10 rules, but some are very easy to implement. Keep in mind these aren’t rules that you must follow in order to achieve ikigai, but suggestions or habits you could adopt to improve your health and well being so you can discover and live your ikigai. A question you can ask yourself is,” What rules can I easily implement that will help me with my day to day life?” The Ten Rules OF IKIGAI 1. Stay active; don’t retire. “Those who give up the things they love doing and do well lose their purpose in life. That’s why it’s so important to keep doing things of value, making progress, bringing beauty or utility to others, helping out, and shaping the world around you, even after your“official” professional activity has ended.” 2. Tak...

Personal Development • Self-Development and Goal Setting • Time Management • Presentation Skills • Learning Skills • Career Skills • Communication Skills • Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence • Working With Others • Difficult Conversations • Creativity Tools • Self-Management • Work-Life Balance • Stress Management and Well-Being What gets you out of bed in the morning? Is it career progression or your kids? Your Friday night plans or a hot cup of coffee? This is a question we all wrestle with at some point in our lives and there's rarely an easy answer. But in a time of immense global uncertainty, it pays to pause and reflect on your life and on what's important to you. There’s never been a better time to consider your personal ikigai. What Is Ikigai? Ikigai can be translated as "to live (iki) and reason (gai)" – essentially, what is the source of your daily motivation? Ikigai can be adopted as a practical philosophy for life, a way to find strength in tough times, and even as a long-term career planner. It can give value to mundane, humdrum activities, while also helping you to identify what you truly value I think it's fair to say we don't all spring out of bed every morning propelled by our core reason for being. Many of us reluctantly accept we've hit "snooze" on our alarms as much as we can get away with, and drag our weary limbs out of the sheets. So how can you find your ikigai? The Four Elements of Ikigai A Venn diagram of "the four elements" of ikigai has blaze...

3 Books Collection Set: Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life The people of Japan believe that everyone has an ikigai – a reason to jump out of bed each morning. And according to the residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa – the world’s longest-living people – finding it is the key to a longer and more fulfilled life. Inspiring and comforting, this book will give you the life-changing tools to uncover your personal ikigai. It will show you how to leave urgency behind, find your purpose, nurture friendships and throw yourself into your passions. The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well The Danish word hygge is one of those beautiful words that doesn't directly translate into English, but it more or less means comfort, warmth or togetherness. Hygge is the feeling you get when you are cuddled up on a sofa with a loved one, in warm knitted socks, in front of the fire, when it is dark, cold and stormy outside. It that feeling when you are sharing good, comfort food with your closest friends, by candle light and exchanging easy conversation. It is those cold, crisp blue sky mornings when the light through your window is just right. Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living Step aside Hygge. Lagom is the new Scandi lifestyle trend taking the world by storm. This delightfully illustrated book gives you the lowdown on this transformative approach to life and examines how the lagom ethos has helped boost Sweden to the No.10 ranking in 2017's World Hap...