10 rules of Ikigai

 I read the book 'Ikigai' by Hector Gracia and Francesca Miralles last month and have been fascinated by this simple concept of Japanese way of long and happy life..

Ikigai means 'the reason for being' or the reason why one wants to get up everyday to face life, and it has its origins from a Japanese island Okinawa, where a lot of centenarians are living a happy and fulfilling life..
According to the book it is the combination of 4 things (if you have them all, you have the 'reason for being'):
1️⃣ What you love doing (passion)
2️⃣ What the world needs (mission)
3️⃣ What you are good at (skill)
4️⃣ What you can be paid for (profession)
Although when you read the whole book you figure out that the Okinawans find the 'ikigai' in every thing in life (be it interesting or boring) making it happy and fulfilling by just following simple rules everyday..I would say that the 'ikigai' is the goal and the rules are the process to achieve the goal.. so for me, these rules were the highlight rather than the concept of ikigai itself, which is generally more famous (you can consider me more process oriented than goal oriented!):
1️⃣ Stay active, don't retire
2️⃣ Take it slow as being in a hurry deteriorates quality of life
3️⃣ Don't fill up your stomach to the brim to live longer
4️⃣ Surround yourself with good friends
5️⃣ Get in shape for your next birthday ( basically be physically active)
6️⃣ Smile more
7️⃣ Reconnect with nature
8️⃣ Give thanks
9️⃣ Live in the moment
🔟 Follow your ikigai
Which of these rules are you following?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Wisdom I acquired in this Pandemic – a little dose of positivity amidst unpredictability

Image
    I have been in ‘lockdown’ for months now, although it was not exactly a lockdown in the country and state where I stay. It was basically a ‘stay at home order’ which was not as strict as a lockdown, but I have kept myself confined to my house in the past few months, not even going out for groceries, since currently we can order them online, thanks to the online grocery services!. I will not deny that I am scared to even step out of my house in the current situation, not to mention that since I am an epidemiologist, I thoroughly understand the importance of social distancing and following it myself very religiously.  I will also admit that I am getting paranoid and anxious about my health and my loved ones’ health, grocery shopping, cleaning etc. which I guess most of us are in this current scenario, thanks to all the misinformation and over exaggerated information floating around all over the internet and media. As scientific as I am, I do not deny tha...
Read more

THE HORRIFYING FACE OF TERROR...

Image
Mumbai ( hotel taj, oberoi tritand, nariman house), 26-29 nov 2008, more than 160 killed & about 300 injured... the most terrible attack on mankind in the Indian history.. This is the horrifying face of terror, unimaginable terror... 3 nights & 2 days of horror past by, still a lot of price to pay by the common man & the nation... The images & clips shown on the television has left me numb & shuddering from inside.. i can still feel those goose bumps, my heartbeat has still not come back to normal, i still wish that this should be a bad bad nightmare & not the truth... but very sadly, the bitterness of this truth has captured our country & made us a hostage of terrorism... WHY?? WHY WITH US?? Why always a common innocent man has to suffer?? What’s our fault?? What’s anybody’s fault for that matter?? Hundreds who have lost their lives in a matter of a few hours, never would have thought that they would never be able to return back alive from a di...
Read more

Passion Unleashed: Illuminating the Path to Mental Health and Substance Use Transformation

Image
Passion, a driving force that fuels our actions and propels us towards our goals, plays a pivotal role in the field of mental health and substance use. As we reach the end of Mental Health Awareness Month, it is crucial to reflect on the significance of passion in this field and how it can drive change, inspire hope, and create a healthier society. In this blog post, drawing upon my 15 years of experience as a doctor, researcher, and epidemiologist in the field of mental health and substance use, I will take you through the enduring power of passion and its impact on the well-being of individuals suffering from these issues. Empathy Amplified I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of passion in amplifying empathy while working in this field. Passionate professionals in mental health and substance use understand the importance of genuine care and connection in building trust with individuals facing these challenges. Their unwavering commitment stems from years of dedicati...
Read more