From yoga retreats in the Himalayas and weekly mindfulness classes to downloading mediation apps such as Headspace and Calm, many of us spend our lives (and paycheques) on trying to achieve happiness and fulfilment.
However, having tried out the Danish concept of finding contentment in cosiness with the pursuit of ‘hygge’, and frugal living with the Swedish idea of ‘lagom’, we seem to be struggling to find the true key to happiness.
Until now, perhaps.
Enter ‘ikigai’, a new lifestyle concept from Japan. In Japanese culture, it’s widely believed that everyone has an ‘ikigai’ – a reason to jump out of bed each morning.
Instead of suggesting we slow down to find life’s meaning, the idea is about actively finding our raison d’être.
What it means
‘Ikigai’ is a Japanese word that can roughly be translated into English to mean ‘reason for being’. Basically, it’s all about finding out what makes you happy and keeps you motivated.
Hector Garcia, co-author of Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, explains the word uses the characters ‘iki’, or ‘life’, and ‘kai’, meaning the result of a certain action.
In essence, it’s all about finding the answer to that question niggling at the back of your minds each day: ‘What should I do with my life?’
However, ‘ikigai’ isn’t just about about personal fulfilment.
Last year, Ken dos Remedios of the Hyper Japan cultural festival told the Independent: ‘Although it is not impossible to have ‘ikigai’ without social connections, it is easier to feel ‘ikigai’ by creating social connections, perhaps because of the ingrained social connections Japanese society promotes and Japanese individuals are conditioned to seek.’
In fact, the concept has its origins in the Japanese island of Okinawa which is said to be home to the largest population of centenarians in the world. As a result, it is thought ikigai may not only hold the key to happiness, but also longevity.
How does it work?
Ken Mogi, a neuroscientist and author of Awakening Your Ikigai, explains that finding your purpose in life using this lifestyle concept is about focussing on what he describes as ‘five pillars’: starting small, accepting yourself, connecting with the world around you (through other people and the environment), seeking out small joys, and being in the here and now.
He suggests focussing on the concept in the first couple of hours after you wake in order to properly start your day on the right foot.
Confused? Okay, bare with us.
In order to find your Ikigai, people should ask themselves the following four questions:
What do I love?
What am I good at?
What can I be paid for now — or something that could transform into my future hustle?
What does the world need?
In Garcia’s book, he and co-author Francesc Miralles outline the ten rules to help unlock your ‘ikigai’.
Stay active and don’t retire
Leave urgency behind and adopt a slower pace of life
Only eat until you are 80 per cent full
Surround yourself with good friends
Get in shape through daily, gentle exercise
Smile and acknowledge people around you
Reconnect with nature
Give thanks to anything that brightens our day and makes us feel alive.
Live in the moment
Follow your ikigai
How to put it into practice
You can practically work on finding ‘Ikigai’ by setting yourself a morning meditation ritual to fulfil each one of those pillars.
For example:
Start small: Take 10 minutes to read a new book today
Accept yourself: Tell yourself three affirmations that compliment yourself.
Connecting with the world around you: Put your phone in your handbag and enjoy the sights and sounds of the world.
Seek out small joys: Find three things to make you smile in your day and note them down.
Being in the here and now: Take time to enjoy your lunch/a cup of coffee without distracting yourself with other activities.
‘It is crucial to realise that moods can be changed through small joys, explains Mogi.
‘The fact is once the context is changed, your brain will adapt to that new context and moods can change in a short time.’
Happy searching for your purpose!
