Ikigai: The Japanese Philosophy To Achieve A Long And Happy Life
What is ikigai? How can it help us live a long and happy life? Discover this Japanese philosophy and how you can benefit psychologically from it. Find your ikigai!
Although its ultimate goal is not happiness, this is the real consequence that is achieved if we apply this method to everything we do. Because ikigai is that, a new concept of life, a method that helps us feel like better people, to seek our goal in life and to achieve happiness, understood as personal satisfaction. He ikigai is a Japanese philosophy with which we can achieve more happiness for our lives.
Ikigai as meaning it literally means reason for being. Even so, when we refer to ikigai and its meaning, it is basically a purpose in life, a motive or reason to do what we do, something for which it is worth getting up and fighting so that that day is better than yesterday. Therefore, it is not so much about looking for what makes us happy, but rather thinking about what we want to do and how we can help others, that is, how we can make this world a better place.
This japanese style Living means giving a fundamental role to our abilities in order to progress in our lives. For example, if we are good at cooking, we can dedicate our lives to making recipes for others. In this way, this Japanese philosophy proposes that to be happy we must give meaning to our life that is linked to our being.
He ikigai It is made up of the conjunction of 4 fundamental areas of life: your passion, your vocation, your mission and your profession. Or in other words, the mix of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs and what you make money for.
To begin the search for our existential purpose, the first step is to ask ourselves and find the answers to the following questions:
What is it that I love or am passionate about?
What things am I very good at?
What things could they pay me for?
What do you think the world needs?
He ikigai invites us to find our passion, an activity that allows us to flow happily and also feel useful to the world. It’s what allows you to look forward to the future, even if you feel bad in the present. Throughout our lives, this can also change with the different stages that we experience.
Why is ikigai the best philosophy of life?
There are some reasons that can be seen when we adopt this lifestyle in japan Mainly the psychological benefits that we can notice with Japanese ikigai are the following.
1. Greater emotional well-being
Adopt the ikigai method It makes it possible for us to enjoy life more and feel fulfillment and emotional well-being, which leads to happiness. In the long run, pursuing our ikigai can translate into a longer life expectancy.
2. Increases self-esteem
By doing what we like we are showing ourselves that our life has a reason, a motive. Adopting this japanese philosophy We notice joy every day and also consciously. When we do what we really want and we are good at it, this increases our self-esteem.
But it will also help us to continue looking for new challenges, more complicated recipes that we enjoy innovating with, and when we master them, we will continue to notice how our self-confidence continues to grow. We will find ourselves full of joy, since we will have found a reason in life, something to fight for every day, something that makes us happy.
4. Work on what we really like
One of the advantages of ikigai and this japanese philosophy It is precisely finding a job that we are passionate about. When researching this Japanese style we can see how passion is one of the key concepts. Therefore, by developing our skills and doing it in what we really like, we can find meaning in our lives and dedicate ourselves to it, enjoying life.
5. Realism
To incorporate the ikigai As a life model it means being realistic with our needs, that is, being aware that if we really want to have something to fight for, we may have to give up the two cars or live in the apartment we have and adapt to what we want. allows us to be better people and contribute to a better society. In this way, the ikigai method involves changing our mentality and we settle for what we can afford without giving up what we like. Following Japanese ikigai we will feel complete and find our reason for being in the world.
In order to enjoy this secret of japanese philosophy It is essential to know ourselves. Furthermore, before knowing what we are good at and how to find our purpose in life, it is vital to enjoy emotional well-being.
He ikigai It is one of the Japanese concepts that has transcended the most over the years. The reason for this is more than obvious and is that the ikigai method really allows people who practice it to enjoy greater happiness. If you don’t know how to find your purpose or what you are good at, you can undergo therapy with a professional psychologist who will help you achieve greater insight into yourself.
“Ask what makes you live and do it.” … “Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you feel alive and do it. Because what the world needs are people who have come to life.”
Howard W. Thurman, philosopher
Does ikigai help us live longer?
According to various statistical data, Japan is one of the regions on the planet where there are the oldest citizens in the world. So much so that life expectancy in these countries is 87 years for women and 81 years for men. Through various studies it has been proven that the Japanese can enjoy this longevity thanks to the kept secret behind the ikigai
This same fact can be found on the island of Okinawa, known for being the region of centenarians. In that area, people not only enjoy a healthy diet but also the elderly are very involved in society. In this way, people in old age feel very revered as they share all their experience with the younger generations.
He japanese ikigai Not only is it a way to enjoy yourself in all aspects, but it is also a key to achieving a long and happy life. Achieving it is as easy as knowing who you are and why you are here.
