Ikigai: Finding the meaning of life according to the Japanese method

Why is ikigai so important and how to find your ikigai? Let’s find out together.

What is Ikigai?

Ikigai is a concept that comes from Okinawa – an island of Japan, then gradually popularized and became an integral part of Japanese culture. In Japanese, ikigai is understood as “reason to live” or “reason to exist”, which is compounded by two elements “iki” which means “to live” and “gai” which means “reason”.

According to neuroscientist Ken Mogi – author of the book Awakening Your Ikigai – on a grand scale, ikigai means things we want to achieve in life or in our careers. On a small scale, however, ikigai is merely the reason we wake up in the morning. “According to the traditional Japanese concept, small things can also create value in life, but not necessarily big things,” he said. Ikigai can be anything from watching the sunrise, trying a new recipe, volunteering or spending time with family… as long as it brings us joy, happiness and feeling motivated.

Currently, ikigai is increasingly being recognized outside of Asia. However, the true meaning of this philosophy is often lost in translations. If you try to search for the keyword “ikigai” on Google, you will see a flood of images of Venn diagrams created in 2014 by British businessman Marc Winn, in which ikigai is the intersection of four factors: passion. , mission, expertise and career.

Western interpretations mainly focus on career and social contribution, while only 30% of Japanese associate ikigai with work. There’s no denying that, for some people, the ikigai Venn chart is especially helpful during career orientation. However, putting career and social status at the heart of ikigai will diminish the true meaning and value of this philosophy. In fact, ikigai is not merely associated with financial matters or passion, but above all, it is judged on the true happiness within each of us.

Benefits of ikigai for mental health

Finding our ikigai and practicing it regularly will bring us a sense of happiness, energize us, and improve our mental health and quality of life. Although researchers have yet to determine whether ikigai affects the structure and function of the brain, they have found that people who pursue ikigai are less likely to suffer from depression and depression. also have better cognitive abilities. Ikigai helps us feel strong enough to face life’s challenges.

How do I find my ikigai?

Reminiscing the past

Childhood is considered the most wonderful time. That is also the time when we feel the meaning of ikigai most clearly because when we were young, we often lived a carefree life, less affected by society. The more we grow up, the more we get caught up in the cycle of life, the pressure to meet the standards of society, but sometimes forget to stop to feel the happiness around us.

Try to think back to your childhood days, what makes you feel happiest? If you can’t remember anything in particular, try to think about something recently that brought you joy or motivated you? After all, in essence, ikigai is what helps us balance and maintain a healthy, meaningful life.

Apply the 5 core pillars of ikigai to your life

According to Ken Mogi, there are 5 important pillars that help us find our ikigai:

1. Start with small actions: Start with the simplest things in your life, and do them carefully step by step.

2. Free yourself: At this stage, you need to remove the burdens in your heart, practice being satisfied with yourself and see life in an optimistic and positive way.

3. Harmony and sustainability: Do not argue over losing with others, instead, you need to know how to reconcile relationships, because there will certainly be times when you need their help to get through the moment. the difficulties in life.

4. Enjoy the joy from the little things: Don’t be busy looking far away but find joy from the simple things around you to have more motivation to wake up every morning.

5. Live in the present: This is perhaps the most important pillar. To fully focus on the present moment, we need to practice mindfulness every day to get the best mental state.

Remember that 1 is the only number

According to Marc Winn’s Venn diagram, each person has only one ikigai. However, in reality, the number of ikigai per individual is unlimited. You can have two, three, four, or more ikigai, as long as it makes you happy and makes your life meaningful.

Although ikigai cannot give us a perfect answer to the meaning of life, as long as we appreciate and enjoy the joy and happiness of the present, we will surely find it. desired answer.

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