Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Ikigai is filled with little things that we humans need to be reminded of from time to time. It is a reiteration of our value systems, of what we believe in. Took me to the basics and roots. Sharing a few of my learnings.

• The one who has a “why” to live for can bear with almost any “how”.

• Technology is great if we’re in control of it. It’s not so great if it takes control of us.

• Art, in all forms, is an ikigai that can bring happiness and purpose to our days. Enjoying or creating beauty is free, and something all human beings have access to.

• The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

• Open your heart to people with a nice smile on your face.

• If you don’t work, your body breaks down.

• Eat a bit of everything.

• The secret to long life: getting together with people, and going from place to place.

• Tell yourself ‘Slow down’ and ‘Relax’. You’ll live much longer if you’re not in a hurry.

• Doing many different things every day. Always staying busy, but doing one thing at a time, without getting overwhelmed.

• The secret to long life is going to bed early, waking up early, and going for a walk. Living peacefully and enjoying the little things. Getting along with your friends. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…enjoying each season, happily.

• There’s no secret to it. The trick is just to live.

• They are very proud of their traditions and local culture. They are passionate about everything they do, however insignificant it might seem.

• People who live longest are not the ones who do the most exercise but rather the ones who move the most.

• One thing that everyone with a clearly defined ikigai has in common is that they pursue their passion no matter what.

• Resilience isn’t just the ability to persevere. It is an outlook we can cultivate to stay focused on important things in life rather than what’s most urgent.

• The changes in the world around us are not accidental but rather form part of the essence of the universe.

• Anti-fragility is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the anti-fragile gets better.

• We need randomness, mess, adventures, uncertainty, self-discovery, hear traumatic episodes, all these things that make life worth living.

• The passage of time shows us that everything is fleeting, but if you have a clear sense of your ikigai, each moment will hold so many possibilities that it will seem almost like an eternity.

• Be led by your curiosity, and keep busy doing things that fill you with meaning and happiness. It doesn’t need to be a big thing.

• Life is not a problem to be solved. Just remember to have something that keeps you busy doing what you love while being surrounded by the people who love you.

God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.