Most likely you have not heard of Ikigai, however, its background story and correlation to the Japanese island, Okinawa, which is home to the most centenarians in the world gives this Japanese practice an unparalleled lifestyle design resume. Living in the west, we have a consumer-based society, where our value is based on our belongings. That is not the case in Ikigai.
What is Ikigai?
The word Ikigai loosely translates to “the reason for living.”
What is Ikigai based upon?
Ikigai has four categories to consider. Each category has the same weight in life, however, finding the harmony between all four allows you to live your Ikigai:
-What you love
-What you can be paid for
-What are you good at
-What the world needs
The Ten Principles of Ikigai according to Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles:
1. Stay active and don’t retire
2. Leave urgency behind and adopt a slower pace of life
3. Only eat until you are 80 percent full
4. Surround yourself with good friends
5. Get in shape through daily, gentle exercise
6. Smile and acknowledge people around you
7. Reconnect with nature
8. Give thanks to anything that brightens our day and makes us feel alive.
9. Live in the moment
10. Follow your ikigai